LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1932, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

A FAVOURABLE WINTER. I MEAT EXPORT VALUES LOW. DAIRY CATTLE IN DEMAND. The most favourable factor in the local live stock markets since last report has been the excellent weather conditions. There was an abundant rainfall in July and temperatures, though -cold, have not been unduly severe. As a consequence stock is wintering well, and from a production point of view the outlook for next season is good. Marketing conditions, on the other hand, show little improvement. There is a healthier and more confident tone in the general business outlook, but this gains little support from the values placed upon our primary products. Week-end cables from Smithfield tell of congested supplies and a weaker tone in lamb and ewe mutton. Dairy produce is barely holding its own on a dull market, and the same remark anplies to wool. However, dairying returns are relatively better than those from other branches of farming industry, and as a consequence dairy cattle continue in keen demand. It is now thought that there may be a shortage and as a consequence prices have firmed up. At a. clearing sale held at Otaua on Tuesday a herd of 83 cows averaged £9 17/6 under the hammer. This was considered the best sale held in the district during the past 18 months. At the groat Canterbury clearing place for stock—Addington yards—the double market for Grand National week was held yesterday and there was, as is usual at that fixture, a magnificent display of fat stock. High prices were realised for special show beasts, but the returns do not compare at all favourably with those obtained at the corresponding fixture last year. Some of the returns are as follow: August, August, 1931. 1032. Fat cattle £36 to £51 £23 to £32 Fat sheep to 58/ 31/ to 40/ Spring lambs . . to 43/4 to 29/ Bacon pigs .. . 07/6 to 62/6 48/6 to 55/G Heavy porkers . 40/ to 44/ 30/ to 32/ There is very little doing in store sheep, and operations at the freezing works are chiefly concerned with the killing of bobby calves.

At Westfleld. At Westfield yesterday there was a large yarding of beef, and quality on the whole was excellent. Under a steady demand recent rates were maintained. Veal calves also had a good sale. Sheep and lambs were yarded in average numbers. Prime quality was disposed of readily, with values unchanged, but plainer lote, of which there was a fair number, were hard to quit. In the pig classes porkers were in keen demand, at about late rates, ■but baconers were neglected. The range of prices, together with those ruling the previous week, were as follow:— This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per 1001b)— Extra choice ox . 21/ 21/ Choice and prima os 17/ to 20/ 17/ to 20/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 16/ to 20/ 16/ to 20/ Boner and rough 12/ to 16/ 12/ to 16/ SHEEP (per head)— Heavy prime wethers 15/6 to 16/9 15/6 to 17/3 Medium prime wethers 12/ to 15/3 12/ to 15/3 Unfinished wethers 8/ to 11/3 8/3 to 11/6 Prime ewes 7/0 to 13/6 7/6 to 12/ Unfinished ewes . 5/ to 7/ 5/ to 7/ Extra heavy prime lambs 13/ to 14/ 15/ to-16/ Prime lambs 7/ to 12/6 7/6 to 14/ Unfinished lambs.. 5/ to 7/ 5/6 to 7/ CALVES (per head)— Runners 42/ to 77/6 30/ to 64/ Vealers 24/ to 70/ 21/ to 52/ PIGS (pet head)— Baconers 31/ to 48/ 34/ to 49/ Porkers 24/ to 35/ 28/ to 38/ Weaners 8/ to 16/ 7/ to 14/ Slips 11/ to 18/ 10/ to 18/ Large stores 17/ to 25/ 16/ to 23/ DALGETY AND COMPANY. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report on the sale as follows:— Beef.—The offering of ox ibeef was a heavy one, which met with a steady demand, and values, except in a few isolated cases, were fully equal to late rates. Cow and heifer ibeef also came forward in larger numbers than last week, ,but the demand was steady, and late rates again ruled. Extra choice ox sold to 21/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 18/ to 20/; just killable, 16/ to 17/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 17/ to 19/; just killable, 12/ to 16/. Extra heavv prime steers ranged in price from £7 17/6 to £8 12/6 for steers from the estate of Alex.'Bell; heavy prime steers, £7 5/ to £7 15/; lighter prime steers, £6 10/ to £7 2/6; light prime steers, £5 12/6 to £6 7/6; small and unfinished steers, £4 17/6 to £5 10/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £5 to £5 7/6 for a well-finished cow from Mr. L. S. Montgomerio, Mangere; heavy prime cows and heifers, £4 to £4 17/6; lighter prime cows and heifers, £3 5/ to £3 17/6; other killable cows, 32/6 to £3 2/6.

Sheep.—Sheep came forward in average numbers, with a fair number of plain sheep in the offering. Prime quality sold steadily at late rates, hut plain and unfinished continue dull of sale. Good quality ewes find a ready sale, and are coming forward in moderate numbers. Extra heavy prime wethers realised 14/9 to 15/3; heavy prime, 13/9 to 14/6; medium, 12/3 to 13/6; light and unfinished, 11/6 to 12/; heavy prime ewes, 10/ to 11/; lighter, 8/6 to 9/9; other ewes, 7/ t 0 8/3. Lambs.—Lambs were yarded in moderate numbers, and found a steady sale for well-finished lines at late rates. Medium prime lambs made 8/3 to 9/; light, 6/3 to 8/. Calves.—An average yarding of calves, composed mainly of small and light sorts, met with a ready sale at further improved rates. Runners made £2 5/ to £3 10/; heavy vealers, £1 18/ to £2 10/; medium vealers, £1 10/ to £1 16/; light vealera, £1 4/ to £1 10/; rough Calves, 12/ to 19/; small calves, 7/ to £1 2/; hobby calves, V to 5/. Pigs.—An average yarding of pigs sold at late rates. Choppers brought £1 15/ to £2 10/; heavy baconers, £2 4/ to £2 8/; medium haconers, £2 to £2 4/; light baconers, £1 16/ to £1 19/; heavy porkers, £1 12/ to £1 IS/; medium porkers, £1 8/ to £1 11/; light porkers. £1 4/ to £1 7/; small and unfinished. 17/ to £1 5/; slips, 11/ to 17/; weaners, 10/ to 13/. ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report on the sale as follows:— Beef.—Our beef pens contained 398 head, as against 181 head at last Wednesday's market, comprising 278 steers and 120 cows and heifers. The quality on the whole was first class. There was a keen demand throughout. In odd cases values were ■ slightly lower, but generally there was little variation from last week's figures. Extra choice ox sold to £11/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 18/ to £1; secondary and plain ox, 16/ to 17/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 17/ to 19/; ordinary cow beef, 12/ to 16/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £8 10/ to £9, for steers from Mr. W. McLaughlin, Puhunui, Papatoetoej heavy prime steers, £7 10/ to £8 7/6; lighter prime steers, £6 5/ to £7 776: light prime steers, £5 10/ to £6 2/6; small and unfinished steers, £3 10/ to £5 7/6; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £5 5/ to £5 17/6; heavy prime cows and heifers, £4 to £5 2/6; lighter prime cows and heifers, £3 to £3 17/6; other killable cows, £1 15/ to £2 17/6. Sheep.—There was scarcely _ an average entry of sheep, and the quality was not equal to late sales. All prime mutton was very firm. A total of 899 sheep was sold. Extra heavy prime wethers realised 15/9 to 16/6; heavy prime wethers, 14/6 to 15/6; medium to heavy prime wethers. 13/6 to 14/3; light to medium prime wethers, 12/ to 13/3; unfinished wethers, 9/ to 11/6; extra heavy prime and maiden young ewes, 12/ to 13/6, for Ryeland ewes from Mr. J

John Schlaepfer, Faerata; heavy prime ewes, 10/ to 11/3; lighter prime ewes, 9/ to 0/0; other kiilable ewes, 8/ to 8/9; other ewes, 6/ to 7/9. Lambs.—Lambs were penned to the number of 431 and all classes were easier in value. Extra heavy prime lambs made 13/ to 14/; heavy prime lambs, 11/ to 12/6; lighter prime lambs, 9/ to 10/9; light prime lambs, 7/6 to 8/0; small and plain lambs, 6/ to 7/3. j Calves.—The calf pens were well failed, young calves predominating. Prime vealers were again scarce and were keenly competed for. Our quotations for these show a further improvement. Runners made £2 5/ to £3 10/; heavy vealers, £2 4/ to £2 10/; medium, £1 13/ to £1 18/; light, £1 8/ to £1 11/; small, 16/ to £1 2/; rough and bucket-fed, 8/ to 13/; bobby calves, 2/ to 5/ (a total of 197 calves was sold). , Pigs.—We had a larger yarding ot tat pigs. Bidding was less keen and values for porkers and baconers were lower. All stores sold readily and realised higher fates. Choppers made £18/ to £2 o/; heavy prime baconers, £2 to £2 //; medium, £1 14/ to £1 18/; light, £1 11/ to £1 13/; heavy porkers, £1 10/ to £1 12/; medium. £1 7/ to £1 9/; light and unfinished, 19/ to £1 4/; good stores, £1 to £I's/; slips, 15/ to 10/; best weancrs, 13/ to 16/; smaller, 8/ to 12/; weedy, 5/ to 7/. (A total of 438 pigs was sold.) LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report on the sale as follows: — Beef.—Beef was penned in more than average numbers, including many Hues ol weil-imislied, good quality cattle. There was a steady demand, witn late values ruling in most cases. choice ox sold to 21/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 17/ to 20/; ordinary and plain ox, 14/ to 10/; prime young cow aud heifer beef, 18/ to 20/; ordinary cow beef, 12/ to 17/. Jixtra heavy prune steers ranged in price from £8 15/ to £0 12/6; heavy prime steers, £7 16/ to £8 12/6; lighter prime steers, £6 10/ to £7 12/6; light prime steers, £5 to £6 7/6; unfinished, ana small, £3 10/ to £4 15/; extra heavy prime cows and heifers, £5 12/6 to £6 2/6; heavy prime young cows and heifers, £4 17/6 to £5 10/; lighter, £4 to £4 15/; light cows, £3 to £3 17/6; other cows, £2 to £2 17/6. Extra heavy prime steers from Mr. E. T. Bain, Huntly, realised up to £9 12/6, the line of 22 steers averaging £8 0/6. Sheep.—Sheep were yarded in average numbers, prime quality selling readily at late rates. Plainer sheep were dull of sale and easier in value. Heavy prime wethers made 15/ to 16/9; medium prime wethers, 13/3 to 14/0; light prime wethers, 11/6 to 13/; small and uniinished wethers, 8/ to 11/3; heavy prime ewes, 10/ to 12/; medium prime ewes, 8/9 to 9/9; light prime ewes, 7/3 to 8/0; inferiorly-fatted ewes, 5/ to 7/. Lambs.—Lambs were penned in small numbers, and sold at late rates. Prime lambs made 9/ to 13/; others, 6/ to 8/9. Calves.—Calves were penned in average numbers. Competition was again firm, and values firmed on last week's quotations. Runners made £2 5/ to £3 17/6; heavy vealers, £3 to £3 10/; medium, £2 8/ to £2 18/; light, £1 16/ to £2 6/; smaller, £1 5/ to £1 14/; small and fresh-dropped, 3/ to £1 2/; rough calves, 5/ to 10/. Pigs.—Pigs were penned in average numbers. Competition was keen for porkers, for which late rates were fully maintained. There was not the demand for baconers, for which values were easier. Choppers sold from £1 10/ to £2 7/6; heavy and medium baconers, £2 to £2 6/; light baconers and heavy porkers, £1 10/ to £1 16/; medium porkers and light porkers, £1 8/ to £1 14/; small and unfinished porkers, £1 to £1 6/. An average yarding of store pigs sold at values firm at late rates. Large stores made £1 to £14/; slips, 12/ to 18/; weancrs, 7/ to 14/.

IN THE WAIKATO

(From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. Tho improvement in the weather during the week will show a beneficial effect on the pastures, and with a few days ot warmer weather the grass will soon begin to grow, especially on any land that has been recently topdressed. The advance recorded in the beef and mutton sections recently was hardly maintained this week. A good yarding of beef came forward to Frankton, with better quality cow beef than has been yarded at recent sales. Prices were easier all round. Ox beef showed a decline of almost 15/ per head, while cow and heifer beef was lower accordingly. A heavy yarding of fat sheep did not meet with as good competition as last week, and although prices were lower, the quality of the. sheep in many cases was not quite so good. Very few store cattle are being yarded, as farmers have held on to them so long in the hope that they will show a rise in value in the early spring. The inquiry for dairy cattle is still good, especially for gOod genuine young cows, and at a clearing sale held during the week a good average' was realised. Dairy < heifers are also changing hands more freely, and some quite satisfactory prices nave been reached. Conditions are as follows:—

Beef.—Although tho quality of the beef yarded at Frankton this week was quite up to standard, values showed a decline. There appears a fair supply of ox beef being held by graziers, and it docs not look as though a shortage will be experienced this winter. A good supply of heifer beef is also available, but prime cows appear to be more scarce. Prime ox beef has been making from 18/ to 19/ per 1001b; boner, 16/ to 17/; prime young cow and heifer, 17/ to 18/; medium cow. 13/ to 14/.: second quality beef, 9/ to 10/.

Fat Sheep. —Good entries in this section are everywhere coining forward, and late values have hardly been maintained. There also appears in this section to be a plentiful supply of fat sheep held for future requirements. Heavy prime fat wethers make up to 15/; medium, 13/ to li/; light, 11/ to 12/; prime fat ewes, up to 10/; medium, 7/0 to 8/6; light, 6/ to 7/; heavy fat lambs, up to 11/; medium, 8/ to 9/.

Store Cattle.—The inquiry for •wellgrown good quality yearling Jersey heifers is still as strong as ever, and there appears to be every prospect that there will be a shortage of this class of stock when the early spring comes round. Very few male cattle are now being yarded, but backcountry farmers with surplus cattle to sell will no doubt be testing the market in the near future. Forward-conditioned empty cows have been making 25/ to 30/; boner cows, 8/ to 16/; store cows, 15/ to 20/; best yearling Jersey heifers, £2 10/ to £3; medium quality, 30/ to £2; Friesian heifers, £1 to 30/; empty two-year-old heifers, for -which there is a fair demand, from 15/ to 25/.

Store Sheep.—A much better tone exists in this section, and there is a good inquiry for genuinely-farmed young ewes in lamb, although very few quotations are available. There is also a stronger inquiry for both ewe and 'wether hoggets, but here again quotations are hard to get. Genuinely farmed ewes in lamb make from 0/ to 11/; five-year-old ewes, 7/ to 8/; older sheep 6/ to 7/; good store wethers, 9/ to 10/; two-tooth wethers, 7/ to 8/; bast woolly lambs, 7/ to S/; good medium lambs, 6/ to 7/; smaller. 4/ to 5/. Dairy Cattle.—Better business has been done in this section during the week, and quite a number of heifers have changed hands by way of private treaty; although prices have not shown any advance more cattle are being 1 sold. Good young dairy cows still find favour, and up to the present have been much more in favour than heifers. It is getting more difficult to obtain quotations of genuine cows. Clearing sale prices for this class are now showing an increase. Best dairy cows at clearing sale make from £9 to £10 10/; later, calvers, £7 to £8; best two-year Jersey heifers, close to profit, £7 to £8, with a few extra choice heifers from £10 to £10 10/; in fact this week outstanding heifers realised up to £12. Later calver heifers, £6 to £7, with backward heifers, £4 to £5. MATAMATA. The Farmers' Auctioneering Co. held the weekly stock sale at Matamata on Wednesday. An average number of cattle were yarded, and prices for fats were up to Frankton rates, but were not consistent with the rise of a fortnight ago. Store cattle sold in advance of the rates

of the previous sale, and forwad dairy heifers were in good demand. An extra large number of store pigs were sold at late rates, but competition for fat pigs was not keen. Prices were: — Cattle.—Fat steers, £4 10/ to £5 5/; fat heifers, £2 16/ to £3 19/: medium fat cows, £3 to £3 10/; light fat cows, £2 5/ to £2 18/; fresh-conditioned young store cows, £1 0/ to £1 18/; older sorts, 18/ to 25/; boners. 7/6 to 16/; two-year empty; heifers, £2 2/ to £2 8/; yearling Jersey! heifers, £1 17/ to £2 15/; Jersey cross heifers, 25/ to 30/; Jersey heifers, close to profit, £6 to £6 10/; more backward sorts, £4 to £5 67. Pigs.—Light porkers, 20/ to 23/6; largo stores, 18/ to 19/6; other stores, 16/6 to 18/: slips, 12/ to 15/6; good weancrs, 10/ to 14/; smaller weancrs, 5/ to 8/6; sows in pig, £2 2/ to £3 14/. HAWKE'S BAY VALUES. HASTINGS, this clay. At Stortforcl Lodge prime heavy bullocks realised from £6 to £6 11/; medium, £5 7/6 to £7 17/6; light, £4 to £5 5/; prime cows, £4 to £4 13/; medium, £3 1/ to £3 17/6; light, £2 13/ to £3; prime heifere, £3 10/ to £4 11/; medium, £2 5/ to £3 7/6; vealers, £1 7/6 to £1 15/; fat lambs, 10/ to 11/10; fat ewes, 6/ to 9/; fat wethers, 11/ to 13/; m.S. hoggets, to 10/; medium hoggets, 8/8; twotooth wethers, 10/7 to 11/10. THE ADDINGTON YARDS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHE]STCHUHCH, Wednesday. The double market preceding Grand National Week attracted magnificent displays of fat stock, especially in the cattle division, in which all parts of New Zealand were represented. High prices ruled for show animals. Store Sheep.—-There was a poor quality yarding and the demand was extremely dull. Prices were easier. Values were:— Good sound-mouthed ewes, to 11/8; ordinary sound-mouthed, 7/3 to 8/9; sound and full-mouthed, 5/ to 6/3; ordinary four, six and eight-tooth halfbred wethers, 8/5 to 10/; medium ewe hoggets, to 10/3; ordinary wethers, to 7/9. Spring Lambs. —The entry was 54 head, with a few milk lambs. The top price was 29/. Pat Hoggets.—The entry was 1200 and the quality good. Values declined by 1/ to 2/ a head. The top price was 18/7. Prices were: —Prime, 12/ to 16/6; medium, 8/ to 11/6; light, 5/6 to 7/6. Fat Sheep.—There was an entry of 5500 head, with a small proportion of show lines representing southern districts of the South Island. There was a keen sale, and values generally advanced 1/ a head. Values were:—Extra heavy show wethers, 31/ to 40/; heavy show wethers, 20/1 to 30/; extra prime heavy, to 18/10; prime heavy, 15/6 to 17/6; prime medium-weight, 14/ to 15/; ordinary, 12/ to 13/6; light, 8/6 to 11/6; show ewes, to 20/3; extra prime heavy, to 15/10; prime heavy, 11/6 to 14/; prime medium-weight, 10/ to 11/3; ordinary, 6/6 to 9/; light, 4/6 to 6/. Fat Cattle.—There was an entry of 560 head, representing Wanganui, Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, West Coast of the South Island, Otago, Southland and South Canterbury. There were over 70 head of show bullocks and the market was rather over-supplied. Handy weight beef declined 10/ to 15/ a head and heavy-weight up to £1 a head. Best beef made up to 27/ per 1001b, but that was in odd instances, only the primest handy weight averaging about 25/. Good made from 20/ to 24/; heavy, to 20/: secondary, 15/ to 18/; inferior, 12/6 to 15/. Fat Pigs.—There was a medium entry and bacon prices were a little firmer. Values were: —Baconers. 48/6 to 55/6: heavy, £3 to £3 7/6; extra heavy, to £3 17/6; averace price per lb, 4%d to 5%d; . porkers, 28/6 to 34/6; heavy, 38/6 to 44/6; I average price per lb, SJ/4d5 J /4d to 6'^d.