LIVE STOCK MARKET

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 16

LIVE STOCK MARKET

BUTTER TRADE DULL.

FREEZING WORKS BUSY.

STORE SHEEP IN DEMAND.

Since last review the export markets have on the whole maintained a healthy tone and provided a eolid background to the Dominion's live stock industry. An exception is noted in dairy produce. The butter market ie very dull and New Zealand is quoted as low as 86/ per cwt, which is considerably below the Government's guaranteed price. However, the lower prices appear to have stimulated consumption and last week's deliveries were heavy. Stocks on hand are not excessive. There waa also a very large turnover in cheese, over 29,000 crates, but at comparatively low rates. Smithfield reports are excellent ■ and with a better demand for lamb local exporters have raised their schedule- rates to Ski. Other classes of meat-are in good demand. Wool values etill hold at the high levels established at Auckland's second sale. Favourable market conditions have been accompanied by an abnormal growth of pastures and as a consequence sheep fairs held throughout the province have recorded a keen demand for all stores at prices much higher than ruled a year ago. ■ Now that the industrial dispute has been disposed of, the freezing works, are operating at high pressure, chiefly with lambs and pigs. Chilled beef output is steady and the Port Townsville is at present loading an unsually heavy quantity. Of conditions in the country, our Waikato correspondent writes:— During the week a large volume of business has been transacted in the sheep classes and at all fairs held throughout the district large yardings have come forward and a total clearance has practically always been effected. It has been stated in previous reports that increased numbers of sheep have been bought in the East Coast and southern districts for forward delivery; in spite of this fact, at all the fairs go far held this year increased numbers have been handled and absorbed. This would indicate that an extra large number of sheep is wanted in the Waikato, and although the various fairs are now in full ewing there are no indications that requirement* are over- « applied. There is, however, just a slight easing tendency with other than young ewes, and while there is very ljttlc difference there is just the fact that older ewes are harder to dispose of. and no doubt as requirements are filled this class of sheep will not be as popular as at the earlier sales. A good deal of business ie etill being done with store lambs, and dairy farmers are heavy purchasers for this cJase of sheep. It is pleasing to be able to report that in the beef sections prices during the week have remained very steady, and at Frankton on Tuesday all classes showed an improvement. Practically no store cattle are being handled, but exporters are still keen to purchase boner cows and bulls at prices at least 3/ to 4/ in advance of schedule rates. Brisk business is being transacted in the pig section, but here again buyers arc inclined to drag the prices back a bit, ■but so far without very much success. Stores and weaners, as is usual at thi* period of the year, are inclined' to -ease a little. At Westfleld. High prices for fat cattle, ranging up to 34/ a 1001b, still ruled at the Westfield fat stock sale yesterday. The offering was bigger than it has been for some time, and though light-weight ox wai firm, heavy-weights and cows and heifers showed an easing tendency in the later stages of the auction. Calves also camt forward in good numbers, and at the outset met keen bidding, which later slackened perceptibly. An increased yardinj of sheep included a bigger proportion ol quality stock. Wethers had a ready salt at late rates, and ewes were a shadt firmer, while the 3000 lambs on tht market showed a stronger tendency, fol lowing the increase in export .schedule rates. In the pig pene. baconers sold steadily at late rates, while porkers eased ut> to 2/ a head. Following is the rangt of prices, together with last week's:— npr.t* , ./v«.u Th,BWeek - Last Week. BEEF (per 1001b) — Extra choice ox 34/ 84/ Choice and prime ox . , 30/ to 33/ 30/ to 33/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 28/ to 31/ 28/ to 31/ Boner and rough 18/ to 27/ 18/ to 27/ SHEEP (per head) — Prime wethers . 24/« to 30/6 24/ to 31/ Unfin. wethers . 20/ to 24/ 20/ to 24/ Prime ewes ... 18/ to 24/ 18/ to 22/! Unfln. ewes ... 5/ to 17/ 4/ to 18/ Prime lambs .. 21/ to 31/0 21/ to 32/ i Unfln. lambs . 10/ Cto 20/6 12/ to 20/( CALVES (per head)— Runners 50/ to 140/ 50/ to 160/ Vealere 6/ to 104/ 5/ to 105, PIGS (per head) — Baconers 60/ to 77/ 60/ to 76/ Porkers 30/ to Sβ/ 30/ to 57/ Weaners 6/ to 15/ 6/ to 17/ Slips 12/ to 22/ 10/ to 21/ Large stores . . 24/ to 28/ 23/ to 29/ ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sous, ■ Lhnitet

reports: — Beef.—We penned fat cattle to the number of 415 head, as against 233 head laet week, comprising 123 eteere and 292 cowe and heifers. The quality of ox beef penned was first class. Competition was again keen, with values fully up to late reports. A large yarding of cowe and heifers sold freely early in the eale, but eased slightly toward the end of the sale. Extra choice ox sold to £1 14/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, £1 10/ to £1 12/; secondary and plain, £1 7/ to £1 9/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £19/ to £1 11/; ordinary cow beef, 18/ to £1 5/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £13 to £13 17/6; 8 eteere from Mr. H. E. Reed, Waerenga, averaged £12 8/9; 20 eteere from Mr. N. G. Litchfield. of Patumahoe, averaged £11 17/10; 16 eteers from Messrs. Trewin Bros., of Marohemo, averaged £11 17/7; heavy prime eteere, £12 to £12 15/; lighter, £11 to £11 15/; light, £10 to £10 17/6; small and unfinished eteers, £5 15/ to £9 5/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £9 to £10 2/6; heavy, £7 10/ to £8 5/; lighter, £5 to £6 5/; other killable cowe, £3 5/ to £4 5/. Sheep.—-Sheep were penned to the number of 917. Bidding wae keen for both we there and 'tewes, and late qotations were easily maintained. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 9/6 to £1 10/6; heavy, £1 7/6 to £1 8/6; medium to heavy,,£l 6/ to £1 7/; light to medium, £1 4/6 to £1 5/6; unfinished wethere, £1 to £1 4/. Extra heavy prime young ewee, £1 1/6 to £1 2/6; heavy, £1 to £i 1/; lighter, 18/ to 19/6; other killable ewes, 16/9 to 17/6; other ewee, 5/ to 14/6. Lambs.—Our total yarding of lambe j numbered 1450. Competition wae again keen, with values firm at late rates. Extra heavy prime lambe. £1 8/6 to £1 11/6; heavy, £1 5/6 to £1 7/6; lighter, £1 3/6 to £1 4/6; light, £1 2/ to £1 3/; small and plain lambe, 10/6 to £1. Calvee.—We had an extra large yarding of calves. The demand was firm at commencement, but values eaeed ae the sale proceeded. At the conclusion of the eale inferior sorte were hard to quit. Runners made £3 10/ to £6; heavy prime vealers, £4 10/ to £5; medium, £4 to £4 6/; light, £2 18/ to £3 3/; smaller, £2 3/ to £2 8/; unfinished and bucket-fed, £1 5/ to £1 15/; bobby and rough calves, 7/ to £1. 333 calvee were sold. Pigs.—There was afeo a large offering.of pige. Prime baconere realised late, rates, but prices - for porkere eased. Choppers made £1 15/ to £4 18/, according to weight and quality; heavy prime baconere, £3 12/ to £3 15/; medium, £3 7/ to £3 10/; light, £3 to £3 3/; heavy porkers, £2 11/ to £2 14/; medium, £2 6/ to £2 8/; light, £1 18/ to £2 4/; email and unfinished. £1 10/ to £1 15/; stores, £1 4/ to £18/; slips, 14/ to £1; weanere, 6/ to 13/; baconere and porkere both averaged about 6d per lb. A total of 716 pige was sold.

DALGETY AND COMPANY. I

Dwlgaty and Company, Limited, report: Beef.—Our offering of beef totalled 235 h«*d, comprising 55 steers and 190 cows and 'fceifers, against 167 head last- week. The quality of the offering was again firstclass, and selling under a keen demand we •have to vepert a sale fully on a par with last week's quotations. Extra choice ox sold to 34/ per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 31/ to 33/; just kUlable, 28/ to 30/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 31/ to 33/; just killable, 25/ to 30/. Heavy prime steers ranged in price from £12 5/ to £12 17/6; lighter, £11 2/6 to £12; light, £10 to £11; small and unfinished steers, £7 10/ to £9 15/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £9 10/ to £10 10/; heavy, £8 to £9 5/; lighter, £6 10/ to £7 15/; light cows, £5 to £6 5,'; othc killable cows. £3 to £4 15/. Sheep.—We had an average yarding of sheep, which sold under good competition at values fully on a par with last week for wethers, while the rates for ewes improved on late quotations. Heavy prime wethers, £18/9 to £1 9/3: medium, £1 7/ to £1 8/6; light and unfinished, £1 5/ to £1 6/6; heavy prime ewes. 23/ to 24/; lighter, 21/ to 22/6; other ewes, 19/ to 20/6. Lambs. —A moderate entry of lambs sold fully at improved rates. "Heavy prime lamb, 26/ to 28/; medium. 24/ to 25/6; light, 21/ to 23/6; small and plain, 17/9 to 20/6; smaller, 12/3 to 17/6. Calves.—A full yarding of calves was penned. Competition was steady throughout, and values remained oh about a par with last week's rates. Runner*, to £5 4/; heavy vealers, £4 13/ to £5 4/; medium, £3 19/ to £4 7/; light, £3 to £3 7/; smaller. £2 to £2 10/; unfinished and bucket-fed. £1 3/ to £1 14/; bobby and rough calves, 6/ to £1 4/.

"Pigs.—Pigs were yarded in full numbers. Competition was steady and values for both baconers and porkers were firm on last week's rates. Heavy baconers. £3 117 to £3 15/; medium, £3 6/ to £3 10/; light. £3 to £3 3/; heavy porkers, £2 13/ to £2 16/; medium, £2 8/ to £2 11/; light, £2 to £2 5/; small and unfinished, £1 9/ to £1 17/.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report:—

Beef.—Our yarding of ox beef waa again a small one, which sold at late rates. Cow and heifer beef in very large numbers sold under a steady demand, with values about the same. Extra choice ox sold to £1 14/ per 1001b; choice a«d prime ox, £1 10/ to £1 13/ i ordinary and plain ox, £1 5/ to £1 9/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 8/ to £1 11/; ordinary cow beef, £1 to £1 7/. No extra heavy prime steers were penned. Heavy prime steers ranged in price 'from £12 10/ to £13 2/6; lighter, £11 7/6 to £12 7/6; light, £10 to £11 5/; plain and small, £9 to £9 17/6; extra heavy prime young cows ami heifers, £9 to £10 15/; heavy, £7 17/6 to £8 15/; lighter, £6 17/6 to £7 15/; light, £5 to £6 10/; aged and plain finished cows, £2 10/ to £4 15/.

Sheep.—An average yarding of sheep met a steady demand, with values on a par with last week's sale. Heavy prime wethers. £1 9/ to £1 10/; medium. £1 7/ to £1 8/; light, £1 5/ to £1 6.9: small and unfinished wethers, £1 1/ to £1 4/9; heavy prime ewes, £11/ to £12/; niedium, £1 to £1 0/9; light. 18/ to 19/9; inferiorly fatted ewes, 10/ upward.

Lambs. —Lambs in average numbers met with a keen sale, with values very firm. Extra heavy prime lambs, £1 7/ to £1 10/; heavy. £1 5/6 to £1 6/9; medium, £1 4/ to £1 5/3: lijrUt. £11/ to £1 3/6; small and unfinished, 17/ to £1 0/6.

VifCS. —We had a large yarding of pigs. which sold under keen competition. Last week's rates were firmly maintained. Choppers sold from £1 15/ to £3 6/; heavy and medium baconers. from £3 10/ to £3 17/; light baconers and heavy porkers, from £2 16/ to £3 8/; medium porkers and light porkers, from £2 4/ to £2 14/; small and unfinished, £1 10/ to £2 2/. Store pigs sold at late quotations. Large stores, £1 5/ to £1 8/; slips, 12/ to £1 2/; weaners, 6/ to 15/.

Calves.—Our entry of calves was a large one. Values were well maintained until late sale calves, prices for which were easier: Runners. £2 10/ to £7; heavy vealers. £4 to £5; medium, £3 6/ to £3 16/; light, £2 to £3 3/; smaller. £1 8/ to £1 18/; small, 16/ to £1 6/; rough calves, 15/ to £1 5/; fresh dropped, 8/ to 14/.