LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 139, 14 June 1934, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

MEAT VALUES ARE FIRM. "BOBBY" CALF SEASON BEGINS. PROSPECTS CONSIDERED GOOD. Although seasonal conditions arc operating strongly to reduce the supply of fat stock on the market, this influence is almost entirely local in its effects, and the export situation shows little change. The export trade, however, so far as the Dominion is concerned, is quiet in eonsequence of ilie unset of winter anil killings are. lipht. Preparations have been made for the "hobby" calf season, which is just beginning, and by (he end of the month there will be much activity at the works in handling this class of stock. July represents the peak of operations, and provided the anticipations of a satisfactory overseas market for the skins of young calves are realised (he season should be a good one. So far as numbers affect this trade the prospects are definitely promising; there should be no lack of calves for the market. London prices it>. lamb, mutton and pork have continued to be satisfactory since the last review, and the latest reports from Smithfield reveal firmness of values. For beef the outlook is less certain and prices arc still rather weak. Conditions in the country arc described by our Waikato correspondent as follow: — "During the week a noticeable improvement has taken place in the stock market. In-calf heifers, which up to the present have: been moving very slowly, arc coming more into favour, and a better tone exists, the heifers that are being offered for sale creating more interest. Clearing sales are also bringing forth better averages, and it seems an established fact that buyers of dairy stock this year show a strong preference for whole herds of genuinely farmed cows At all such clearing sales there is invariably a very large attendance, with usually brisk bidding throughout, and herd averages are much I in advance of dairy heifer quotations. "A better tone has also been noticed in the beet' section. At the present time yardings are not over large, and the demand is quite able to absorb all cattle offering. Exporters have practically ceased operations, with the exception of. smalt quantities of ox beef for chilling, and the usual boner cows. However, there jis now a noticeable falling oil' in the number of boners that are being sent to the works, as most of the cows are now showing too forward in calf. There Iβ also quite a demand for store cattle, although there are very tew genuine lines of station-bred cattle being submitted to auction. j "The sheep section is still showing a good improvement, and even fat sheep at Frankton this week showed an advance on the previous sale. There appears to be quite a number of fat wethers held, although the quantity of fat ewes is every j week , becoming shorter, and it will be surprising if butchers are not caught with short supplies of ewes, and this will no doubt help to increase the value of wethers. There is a keen demand for all classes of store sheep, especially is there keen inquiry for ewes that have been genuinely farmed. Unfortunately. the number offering cannot anywhere nearly satisfy the demand, and it is likely that farmers, in their excitement to bring their flocks up to standard, will disregard values and force prices to a dangerously high level. "The pig section is showing signs of slackening off. and the yardings are becoming small. It will be only a matter of time before bacon buyers will close down for the season, owing to the short supply."