LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 139, 15 June 1939, Page 14

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

F.XPQRT PRICES HOLD.

LAMB IN BETTER DEMAND,

COLD CHECKS PASTURES.

Since last report export values for N'ew Zealand primary products have, on the whole, moved favourably for the Dominion. A sharp riee occurred last \\ eek in dairy products, and substantial quantities both of butter and cheese were distributed before the advance in prices was checked in the last few days. Butter at 117/ per ewt is only slightly below the hgure ruling at this time last year, namely 120/, but cheese at 60/ is still well below o'■ . y f a V s mark of 68/6 - Reports from Sniithneld continue more cheerful, and have been able to raise the price °f <pv Zealand lamb. It may be presumed from the improved tone of this market in the last few weeks that the heavy stocks of Xew Zealand lamb held in London a couple of months back have been substantially reduced. The wool market continues strong, and this is reflected locally in higher prices for wool. Ox hides continue to maintain recent improvement at the Parnell sales. Of conditions in the country our Waikato correspondent writes:—

Clearing sales are now in full swing, and this week has seen a large number conducted in all parts of the Waikato. Prices, it anything, show a slight improvement, but generally speaking feed conditions in the Waikato are fairly poor, and no doubt this is having a little effect on the purchase of dairy cattle. It is generally anticipated that in the spring dairy heifers, especially, will reach very good prices. Most buyers this year at clearing sales are more discriminating than usual, and although the top cows in the herds realised up to £14 and £15, the general herd average runs round about £8 and £9. I nsound cows and late calvers generally fetch boner prices. Beef Values Firm. Tt is pleasing to report' that beef at rrankton on I uesday remained very firm, and in tuest cases, especially for cow and heiter beef, showed ;i slight improvement in value. Granted that the ox beef yarded lately lias been of only medium quality, it is generally expected that. from now on an improvement in this section will be noticed.

I lie recent chilly days have acted as a setback to the mild conditions experienced • luring, the last week or two. Xo doubt tliis was the reason for store cattle at Morrinsville showing an improvement of from 15/ to 20/ per head for a line of East Coast cattle yarded last Friday. This was most noticeable with younger cattle, both male and female. Practieally the last of the East Coast cattle for the season will be offered at Morrinsville this coining week, and it is expected the next consignment will not come forward until the spring. Tn the sheep section a Inrge number of unfinished animals still continue to be yarded in the fat pens, and although butchers have definitely shown this class to hp out of favour, apparently the shortage of feed has been the cause of farmers yarding, even although the price is against them. Prime oi">'"ty mutton, both ewe and wether, is still sought, and although no improvement ej-n be recorded during the wck the market is considered steady. The _ advance 1-enortcd for fat lambs in i previous weeks has been maintained. Dull for Store Sheep. ! The store sheep section is still partieu- | larly dull. Store hop:«iets improved ! slightly during the week, but other classes and in-lanib ewes have been dull of sale with the exception of one specially selected line of good quality well-farmed ewes offered at Frankton on Tuesday, and which realised the abnormal price of 22/3, this being several shillings ahead of anything realised at recent sales. Business in the pig section has been practically confined to stores and weaners, although it is remarkable the number of breeding sows which has changed hands recently. There is a strong demand for this class of pig, and wherever sows are advertised buyers attend and are prepared to pay good nione.v for animals which are sbowinn well forward in pig.

WESTFIELD PRICES HIGHER. Beef prices improved on the Westfield fat stock market yesterday, demand % being very keen and supplies rather short. Quotations were 1/ per 1001b higher for all prime cattle, ranging up to 33/ per 1001b. Calf values eased slightly from last week's high levels, but in spite of the overflow yarding the sale was very satisfactory. The supply of fat sheep was smaller than usual, and while ewe mutton improved wethers had a firm market. l*igs were also offered in smaller numbers, and porkers sold at high prices, baconers meeting a keen demand at firm late rates. Following j« the range of prices, together with last week's: — y This week. Last week. ISEJOF (per 1001b) — Kxtra choice ox 33/ 32/ Choice A prime ex 29/ to 32/ 20/ to 31/ Choice & prime cow & heifer 2.">/ to 28/ 24/ to 30/ Boner Jfe rough lti/ ,to 24/ 18/ to "23/ SHKKI' (per head) — Prime wethers 2U/ to 28/3 18/G to 27/ I'ri tin. wethers 14/ to !!>/<! 13/ to 18/8 I'rime ewes .. 15/(1 to 17/ to 22/3 I'll tin. ewes .. 2/0 to IU/6 -V to l(i/3 Prime lambs . 17/ to U."i/r> 13/ to 24/6 Unlin. lambs . 5/ to 1(5/3 2/ to 12/ CALVES'(per head) — Runners 00/ to 132/ 60/ to 135/ Vealers 5/ to 105/ 3/ to 112/ PI«;S (per head) — Haconers 50/ to !>5/ (52/ to 05/ Porkers 3-V to (K>/ 35/ to 58/ Winners !'»/ to 14/ 8/ to 14/ Slips VI/ to 1!»/ 13/ to 20/ Large stores . 18/ to 23/ 21/ to 25/ ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buc-kland and Sons, Ltd., report: —• '

I Reel. At our weekly West field fat stock (market we penned fat cattle to the number of 272 head, as against 204 head last week, comprising 93 eteers and 179 cows and heifers. Competition for good •prime ox uaa keen, and values improved on late gales. Medium and unfinished cattle showed no improvement. A large offering of cows and heifers also sold freely at improved prices. Extra choice ox sold to £1 13/ per lOOib; choice and prime, £1 10/ to £1 12/; secondary and plain, £1 6/ to £1 9/; prime young cow and heiferbeef, £1 «/ to £18/; ordinary cow beer, 19/ to £1 2/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £13 to £14, for steers from Mr. H. E. Reed, W 7 aer enga; heavy, £11 15/ to £12 10/; lighter, £11 to £11 10/; light, £10 to £10 10/; ema.ll and unfinished, £4 to £9 10/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £9 to £10heavy, £7 10/ to £8 10/; lighter, £6.5/ to £7; other killafble cows, £4 5/ to £5 5/. Sheep.—Our total yarding of sheep numbered 1030. Wethers again sold under keen competition, and a firm sale resulted. Eweg showed improvement on recent sales. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 6/6 to £i //9; heavy, £l 4/ to £1 5/6; medium to heavy, £12/ to £1 3/; light to medium, 18.-6 to £1 1/; unfinished wethers, 13/ to , 17, ; extra heavy prime young maiden tewes, £1 to £1 2/3; heavy, 17/6 to 19/6lighter, 14/ to 16/6; other tillable ewes, 11/ to 13/: other ewee, 2/6 to 8/6. Lam'bs.—Lambs were penned to the number of 522, and sold at fully late quotations. Extra heavy prime lambs, £1 3/ to £14/; heavy, £1 to £1 1/6; lighter, 17/6 to 19/; hght, 15/ to 16/6; small and plain. 6/6 to 11/6. Calves.—We had an extra heavy yarding of calves, including many lines of good quality, well-bred vealers. Considering the overflow yarding there was quite a steady demand for all prime quality calves, and although our quotations did not reach last week's extremely high values, we report a very satisfactory sale. Bough and unfinished calves were lower. Runners, £3 to £6 8/; heavy prime vealers, £4 5/ to £4 19/; medium, £3 5/ to £4; light. £2 8/ to £3 3/: smaller. £1 15/ to £2 5/; small, 16' to £1 10/; unfinished, 12/ to £1 1/; "bobby calves. 5/ to 14/. A total of 396 calves was sold. Pigs.—There was again a small entry of pigs. Prime baconers were in strong request and high values ruled. Wellfinished medium and heavy porkers also

sold very readily. Choppers made £1 19/ to £4 9/; extra heavy prime baconers, £i 12/ to £4 15/; heavy baconers, £3 19/ to £4 4/; medium, £3 10/ to £3 14/; light, £3 3/ to £3 7/; heavy porkers, £2 12/ to £3; medium, £2 5/ to £2 8/; light, £1 15/ to £1 18/; small and unfinished, £1 to £1 12/; stores, £1 1/ to £1 6/; slips, 14/ to 18/; weanens, 10/ to 13/. Baconers averaged 6V4d per lib, and porkers 5%d to per lb. A total of 392 pigs was sold.

DALGETY AND COMPANY. Daigety and Company, Limited, report: Beef.—At our weekly Westtield fat stock market our yarding of beef totalled 160 head, comprising 20 steers and 140 cows and heifers against 200 head last week. Competition for ox was good and values improved fully 1/ per 1001b. The demand for cows and heifers also was keen and here also there was an improvement of 1/ per 1001b. Extra choice ox sold to 33/ per 1001b; choice and prime, 30/ to 32/; just killable, 26/ to 29/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 26/ to 28/; just killable, 19/ to 22/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £13 to £13 17/6, for steers account Mr. L. H. Larner, Morrinsville; heavy, £12 to £12 15/; lighter, £11 to £11 15/; light, £10 to £10 15/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £9 10/ to £10 7/6; heavy, £8 10/ to £9 3/; lighter, £7 5/ to £8 a/; light, £6 to £7; other killable cows, £4 to £5 15/. Sheep.—We again had a good entry of sheep. The demand was keen and late rates for wethers were easily maintained. Ewes were in short supply and sold at advanced rates. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 6/9 to £1 8/; heavy, £1 5/6 to £1 6/6; medium, £1 3/ to £1 5/; lighter, £1 1/6 to £1 2/6; light and unfinished, 14/ to £1; heavy prime ewes, 18/3 to 19/3; lighter, 16/ to 18/; other ewes, 10/ to 15/.

Lambs.—An average entry of lambs sold steadily at values fully on a par with last week's rates. Heavy prime lamb, 19/ to 22/; medium, 17/ to 18/6; lighter, 15/ to 16/6: small and plain, 8/ to 12/6. Calves.—A full yarding of calves was penned, with values easing slightly. Competition was keen for prime vealers, with rough and unfinished sorts dull of sale. Runners, £4 5/ to £5; heavy vealers, £3 10/ to £3 15/; medium, £2 10' to £3 7/6; light. £1 I.Y to £2 .V; rough, £1 to £1 10 » bobby. !)/ to ill 4'. Pig!».—- Pigs were yarded in average iiumbeir*, with values for bacon firm on hist week's quotations, while porkers improved ill price under a keen demand. Heavv baconers. £3 9/ to £3 12'; medium. £3 to £3 7 : lifrht. £2 10' to £2 19'; heavy porkers. £2 10/ to £2 19/; medium, £2 51 to £2 9/; light, £1 15/ to £2.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Limited, reports:— Beef.—At the Westfield fa.l stock marbet less than an average yarding ol beef rnet a keen demand, values improving for all classes. Quotations improved 1/ per 1001b. Extra choice ox sold to £ 1 13/ per 1001b; choice and prime, £1 9/ to £1 12/• ordinary and plain, £1 4/ to £18/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £ 1 5/ to £ 1 8/; ordinary cow beef, £1 to £1 4/■ heavy prime steers, £12 to £13 5/' lighter, £10 15/ to £11 17/6; light, £9 £10 12 6; plain and small, £6 10,/ to £8 15/; extra heavy prime cows and heifers, £9 12/6 to £10 17/6; heavy, £7 12, 6 to £9 10 ; lighter, £6 10/ to £7 10/; light, £3 to £6 7/; aged and plain finished cows. £3 to £4 17/6. Sheep.— There was ready competition lor a large yarding of sheep, with values very firm tor all sort#:. Extra heavv prime wethers, £1 7/ to £1 8/3; heavy'. £1 6/ to £1 6.9; medium, £1 4/ to £1 5/tt; light, £1 to £1 3/9; small and unfinished, 14/ to 19.6; prime maiden ewes, 18;' to £1 2/6; heavy prime ewes, 18/ to 19/;

medium, 15/6 to 17/9; light, 13/ to 15/; just killable, 9/ to 12. 6; interiorly fatted, 2/6 upwards. .Lambs. —An average yarding of lambs sold readily at late quotations. Extra heavy prime, £1 4/6 to £1 5/6: heavy. £1 3/ to £1 1/; medium, £1 1/ to £1 2/9: light. 19/ to £1 0/6; smaller. 15/ to 18</: unfinished, beet 10, to 14/, others5/ to 9/6. Pigs.—We had a light yarding of pigs for which competition was keen, porkers selling at improved rates. Baconer values remained firm on last week's rates. Choppers sold from £2 to £3 6'; heavy and medium baconers from £3 12/ to £4 8/; light baconers and heavy porkers, from £3 to £3 10/; medium porkers and light porkers, from £2 6/ to £2 18/; small, £1 8/ to £2 2/; unfinished, £1 to £1 6/. Store pig values were firm on last week's quotations. Large stores, £ 1 to £ 1 3. ; slips. 12/ to 19/; weaners, 9/ to 14/. Calves. —There was a heavy yarding of calves. Good quality sold on a par with last week's values, while values for plain calves dropped. Runners, £3 10/ to £6 12/; heavy vealers, £4 to £5 5/; medium, £3 8/ to £3 18/; light, £2 10/ to £3 6/; smaller, £1 10/ to £2 8/; small. £1 to £1 8/; plain calves, £1 5/ to £2; fresh dropped, 6/ to 18/