LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

DAIRY POSITION SERIOUS.

WOOL AND LAMB BETTER. FREEZING SPACE SCARCE. The most notable factor affccting live stock markets since last review has been the persistence in the disastrous slump in the values of New Zealand butter and cheese in the Home market. Unless some marked change takes place these market conditions will involve a downward revaluation of all dairy stock and dairy land. In other overseas markets there has been some improvement. Wool, at long last, shows a distinctly better tone, and New Zealand lamb seems to be moving off freely at Smithfield at slightly better prices. Mutton values, which do not affect Auckland so much, are weaker. Fortunately, climatic conditions have been almost ideal, and this has been reflected in remarkable production from Auckland dairy herds, which have set up fresh records for February gra dings and also for the season to date.

An alarming happening in the stock section is the announcement that the freezing companies are practically unable to take any more cattle for killing for at least a month or more. This will have a very serious effect on boners, as a large number is still available to go to the works. At the same time export companies have good mobs grazing in different parts waiting for space. It may also affect ox beef, as buyers will not be able to operate with the same freedom. Undoubtedly extra large numbers of cattle would have been handled by the freezing companies this season, and this of course means that some would probably have to be replaced by in-calf heifers, so that the closing of the works may even show its effect on the dairy heifer market.

Of the position in the Waikato our Hamilton correspondent says:—

"It is very hard to follow the stock markets in the Waikato. Last week it appeared as though 6 tore stock would be dull' of sale, but during the week a special offering of East Coast cattle was submitted to auction, and, while the bigger cattle did not bring ae much as they would have a few weeks ago, the younger cattle sold remarkably well. East Coast cattle invariably attract the farmers, this, no doubt, being due to the outstanding quality, and most buyers certainly prefer them to local cattle.

"The sheep section is showing signs of slackening off, and small yardings are now the order of the day. There is still a demand for breeding ewes, but it appears to be a -cheaper class ewe that the farmers are looking for, i.e., ewes for round about 6/ to 7/ that will produce a fat lamb. Store lambs appear_ to be losing their popularity, although in some centres satisfactory sales are recorded.

"Business still continues to be brisk in the pig section, and at Frankton this week the price of baconers remained very firm."

AT WESTFIELD, The yarding of fat cattle at Westfield yesterday numbered about 900 head, compared with 1000 the previous week. The quality, generally speaking, was first-class, with a good demand late rates were maintained, except for heavy-weights, which were easier. Vendors of calves had to accept lower prices. Lambs sold steadily at late rates, while sheep were slightly firmer. Bidding for pigs was dull at the outset, but improved as the sale progressed. The range of prices, together with those ruling the previous week, were as follows:— This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per 1001b)— , Extra choice ox . 19/ 19/ Choice and prime ox ......... 16/ to 18/ 16/ to 18/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 13/ to 18/ 14/ to 17/ Boner and rough 8/ to 12/ 8/ 'to 16/ SHEEP (per head) — . Prime wethers . 10/ .to 16/6 11/ to 15/9 Unflu. wethers . 9/6 to 11/9 8/ to 10/9 Prime ewes ... 7/ to 13/6 6/3 to 12/ Unfln. ewes 5/ to 6/9 3/ to 7/ Primfe lambs ... 8/ to 14/ 8/ to 15/ Unfin. lambs .. 4/ to 7/9 4/ to 8/6 CALVES (per head) — Runners 20/ to 57/ 25/ to 57/ Vealers 20/ to 42/ 10/ to 45/ PIGS (per head) — Choppers ....*. 20/ to 50/ 20/ to 65/ Baconers 37/ to 58/ 37/ to 59/ Porkers 22/ to 35/ 10/ to 35/ Weaners 3/ to 9/ 2/ toll/ S»PS 7/ to 12/ 8/ to 15/ Large stores ... 10/ to 20/ 14/ to 22/

DALGETY AND COMPANY. Dalgety and Company, Limited, reports: Beef.—Ox beef came forward in full numbers, the quality being first-class. A steady demand resulted in values for prime light cattle ruling at late rates, but for heavy weights values were easier. Cow and heifer beef came forward in big numbers and met a rather slack demand at values lower than last week's rates. Extra choice ox sold to 19/ per 1001b; choice and prime, 17/ to 18/; just killable, 14/ to 16/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 13/ to 15/; just killable, 7/ to 12/. Heavy prime steers ranged in price from £6 2/6 to £6 12/6; lighter, £5 5/ to £6; light, £3 12/6 to £5 2/6; small and unfinished, £1 5/ to £3 10/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £4 5/ to £4 12/6 for heifers from Messrs. Reid Brothers, Opotiki; heavy prime cows and heifers, £3 2/6 to £4 2/6; lighter, £2 2/6 to £3; other killable cows, £1 5/ to £2. Sheep.—-Fat sheep came forward in full average numbers and sold under a ready demand at values firm on late rates. Ewes were in better demand, and values for this class were decidedly improved. Extra heavy prime wethers, 15/ to 15/9; heavy, 13/3 to 14/9; medium, 12/ to 13/; light and unfinished, 10/ to 11/9; heavy prime ewes, 9/3 to 11/6; lighter, 7/ to 9/; other ewes, 6/ to 6/9. . Lambs.—Fat lambs came forward in average numbers and sold under steady competition at late rates. Heavy prime lamb, 12/ to 12/9; medium, 10/ to 11/9; light, 9/ to 9/9. , , Calves.—A heavy yarding of calves came forward. The demand was not so keen as last week, and an appreciable drop m values resulted. Runners, £1 5/ to £2 10/; heavy vealers, £1 14/ to £2; medium, £1 9/ to £1 13/; light, £1 1/ to £17/; small, 14/ to 18/; rough calves, 5/ to 10/; small and fresh dropped, 3/ to 8/. Pigs.—Pigs were yarded m well up to average numbers. The sale was patchy at first, but toward the end all classes sold readily at fully late rates. Heavy baconers. £2 14/ to £2 18/; medium. £2 9/ to £2 12/; light, £1 17/ to £2 7/; light porkers, £1 13/ to £1 15/; medium, £1 9/ to £1 11/; light, £1 2/ to £1 8/.

ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, reports: — B ee f. —Our beef pens contained 354 head, as against 409 head at last Wednesdays market, comprising 221 steers and 133 cows and heifers. The entry included many consignments of heavy cattle. Values for these were easier. Medium . and lightweight prime ox sold at late rates. Cows and heifers were also lower in price. Extra choice ox sold to 19/ per 1001b; choice and prime, 16/ to 18/; secondary and plain, 13/ to 15/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 13/ to 15/; ordinary cow beef, 8/ to 12/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £7 10/ to £7 17/6 for steers from Mr. B. Reed, Waerenga. Heavy prime steers, £6 10/ to £7 15/: lighter, £5 5/ to £6 7/6; light, £3 10/ to £5; small and unfinished, £1 10/ to £3 7/6 Extra Jieavy prime young cows and heifers, £4; 10/ to £5; heavy prime cows and heifers,' £3 10/ to £4 7/6; lighter, £2 10/ to £3 7/0; other killable cows, £1 10/ to'£2 7/6. Sheep.—The sheep pens were well tilled with a nice class of mutton. Competition was steady throughout and generally values wore a trifle firmer. A total of 1377 sheep was sold. Extra heavy prime wethers, 15/6 to 16/6; heavy, 14/ to 15/3; medium to heavy, 12/6 to 13/9; light to medium, 11/6 t to 12/3; unfinished, 10/ to,

IJ/3; extra heavy prime young and maiden ewes, 11/6 to 13/; heavy prime, 8/6 to 10/6; lighter, 7/ to 8/3; other kiliable, 6/ to 6/9; others, 3/ to 5/6. Lambs.—These were penned to the number of 875 and values for all classes were slightly lower. Extra heavy prime lambs, 12/6 to 13/9; heavy, 11/ to 12/3; lighter, 9/6 to 10/9; light, 8/ to 9/3; small and plain, 4/ to 7/9. Calves.—The calf pens were well filled. Except in odd instances for extra prime quality vealers, values were lower. Runners and plain sorts were hard to quit, particularly toward the conclusion of the sale. Runners made £1 4/ to £2 12/; heavy vealers, £1 14/ to £2 1/; medium, £1 7/ to £1 11/; light, £1 1/ to £1 5/; small, 14/ to 17/; rough and bucket-fed, 7/ to 12/; bobby calves, 2/ to 6/. A total of 166 calves was sold.

Pigs.—We again had a large yarding of faL pigs. At the commencement values were slightly lower, but improved under brisk bidding as the sale progressed. Choppers made £15/ to £2 2/; extra heavy> prime baconers, £2 18/ to £3 2/; heavy baconersy £2 13/ to £2 15/; medium, £2 9/ to £2 12/; light, £1 17/ to £2 5/; heavy porkers, £1 13/ to £1 15/; medium, £1 9/ to £1 11/; light and unfinished, £1 5/ to £1 7/; small, 15/ to £1 2/; stores, 14/ to 17/; slips, 10/ to 12/; good weaners, 7/ to 9/; small, 3/ to 6/. A total of 636 pigs was sold.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports: — Beef. —Beef was penned in average numbers. Lighter weight cattle sold at about late values. Heavy-weight cattle, were lower in values. Extra choice ox sold to 19/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 15/ to IS/; ordinary and plain ox, 13/ to 15/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 14/ to 18/; ordinary cow beef, 11/ to 13/; heavy prime steers, £6 to £7; lighter, £5 2/6 to £5 17/6; light, £4 7/6 to £5; unfinished and small, £3 5/ to £4 5/; heavy prime young cows and heifers, £4 to £4 15/'; lighter, £3 to £3 17/6; light cows, £2 5/ to £2 17/6; other cows, £1 5/ to £2 2/0. Sheep.—Sheep were yarded in less than average numbers, consequently there was a keener demand and values improved slightly on last week's sale. Heavy prime wethers, 15/ to 16/; medium, 13/9 to 14/9; light, 12/ to 13/6; small and unfinished, 9/6 to 11/9- Prime maiden.ewes, 10/ to 13/6; heavy, 9/ to 9/9; medium, 8/ to 8/9; light, 7/ to 7/9; inferiorly fatted, 5/ to 6/9. Lambs.—Lambs were penned in average numbers and sold at late values, prime lambs selling at from 9/ to 14/, and store lambs, 5/ to 7/. Pigs.—Pigs were penned in less than average numbers, and there was an easing tendency in values. Choppers sold from £1 to £2 10/; heavy and medium baconers, from £2 8/ to £2 18/; light baconers and heavv porkers, from £ 1 14/ to £2 6/; medium porkers and light porkers, from £1 8/ to £1 12/; smaller, £j to £1 4/. Store pigs sold at easier values. Large stores, 15/ to £1; slips, 7/ to 11/; weaners, 3/ to 8/6. Calves.—Calves were penned in average numbers. There was a steady sale but values were easier on last quotations. Runners, £1 10/ to £2 17/; heavy vealers, £1 15/ to £2 2/; medium, £16/ to £1 12/; light, £1 to £1 5/; smaller, 10/ to 18/; small and fresh dropped, 3/ to 9/; rough calves, 4/ to 8/.

THE ADDINGTON MARKET. FAT LAMBS AND SHEEP FIRMER.' (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The market for fat lambs and fat sheep was firmer than for some weeks at the market at Addington to-day. lat cattle values relapsed again, while store sheep, with a large yarding, maintained values. Store Sheep.—There was a large entry, consisting of about 14,000 head, With a few drafts from Marlborough and the Chatham Islands. The sale was steady, with prices on a par with late rates. Values were: Extra good four-tooth Corriedale ewes, to 17/; good two-tooth halfbred, 15/ to 16/3; medium, to 13/9; good two-tooth crossbred, to 14/8; medium, 12/ to 13/2; ordinary, 9/6 to 11/9; ordinary six and eight-tooth halfbred, 7/6 to 10/; extra good four-year-old Corriedale, to 11/9; good four-year-old halfbred, 8/ to 9/3; good sound-mouth crossbred, to 8/; ordinary sound-mouth, halfbred, 0/6 to 7/; aged and failing-mouth, 6d to 4/9; forward wethers, 7/9 to 9/; ordinary wethers, 5/ to 7/3; forward mixed sex lambs, 6/6 to 8/1; medium, 4/9 to 6/; inferior, average, 2/3 to 4/3. ' , , Fat Lambs. —An entry of 3300 head met with a good sale, with a firming on late rates, especially butchers' sorts. Values were: Extra prime heavy lambs, to 15/4; prime heavy, 14/ to 15/; medium-weight, 11/6 to 13/6; light, 9/ to 11/. Fat Sheep.—-A good sale resulted for an entry of 5400 head, there being an advance of fully 1/ a head for medium and heavy ewes, while all classes showed a distinct firmness on late rates. Values were: Extra prime heavy wethers, to 18/10; prime heavy, 15/ to 16/3; medium-weight prime, 12/6 to 14/6; ordinary, 10/6 to 12/; light, 9/ to 10/; extra prime heavy ewes, to 12/10; prime heavy, 9/6 to 11/; mediumweight prime, 7/ to 9/; ordinary, o/6 to 7/; light, 4/ to 5/. Fat Cattle. —The entry of 456 head was in excess of the demand, and although the quality on the average was outstanding, competition was restricted, and values declined for all sorts by 10/ to £1 a head. Good beef was worth 16/ to 18/ per lOOl'o; heavy-weight and medium quality, 14/6 to 16/; good heifer, 15/ to 17/; good cow, 13/ to 15/; secondary cow, 10/ to 13/; rough, down to 7/.