LIVE STOCK MARKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 98, 28 April 1938, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKET.

EXPORT VALUES HOLD. BUTTER AT HIGH PRICES. FACIAL. ECZEMA SCOURGE. Since last review export markets on the I whole have moved favourably for Xew Zealand producers and increased values ~ will help to compensate Auckland farmers ; for the disastrous effects of the facial eczema scourge. At Sniithhcld there has • liccn a continuation of the firm demand - tor Xew Zealand lamb and prices have 5 advanced further. Chilled beef, too, is firmer and the .same remarks apply to baconer pigs. The market for dairy produce is very satisfactory, with satisfactory clearances of butter at the highest prices of the year, and cheese also linn in sympathy. The Dominion wool season has virtually closed with the Wellington sale last week and while New Zealand graziers have naturally been disappointed at the sharp droi) from the values ruling the previous season it is .satisfactory to record almost a complete clearance of the season's clip at prices that, considering all circumstances, must be recognised as reasonable. Of conditions in the country our Waikuto correspondent writes: — Wc recorded last week that the epidemic of facial eczema was causing farmers great concern. The position today i.s still the same, if anything, worse. In spite of all theories advanced by exports, so far no one seems to know exactly the cause of the disease, and certainly no one lias discovered a cure once a sheep lias been affected. The general idea seems to be that once the cold weather sets in the disease will disappear, but it is highly probable it will take at least a few very severe frosts to make any appreciable difference. Usually, frosty nights are accompanied by extremely sunny and blight days, so that affected ? sheep or cattle will still have to contend ) whh the irritation of the sun, even when . the nights are cooler. i As far as the markets are concerned, i conditions remain the same as last week. Xo offerings of store cattle are being - yarded, entries comprising usually beef, 1 with the balance of the yarding mainly t boners and oddments. Beef prices have i been erratic, but this to some extent lias i lieen caused by the quality of the stock ; offering,, while boners have also shown a • slightly easing tendency. Sheep, however, have been particularly I dull. It is hard to -o to a sale without - seeing unmistakable evidence of eczema ; and this is also prevalent even in the fat t liens. Prime quality sheep are sought f after, but anything not up to standard is particularly dull of sale. A good volume of business is still being transacted in the pig section and large! offerings have been the order of the day. I Kxporters are still showing keenness for heavy baconers and porkers, but medium I and lighter sorts are not so keenly sought j after. Stores and weaners fluctuate according to local requirements. Westfield Market Firm. Prime sheep, cattle and pins had a ' ready sale at firm rates at Westfield yesterday. A smaller entry of cattle resulted in an improvement in the tone of the ' market, though auctioneers' quotations ' remained the same. One exceptional steer - made the high price of £Hi 10/, easily the ■ best this year. The entry of sheep was an average one and included a fair proportion ol unfinished sorts which were • hard to qnrf. Prime mutton sold freely , : at firm prices, however. The • sale of i lambs followed similar lines. Calves had i a slow sale at about late rates, while in ; the pig section baconers advanced and 5 porkers were steady. Following is the , range of prices, together with last week's: This Week. Last Week. BEEP (per 1001b) — Extra choice ox 30/ 39/ Choice and prime ex 34/ to 38/ 33/ to 38/ Choice ami prime cow and heifer 31/ to 3.1/ 30/ to 30/ Boner and rough 22/ to 31/ 23/ to 29/ SHEEP (per head I — Prime wethers . 22/0 to 33'fi 23' to 34 0 , Cntin. wethers . fi./ to 22 '6 l.V' to 22 ' , Prime ewes ... 1 ."> fi to •_'4, / I.V te27' l'ntiii. ewes ... !_' ti to Hi fi 2 oto 14/ 'I Prime lamlis . ]0 '0 to 27 '0 1 ."i' to 27 3 i ("nliii. lamlis .. ,V to IS.'ti 3/ to 14,0 ' CALVES (per head)— Kuiincrs 40/ to 130/ 40' to 120' «|\'eali'rs 4/ to 88/ 3/ to loo,' I (PICS (per head) — : Haconers lis/ to 05/ 07/ to 89/ Porkers L'o/ to 00/ 24/ to 59/ Wea Tiers 4/ to S' 3/ Id l'J' Slips !•/ to 12/ 111/ to 18' Large stores . 14/ to 30/ 10/ to 28/ ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report: - Beef.—We penned fat cattle, to the num- . her of 215 head, as compared with 190 head 1 last week, comprising 67 steers and 148 : cows and heifers. The quality of the ox . beef was not up to the usual standard, while that of the cows "was good. The demand for prime' ox was steady, but slacker for plain steers. Competition for prime cows was keen and values showed a tendency to improve. Extra choice ox sold to £1 19, per 1001b; choice and prime. £1 16/ to £1 IS ; secondary and plain, £1 12/ to £1 14/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 13/ to ±,'1 15/: ordinary cow beef, £1 2/ to £1 ",'. Xo extra heavy : prime steers were offered. Heavy prime steers made £11 15/ to £13 2/6; lighter pinne steers. £11 to £11 10/; light prime steeds. £10 to £10 10/; small and un- ' finished steers, £6 to £9 15, ; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £10 to £11 : jl2.(i, for ait extra prime Shorthorn heifer '•sold on account of the Malarawa Land '• t Company, Tokoroa; heavy prime cows and ; heifers, £7 10/ to £8 15, : lighter prime > cows and heifers. £5 15/ to £6 10/; other 5 killable cows. £3 5/ to £4 17,6. Sheep.—We had an extra heavy yarding of sheep, including some extra good : quality wethers. The demand for prime quality was steady, with values very firm ' on last week's prices, while plain and unfinished sheep were again very dull of sale. A total of 1052 sheep "was sold. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 12/ to £1 : 13 6; heavy prime wethers. £1 0/6 to £1 111/; medium to heavy prime wethers. £1 6, 6 to £1 8/6; • light to medium prime wethers, £12/6 to £1 5/6: unfinished wethers, 15/6 to 10/ ; extra heavy prime young ewes, £1 2/6 to £1 3/6;" heavy prime ewes, 10/ to £ 1 1/6: lighter prime ewes, 15,6 to 18/; other killable ewes, 14/ to 15/3; other ewes, 2/6 to 10/. Lambs.—Wc had a smaller yarding of lambs, and all prime quality entries met with a ready demand at last week's values. Plain and unfinished lambs were very hard |to dispose of. No extra heavy prime lambs , were penned. Heavy prime lambs. £14/ to £1 5/6: lighter prime lambs. £1 2/ to £1 3/6; light prime lambs, 16/6 to £1 1/; small and plain lambs. 5/ to 14/6. A total of 197 lambs was sold. Calves. —Wc had an average yarding of calves. There was a steady demand . throughout, and values were on a par with last week's quotations. Small prime ' vealers were again in short supply, and : competition for this class was exceptionally : keen. Extra heavy prime runners. £5 7'6 to £6 10/; other runners, £3 10/ to I £5; heavy prime vealers. £3 18/ to £4 8/: medium, £3 8/ to £3 15/; light. £2 | 10/ to £3; smaller, £1 15/ to £2 8/; '. unfinished and bucket-fed calves, £ 1 to ' £1 14/; bobbv and rough calves, 3/ to 16/. A total of 185 calves was sold. Pigs.—We had a smaller offering of ; pigs. Baconers were in particularly good request and our quotations for these show an advance. Porkers sold readily at prices fully equal to and in some cases better than recent rates. Choppers made £1 15/ ; to £4 9.', according to weight: heavy - prime baconers, £4 6/ to £4 15/, for three . extra good pigs from Messrs. Ambury's, > Limited, Mangere Farm; medium baconers,; '■ £3 18/ to £4 2/; light, £3 9/ to £3 15/: . heavy porkers, £2 15/ to £3; medium. £2 ! ' 5/ to £2 9/; light, £2 to £2 2/; unfinished ? and small. £1 6/ to £1 14'; stores. 14/ to - £14/; slips, 9/ to 12/: weaners, 4/ to 8/. . Baconers averaged 6%d per lb, and , porkers 6d to 6%d per lb. A total of 564 pigs was sold.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The Xew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., report: — Beef. —The yarding of beef was less than an average one. Competition was keen, and values were very firm at late quotations. Extra choice ox sold to £1 19/ per 1001b: choice and prime ox, £1 14/ to £1 18': ordinary and plain ox, £1 7/ to £1 13, ; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 11/ to £1 16. ; ordinary cow .beef, £13/ to £1 10, . Extra heavy prime steers, to £16 10.'; heavy prime steel's, £14 to £14 15 ; lighter prime steers. £12 to £13 15'; light prime steers. £ in to £11 15. ; plain and small, £7 10/ to £9 in ; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £10 to £10 17 6; heavy prime voting cows and heifers, £8 to £9 15 ; lighter. £7 to £7 17.0: light, £5 10/ to £0 17 0: aged and plain finished cows, £3 15. to £5 5.'. Sheep.- We had an average «jtry of sheep, which met with a steady uYm.ind. with values about the same. The quality generally was not up to last week. Heavy prime wethers, £1 11 0 to £1 13 : medium prime wethers, £1 9' to £1 11 ; lijiht prim t . wethers. £1 0. to £1 89; small and unfinished wethers. £1 2' to £1 5 6; other wethei-s. 17, to £1 1. : heavy prime owe*;, £1 3/ to £] 4 : medium prime ewes. £1 1/ to £1 2 9: light prime ewes. 18/ to £1 .0 9: just killable, ewes. 12 6 to 17. : other ewes. 1/ upward. Lamlis in average numl>ers sold at late quotations. Kxtra heavy prime. £1 o. to £1 7,6; heavy prime. £1 4/ to £1 50; medium prime. £1 1 to £1 30: litdit prime. 18. to £1 (I 9: unfinished, l.est. 12 0 to 16 0: others, 8/ to 12/; vcrv poor, 1 upwards. l'igs. Wo had an average yarding of pigs. Competition was keen and values were, firmer, especially for baconers. Choppel's sold from £1 to £4 8 : heavv and j medium baconers, from £3 IS' to £4 13 : light baconers and heavy porkers, from £3 8/ to £3 10 ; medium porkers and light porkers, from £2 6 to £3 6/; small, £1 10 to £2 .V. There was a po >r demand for store pigs, and values remained at late quotations. Large stores. £1 to £1 10/; slips, 8/ to 17 ; weaners. 1/ to 9/. Calves.—We again had a large entry of calves. Small vealers brought better competition and heavy vealers were hard of sale. Values were on a par with last week's, quotations. Kunnors. £2 to £8 15/ tor an outstanding heifer; heavv! vealers, £3 IS' to £4 8/: medium, £3 6» to £3 10/': light, £3 to £3 3': smaller. £2 8/ to £2 18'; small. £1 10' to £2 0 : rough calves. 15/ to- £1 s'; fresh-dropped to month-old, 5/ to £1 8/. DALGETY AND COMPANY. Dalgety and Coaipany, Limited, report: Beet.—Our offering of beef totalled 135 head, comprising 10 steers and 125 cows and heifers, as against 19S head last week. The demand throughout was good, and we have to report a keen sale at firm late rates. Kxtra choice ox sold to 30/ per 101111): choice anil prime ox. 36 to 38 ; just killable. 32' to 35 ; prime voting cow and heifer heel. 32 to 35 ; just killable. 23 to 31.'. Heavy prime steers, £13 to £13 12 6, for steers from Tapuwae Estate; lighter jit into steers, £11 15 to £12 15 ; light prime steers. £10 10,' to £11 10 : small and unfinished steers, £9 to £1Q 5, ; extra heavy prime young cows, iind heifers. £10 to £11 7 0. for cows s-o*d on account of Messrs. Thompson and Ernst. Whakatane: heavy prime cows and heifers, £8 10 to I £9 15, ; lighter prime cows and heifers. £7 to £8 5 ; light prime cows. £0 to £6 17 0: other killable cows. £4 to £5 15/. Sheep.- Sheep again came forward in average numbers, and. with the demand ;:ood for well-finished lines, values ruled firm at late rates. I'nfinishod sheep, however, were not in demand and were dull of sale. Extra heavy prime wethers. £1 12 to £1 13 : heavy prime. £1 10 6 to £1 11 0; medium. £1 8 to £1 10 ; light and unfinished. £14 to £1 7 6: heavy prime ewes, 19 0 to 21 ; lighter, 17/ to 19,' ; other ewes. 12 to 10 0. Lambs. -A small entry of lambs of mixed quality came forward. Prime sorts sold readily at full late rates, while plain and unfinished lines were dull of sale. Heavy prime lamb, 23 to 24 (i: medium. 21 to 22 0; lighter, 19 to £1 0,6; light, 16/ to IS 0. Calves. —Our offering of calves was a small one. The sale was very patchy, with values ruling on about a par with late rates. Heavv vealers. £3 15/ to £4 5, ; medium. £3 4 to £3 12. : light, £2 10' to £3; smaller. £1 15/ to £2 0 ; unfinished ami bucket-fed. 17/ to 32.'; bobbv and rough, 4/ to 16.'. Pigs.—A small yarding of fat pigs was offeied. Baconers were keenly sought, and values improved on last week's rates by 2 to 3 per head. Porkers sold steadily at values very firm on late rates. Choppers sold to £3 3 : heavv baconers. £4 5 to £4 13 : medium. £3 19' to £4 2 : light. £3 9 to £3 17 : heavy porkers. £2 13 to £2 19 : medium. £2 4 to £2 9 : light. £1 18 to £2 2, ; small and unfinished, £15, to £1 15,'.