LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Issue 17, 21 January 1932, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

EXCEPTIONALLY LOW PRICES, HARD ON FARMERS. SMITHFIELD MARKET OVERLOADED. The markets for live stock, though fairly active, continue to show a low level of prices in sympathy with, export values. Since last report the position at Smithfiekl has shown no improvement, and buyers for export have reduced their offers for best grade lambs on the hooks from 4%d to 4t£d per lb. Last ■week-end cables from London stated that prices were easier, owing to large stocks of Australian and South American being forced on to the market Shipments of lamb to the United Kingdom from the chief producing centres for tho month of December in 1930 and 1931 have been as follow:— Dec.. 1930. Dec., 1031. Australia 473,970 371.837 South America .. 037.711 759,606 New Zealand .... 352,637 531,905 1,180,318 1,000,108 For the present season, namely, from October 1 to December 31, this Dominion has shipped no less than 1,061,46!) lamb carcases, compared with 665,563 for the same period in 1930. With these figures available there is little difficulty in explaining the low values at Smithfield, which is also attempting to absorb huge quantities of South .American chilled beet, as well as mutton and pork. Unfortunately, low prices for meat have been accompanied by a slump in wool, and the unsatisfactory local sale this week has proved the last straw in damning the hopes of many graziers in regard to the present season's returns. Our Waikato correspondent declares that unless there is an improvement existing conditions will spell ruination to many farmers who clepeud wholly or partly on sheep grazing for a livelihood. The position in regard to cattle is little better. Graziers must find present values very disappointing. Jn tho absence of export business fat stock is lower than it has been for years, and stores are down 50 per cent, compared with prices a year ago, which were then considered _ to be low. The price offered for "boner" cows for export is so low as to scarcely warrant the trouble of sending to the works. All over tho country stock is being sold at prices that, a few years since, would have seemed impossible, and have certainly not been known for close on twenty years. The dairy industry, too, is having to face a further decline in the value of exported products, but in this case increased output will go a long way towards equalising the deficiency. At Westfield. The export position was reflected at Westfield yesterday, when values ruled I unusually low. The yarding of beef was less than that entered the previous week, and the quality on the whole was excellent. Demand was slack and values were easier, though no quotable change i 3 recorded. Prime light-weight vealers were in short supply and sold at improved values, but heavy-weights were not wanted and values cased. There was a heavy entry of fat sheep, the pens being filled to capacity. The quality was hardly up to standard. There was a steady demand, but the previous week's high rates were not maintained Still, good quality wethers realised fair values. Ewes sold steadily at about late rates, the operations of export buyers assisting to stabilise the market. A heavy yarding of fat lambs came forward, but the quality was mixed, and values were inclined to be easier. Store lambs are being entered in increased numbers, and they realised from 3/ to 6/6. There was an average yarding of pigs. Baconers sold steadily at late rates, but porkers were easier. Stores wore in lair demand with values unchanged. The range of prices, together with those ruling the previous week, was as follow:— This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per 100U>) — Extra choice ox . 21/ 21/ C^ 1C ?.. and .. P^. m f 17/0 to 20/ 17/ to 20/ Ch cow and lieifcr 16/ to 20/ 16/ to 20/ SHEEP (per head) — Prime wethers, , shorn 11/ to 14/6 10/ to 10/o Unfinished wethers, shorn 8/ to 10/6 9/ to 10/0 Prime ewes, shorn 0/6 to 0/ 5/6 to 9/9 Untln. ewes, shorn 3/ to 5/ 4/6 to 6/6 Prime hoggets, shorn 0/ to 10/ 11/ to 13/6 Prime lambs 0/6 to 13/ 8/ to 11/ CALVES (per head) — Runners 20/ to 66/ 26/ to 70/ Vealers 10/ to 4<i/ 12/ to 44/ PIGS (per head) — Baconers ........ 29/ to 41/ 2S/ to 40/ Porkers 20/ to 2S/ 14/ to o l/ Weaners 5/ to 8/ :!/ to 11/ Slips 8/ to 19/ 8/ to 10/ Large stores 0/ to 15/ 13/ to 19/ ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report as follows on yesterday's sale at Westfield:— Beef. —We penned 301 head of fat cattle, compared with 249 at the last sale. The quality of the ox beef was first class. There was only a limited demand, and values again receded. Extra choice ox sold to £1 1/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 17/6 to £1; secondary and plain ox, 15/ to 17/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 16/ to £1; ordinary cow beef, 8/ to 15/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £8 to £8 12/6 (for steers from Mr. B. lleed, Waerenga, which were bought by Mr. R. E. Stott, Birkenhead; heavy prime steers, £7 to £7 17/6; lighter prime steers, £6 to £6 17/6; light prime steers, £5 to £5 17/6; small and unfinished steers, £2 10/ to £4 17/6; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £4 10/ to £5 2/6; heavy prime cows and heifers, £3 15/ to £4 7/6; lighter prime cows and heifers, £2 10/ to £3 12/6; other killable cows, £1 10/ to £2 7/6. Sheep.—There was a heavy yarding of sheep, ewes predominating. Competition was steady throughout at slightly lower values (1968 sheep sold). Extra heavy prime wethers, 14/ to 14/6; heavy prime wethers, 13/ to 13/0; medium to heavy prime wethers, 11/9 to 12/9; light to medium prime wethers, 11/ to 11/9; unfinished wethers, 8/6 to 10/9; extra heavy prime young ewes, 7/6 to 8/6; heavy primo ewes, 6/9 to 7/3; lighter prime ewes, 5/6 to 6/6; other killable ewes, 4/6 to 5/3; other ewes, 2/ to 4/. Lambs. —Lambs came forward to the number of 1369, and all classes were easier in price. Extra heavy prime lambs, 12/ to 13/; heavy prime lambs, 10/6 to 11/9; lighter prime lambs, 8/ to 10/3; light prime lambs, 6/6 to 7/9; small and plain lambs, 2/ to 6/. Calves. —We had a smaller offering of fat and young calves. Runners and extra | heavy vealers were not in request, and values eased. Prime light vealers maintained late rates, while prices for rough calves improved. Runners made £1 to £1 15/; heavy vealers, £1 15/ to £'2 2/; medium, £1 9/ to £1 14/; light, £1 5/ to £1 8/; small vealers, 10/ to 15/; rough and bucket-fed calves, 7/ to 14/; bobby calves, 1/ to 3/. A total of 189 calves was sold. Pigs.—Fat pigs were again in full supply. Good quality baconers sold steadily at fully late rates. Values for porkers were inclined to ease, especially toward the conclusion of the sale. Choppers made £1 5/ to £2 10/, according to weight; heavy prime baconers, £1 18/ to £2 1/; medium, £1 15/ to £1 17/; light, £1 10/ to £1 13/; heavy porkers, £1 6/ to £1 8/; light and medium, £1 1/ to £1 4/'; small and unfinished, 14/ to 18/. Stores sold at last week's prices. Slips and stores, 9/ to 15/; suckers and i weaners, 3/ to 8/. A total of 571 pigs was SOld. » • " ' ■■ V t> . , ,

N.Z. LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., report as follows: — Beef. —Although beef was penned in smaller numbers than last week the demand was slack and values were inclined to be easier. Extra choice ox sold to 21/ per 1001b: choice and prime ox, 18/ to 20/; ordinary and plain ox, 14/ to 37/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 16/ to 20/; ordinary cow beef, 10/ to 15/; heavy prime steers, £6 7/6 to £7 5/; lighter prime steers, £5 12/6 to £6 5/; light prime steers, £4 to £5 10/; unfinished and small. £3 to £3 17/6; heavy prime young cows and heifers, £3 7/6 to £4 15/; lighter, £2 10/ to £3 5/; light cows, £1 15/ to £2 5/; other cows, 7/6 to £1 10/. Sheep.—With sheep yarded in large numbers, there was a steady demand, and values were firm at last week's quotations. Heavy prime wethers, 13/6 to .14/6; medium prime wethers, 12/6 to 13/3; light prime wethers, 11/ to 12/3; small and unfinished wethers, 8/ to 10/6; heavy prime ewes, 7/9 to 9/; medium prime ewes, 6/9 to 7/6; light prime ewes, 5/6 to 6/6; interiorly fab ted ewes, 3/ to 5/; prime hoggets, 9/ to 13/; unfinished hoggets, 6/ to 8/6. Lambs.—An average penning of lambs sold at late quotations. Prime Lambs, 9/ to 13/6; unfinished, 3/ to 6/6. Pigs.—Values for pigs were inclined to be easier. They were penned in average numbers. Choppers sold from 10/ to £1 19/; heavy and medium baconers, from £1 13/ to £1 19/; light baconers and heavy porkers, from £1 8/ to £1 12/; medium porkers and light porkers, from £1 to £1 6/. Store pigs sold at late quotations. Large stores, 12/ to 18/; slips, 8/ to 11/; weaners, 3/ to 10/. Calves. —A small yarding of calves sold at improved values. Runners, £1 15/ to £3 6/; heavy vealers. £1 16/ to £2 6/; medium, £110/ to £1 14/; light, £1 to £ L 8/: smaller, 12/ to 18/; small and fresh dropped, 2/ to 10/; rough calves, 5/ to 10/. DALGETY AND CO., LTD. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report oil the weekly Westliuld stock sale yesterday as follows: — Beef. —Ox beef was offered in lesser numbers than last week. The quality was first-class, but no better demand existed, and late rates were about equalled. Cow and heifer beef was penned in average numbers, and realised late rates. Extra choice ox sold to 21/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 17/6 to 20/; secondary and plain ox, 16/ to 17/; prime young, cow and heifer beef, 17/ to 20/; ordinary cow beef, 8/ to 16/. Heavy prime, steers made from £7 2/6 to £7 15/; lighter prime steer,*, £6 to £7; light prime steers, £4 5/ to £4 17/6; small and unfinished steers, £4; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £4 5/; heavy prime cows and heifers, £3 17/6 to £4 2/6; lighter prime cows and heifers, £2 10/ £3 15/; other billable cows, £ I to £2 (/6. Sheep.—L'.r.ce numbers again came forward, the entry Wing very mixed.. All well fini: '.led lines drew steady competition, and realised late rates, while second quality and poorly finished were easier in vaine. Heavy prime wethers, 12/3 to J3/3; medium, 10/9 to 12/; light and unfinished. 9/ to 10/6: heavy prime ewes, 7/9 to 9/9: lighter, 5/9 to 7/6. Lambs.—Large numbers were offered, but only a minor portion of the yarding comprised prime quality, and values weie easier all round. Calves. —There was a smaller yarding oi all classes, with the exception of extra heavy vealers and runners, showing an improvement on last week's rates. Runners, £1 10/ to £2 15/; heavy vealers, £1 16/ to £2 14/; medium, £1 11/ to £1 19/; light, £1 2/ to £1 10/; rough, 8/ to £1; bobby calves, 1/ to 5/. Pigs.—With a full yarding prices for pigs were on a par with last week's values, with the exception of porkers, which were inclined to be easier. Choppers, 10/ to £2; heavy baconers, £1 16/ to £1 19/; medium, £1 12/ to £1 15/; light, £1 9/ to £1 11/; heavy porkers, £1 5/ to £1. 8/; medium, £1 2/ 'to £1 4/; light, £1 to £1 2/; small and unfinished, 14/ to 19/; slips and stores, 8/ to 15/; weaners, 5/ to 8/. ADDINGTON. FAT STOCK LOWER. (By Telegraph.—Tress Association.) CHRIST CHURCH, Wednesday. The stock market at Addington to-day was again a discouraging one, as values in the fat stock sections declined. In the fat lamb and fat sheep sections export buyers were operating on a reduced schedule. Values in the case of lambs on tlie new schedule, are up to 5d per lb for under 361b prime lambs and down to 3%d for seconds. For fat sheep the sale was generally easier in regard to prices, the decline amounting to about 1/ a head for ewes and a little, less for wethers. The new export schedule is up to 3Vid per lb for withers, and up to l%d for owes. Freezing company buyers operated strictly •to the new limits. Store Sheep.--For lambs the sale was a very steady one, and prices remained firm at last week's rates. Adult sheep were dull of sale. Good mixed sex lambs made up to 9/; medium lambs, 7/ to 3/; ordinary, 5/ to 6/9; inferior, to 4/9; good six- | tooth halfbred wethers, 7/6 to 8/6; two- ■ tooth, to 9/3; ordinary two-tooth and j four-tooth ewes, to 8/11; ordinary four and five-year ewes, 3/3 to 5/10; aged ewes, to 2/7. Fa<t Lambs. —The entry of 4000 was slightly bigger than at recent markets. Butchers' lambs sold keenly, but cased in value over the concluding stages of the auction. Extra prime realised up to 19/10; prime, 16/ to .18/; medium, 11/6 to 15/6; light, 8/6 to 11/. Fat Sheep.—An entry of 5500 head. The quality was outstanding in sonic cases. A steady sale at values which showed a slight decline on last week for all classes. Extra prime wethers brought up to 21/1; prime, 17/ to 18/6; medium, 14/6 to 16/6; ordinary, 11/6 to 13/6; light, 9/ to 11/; extra prime ewes, to 14/10; prime, 12/ to 13/6; medium, 10/ to 11/6; ordinary, 7/3 to 9/; light, 5/ to 7/. Fat Caittle.—The entry of 370 head was the smallest for a number of weeks, and the quality was the best for a long period. Steers eased in price by £1 a head, and cows and heifers by 10/ to 15/. Best beef made 20/ to 24/ per 1001b; good. 16/ to 19/; heavy, 13/ to 16/; inferior, down to n/; _ lat Pigs.—There was a medium entrv of fat pigs, with a smaller entry of porkers. The demand all round was a little better. Choppers made £2 5/ to £4 3/6; baconers, 34/6 to 46/6; heavy baconers, 43/6 to 49/6; extra heavy, to £2 19/6 (average price per lb, 3'id to 4%d); porkers, 26/ to 28/6; heavy, 29/6 to 32/6 (average price per lb, 4%d to 5%d). HAWKE'S BAY VALUES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HASTINGS, Wednesday. There was a much reduced yarding of beef <it the Stortforcl Lodge sale to-day. Only six pens of ox beef were included in the offering, the balance being cows mid heifers. Any pens showing quality and finish met with fair competition. Prime ox beef made from 17/ to 19/ per 1001b, and prime heifer about the same. Cow beef was neglected, several pens being sold at , P- P '" 1001b- Prime bullocks sold from to *'/'> Jight prime, £5 to £5 12/6; unfinished, £3 15/ to £4 10/; prime heavy heifers, £6 15/; light, £2 10/; prime heavy cows, £3 to £3 6/; prime light, £2 5/ to £2 18/6; prime dairy sorts, £2 11/ 18/; unfinished, to 30/; vealers, to The store sheep entry totalled SOOO, and lambs again predominated, but several annual drafts of breeding ewes were also included. Five-year ewes made from 8/6 to 9/7; black-face rape lambs, to 8/1; pen of white-face lambs, 4/; well grown line of white-face rape lambs. 7/6: one lot 4-5-year ewes, 9/7: 4, 6, and 8-tooth ewes, 10/6. In the fat sheep section 1000 head were oflercd, and prices showed a slight improvement on last week's rates, butchers' competition being more in evidence. Prime heavy fat wethers made 12/ to 12/10; light, 10/ to 11/; prime heavy fat ewes, 7/ to 8/6: prime light, 6/6 to 6/9; prime heavy fat lambs, 12/ to 14/; light, 10/ to 11/; small, to 7/.