LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 69, 22 March 1934, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

EXPORT CONDITIONS STEADY. LAMBS SELLING WELL. BUSY CATTLE TRADE. Since last review the trend of the export markets lias shown little change. Smithfield reports still further improvement in the demand for lamb and lightweights are now quoted at 7 3-8 d per lb. A year ago tile quotation was 2d less. O: the dairy situation the best that can be said is that it has not become worse. Daily cables tell of "quiet" trade, but consumption appears to be well maintained at the low figures now ruling. Or conditions in the country our Waikato correspondent writes as follows: —

As the major, portion of Llie sheep business for this season has now been handled, all attention is being attracted to the cattle section. Certainly the late sheep sales have given the opinion that a number of farmers did not fill their requirements in the early part of the season, and at all the recent sales the demand was equally as good as earlier, although the quality of the sheep oilering was not up to standard. This has been a season where everyone has had an abundance of feed, and yet it is surprising the number of poor conditioned sheep which have been offered at recent sales.

A very heavy volume of business is now being transacted in the store cattle section, and in all centres large yardings are coming forward. Good competition is everywhere apparent for good forward conditioned, both male and female, while the same can also be said of young cattle. The rough and inferior bullock meets with a poor reception, while Ericsians and Jersey steers are not wanted. It is suprising the number of well-bred cattle that have come out since the improvement in juices. Very Tew cattle have this year come from outside districts, and it is not anticipated that . many will make their way to the Waikato, as _ prices in both the Gwborne and ITawke's Bay districts are fully equal to, if not in advance of, Waikato values.

In the pig section a large volume of business is still being transacted, with quotations Tor all classes of fat pigs remaining very firm.

WESTFIELD MARKET. Kepoi'ts of yesterday's sale at Westficld will be found on page 16. YARDING AT HASTINGS. EXPORT OPERATORS KEEN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HASTINGS, Wednesday. With export operators taking keen interest in fat cattle, values for this class of stock at the Storti'ord Lodge sale to-day were well maintained, compared with rates ruling at last week's sale. The demand was good and competition was strong, a tew lines failing to meet the market. Approximately 270 fat cattle were yarded, the quality being good, with relatively few poorly-finished lines entered. Bullock entries predominated, export operators taking a good proportion. Bullocks (medium to prime) £7 12/0 to £9 8/6, others from £4 11/, cows (medium to prime) £4 10/' to £5 15/, others from £3, heifers (medium to prime) £4 13, 0 to £0, others from £4 5/. Store cattle made values much ort a par with those of last week, the quality ot' the entry being somewhat mixed. The demand was fair, local graziers taking the bulk of the offering. Lighter finished lines uiet relatively poor demand. Bullocks and steers to £5 18/, cows to £2 10/, heifers to £3 14/0. -'Approximately 2300 fat sheep were entered, ewe lines predominating. The quality oi the entry was good, there being fewer top lines entered. Ewes made late rate, as did lambs and wethers. Wethers were in very short supply and met with good demand. Export buyers took a big proportion of the entry, with local butchers securing a share of the offering. Ewes (medium to prime) 17/4 to 20/, others From 10/, wethers (medium to prime) 23/ to 24/, others from 22/3, lambs from 16/10 to 21/10. The store sheep sale was patchy, some 15,000 head coming forward and the demand was irregular, lamls and wethers experiencing the most steady competition. Ewes made rates which were on a par to slightly easier compared with last week. Two-tooth ewes to 23/. older ewes to 18', fattening ewes to 14/0, wethers to 22.', lambs to 10/4.

IN THE WAIKATO. (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. Beef.—A medium yarding of beef came forward to Frankton on Tuesday, and with fair competition values showed an advance on last week's rates. A good yarding of fat cows also maintained their value. Prime ox beef made from 20/ to 21/ per 1001b; medium quality, 18/ to 10/; prime young cow and heifer, up to 20/; medium quality, 10/ to 17/; plain cow, 11/ to 12/; boners. 7/ to S/.

Fat Sheep.—Sufficient supplies of both ewe and wether mutton are being yarded, and the butchers are able to keep th* market steady, jiractically no sheep being allowed to go to the exporters. There was a particularly heavy yarding of lambs at Frankton this week, and these met with keen competition from the exporters, and prices realised were in advance of schedule rates. Prime heavy wethers made up to 28/6; medium quality wethers, 25/ to 26/; prime heavy ewes, up to 18/6; medium ewes, 15/ to 10/; heavy fat lambs, woolly, up to 28/; medium, 23/ to 24/; heavy fat shorn lambs, up to 21/; medium, 19/ to £1.

Store Sheep.—Although the yardings in this section are showing a falling oif there is still an inquiry for all classes of good young breeding ewes, indicating that several farmers have left the filling of their requirements until too late. There is also a keen demand for the inferior quality ewe for putting On ragwort. The advance in fat sheep has made the local ewes too dear for this purpose, and farmers with ragwort arc relying on North Auckland to supply their wants. A better supply of wethers is coining forward, and meeting with good competition. Store lambs, however, are not so popular, and although only small quantities are now finding their way to the market,. the demand is not very brisk. Best two-tooth ewes make up to 28/; good quality, 25/ to 26/; smaller, £1 to 22/; four and five-year-old ewes, £1 to 23/; five-year ewes, 18/ to 19/; soundmouth ewes, 15/ to 16/; forward-condi-tioned wethers, 22/ to 23/; two-tooth wethers, 19/ to £1 1/; best woolly lambs, 15/ to 16/; medium, 12/ to 13/; best shorn lambs, 14/ to 15/; smaller, 10/ to 11/; cull lambs, 7/G. Store Cattle.—Although large yardings in this section are everywhere the order of the day, vendors appear to be prepared to face the market, and very few cattle are taken home. All classes of cattle suitable for fattening which show any quality invariably change hands at satisfactory prices, but the keenest demand for yearling and two-year-old steers. These bring as much money as older and rougher cattle. There appears little or no demand for dairy heifers locally, although a few sales have been made in Taranaki during the week. A large number of weaner calves is available, but vendors' ideas of valuo are too far m advance of what purchased; are prepared to offer. Grown steers in forward condition have been making from £5 5/ to £6; store bullocks, from £4 10/ to £5; 2%-year steers, from £3 10/ to $4 10/; 18-month steers, £3 to £3 10/; weaner steers, station-bred, £2 to £2 10/; empty station-bred heifers, £2 to £3; fresh-conditioned cows, £2 10/ to £3: store cows, £1 to 30/; in-calf Jersey heifers, £3 to £3 10/; weaner heifer calves, 15/ to 25/.

l'igs.—The demand for prime heavy baconers is still as keen as ever, while porkers are also popular. Wcaners and stoics, however, are not so much in favour. Prime heavy baconers make from £3 5/ to £3 9/; medium baconers, £2 10/ to £2 '15/; heavy porkers, 38/ to 42/; medium porkers, 30/ to 35/; large stores, £ 1 to 25/; slips, 15/ to 20/; wcaners, 9/ to 10/.

RED POLLED CATTLE. {J-. W. Vercoe and Co., Ltd., report liua mg held a clearing sale of Ked Polled cattle, on account ol Messrs. J . C. and 11. VV. Wilson, of Waimai, in tue i" rankton tsaleyarilcs. The cattle came forward in good condition, and aithougn tne attendance was not large a total clearance tvas efleeted at latest ruling pi ices, i<st 3%-ycur-old Ked Polled steers averaged £o 108 U'/a-year-oid lied I'olied steers averaged £4 4/; 133 IS-inonth-old Ked I'olied steers averaged £3 7/; 70 Ked I'olied cows averaged £4 2/; 4-year-old Shorthorn bullocks, lroiu £5 10/ to £5 1/. MATAMATA. At the Farmers' Auctioneering Company's stock sale at ftlatamata on Wednesday an extra lieavy yarding of all classes of cattle came forward, with a medium entry of gfod cow and heifer beef lor which prices were very linn, fcjecond quality and boner cows remained at sclicdule rates. A full yarding of bulls met with better competition than last sale. There was an exceptionally large yarding of fat pigs, it being necessary to reyard 150 pigs. There was a good bench of buyers who particularly sought prime baconers, and these met with spirited competition at prices in advance of Frankton rates. The top price, £3 10/, was realised for seven pigs, while several pens fetched £3 9/ and £3 8/. Porkers remained linn at late quotations. 'I.here was a larger entry of stores and weaners than usual and values were slightly higher. Practically the whole yarding of all classes changed hands under the hammer. There was a full yarding of sheep with a full complement of fats. All classes remained firm. Slore sheep entered consisted mostly of iambs, which did not meet with the competition of last sale. Prices were: — Cattle. —Medium ftit cows, £4 0/ to £4 12/; light fat cows and heifers, £3 5/ to £3 17/0; heavy second quality cows, £2 8/ to £2 10/; billable cows, 34/ to £2 5/; heavv boner cows, 25/ to 33/; lighter boner cows, 10/ to 20/; medium heifer calves, 25/ to 28/; small heifer calves, 15/ to 20/; heavy potter bulls, £4 to £5; lighter potter bulls, £2 to £3. Pigs.—Choppers, £2 to £3 1/; prime heavy baconers, £3 0/ to £3 10/; heavy baconers. £3 2/ to £3 (>/; medium baconers, £2 Hi/ to £3 1/; light baconers, £2 10/ to £2 15/; heavy porkers and unfinished baconers, 38/ to £2 5/; medium porkers, 31/ to £1 10/: light porkers, 25/ to £1 10/; stores, 10/0 to 19/0; slips, 9/ to 15/; good weaners, 7/ to 10/; small weaners, 4/0 to 0/0; Tamworth. boars, £3 7/0 to £3 15/. Sheep.—Heavy fat ewes, 17/0 to 18/2; heavy fat lambs. 23/ to 24/2; lighter fat lambs, 19/2 to 22/1; f.c. lambs, 14/0 to 10/2; store lambs, 11/3 to-13/; cull lambs, 8/ to 10/1; empty ewes, 12/9 to 14/.