LIVE STOCK MARKET

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1940, Page 19

LIVE STOCK MARKET

SHEEP ADVANCE. FIRM DEMAND FOR CATTLE. CONDITIONS IN WAIKATO. " : Further abundant rains have brought on annnusual growth of pastures for thS tune of the year „„d any doubts which prevailed.early in January regardin" duction have been completely dispelled. Hie ehect o; the conditions on stock K -dn= haa been to reduce yarding ,„?,, 1 , are therefore firm, with "cattle and sheep sho«-ing a rise.: For muttm? uTt^Sf^^^ I '^-^! iolll:-*''' eon-espoudeut «-rites as

Although the weather experienced during the week-has been unseSabk, at the same time at has had the effect nt fe ulatl "S tl» growth of pastured, and Watkato to-day looks extremely fresh which is unusual for the month o£ January fe«l l^f aP ?^ IIS an abu ?tl™ee o£ cattle teed, but at the present time all attention is directed towai-ds the store sheep s'e?«on Iho inactivity in the store lamb section recorded in our last week's report hS been arrested and during the week sales of khMW i " Ub V Ve i' e fetter by at least two I shillings -a .head. The demand for store wethers, also, is slightly keener.. I Breeding Ewe Fairs start Well. The first of .the sales of breeding ewes took place during the week and as anticipated ■ good prices were realised. Top figure so far for a choice pen of two-tootli ewes from the leilding district was 30/6, whilst other good two-tooth ewes from tost Coast districts realised 30/ to 3V9 Alixed-age ewes, ox East Coast, sold to 28/' whilst five-year-olds ranged ■ from 24/ to ,20/, six-year-olds selling at'2o/ to n/ ■These prices must be considered satisfactory, to East Coast vendors, and are slightly m advance of the rates ruling for forward delivery. There are definite indications that the young ewe will be most keenly sought after this season. A few years ago twotooths were difficult to dispose of in Waikato,_as .most fat lamb raisers preferred the five-year-old ewe. Apparently, however, farming methods -have changed, as recently the two-tooth ewe has come into favour ■ and it most certainly • looks as though this will.be the most popular type during the current season; During the week numbers of fat ewes have been sent to the works and as most sheets for these sheep are working out satisfactorily and averaging approximately 16/ to 17/ per ■head, it appeal's likely that shcepfarmere will be inclined to cull out as many old ewes as possible and replace with younger eheep. . -, In the cattle section practically all business has been confined to oddments and boner: cows, of which largo numbers are coming forward. Exporters compete very freely for this class and at recent sales prices in advance of schedule rates have invariably been paid. Store cattle are practically off the market, whilst the sheep business is at its height. A-largc number of fat and store pigs continue to come forward to all yards and in the .case of prime heavy baconcrs good competition exists and top price of £4 8/ is frequently obtained. Conditions are as follow:— Beef.—A medium yarding of both ox and cow beef came forward to central yards on Tuesday to meet a steady demand at prices slightly iu advance of last week's rates. Yardings on the whole have been considerably smaller and quality has kept up fairly well, although really choice quality beef 'has been in small supply.

The best price of the sale was £13 for .prime heavy steers; medium prime cattle realised £11 to £11 10/; lighter, to £10 15/; choice y6ung"'cow and heifer beef, £8 10/ to £8 14/; lighter cow and. heifer beef, £8 to £8 10/; poorer quality, £5 to £G.. ':-■'.-.' . Fat Sheep.—A lighter entry of fat sheep ■was penned at this week's Frankton sale, Ibut tlie. advantage of the smaller yarding was minimised in that the quality of the offering was not up to the previous week's standard and really choice ipens in limited supply. Bidding for the most' part was steady and late rates maintained, whilst a slight improvement was recorded for prime fat ewes. Fat lambs were again keenly sought and top price of the sale 29/ G. Prime heavy wethers to 25/, medium 23/ to 23/9, light 21/ to 22/; choice prime heavy ewes realised as high as 19/6; prime fat "ewes, • 17/ to 17/9; medium, -14/ to 15/6; heavy fat lambs, up to 29/6; medium, 24/ to 25/; light, 20/ to 22/. - , Store Sheep.—Good yardings of store 'lambs -came_. forward to all centres and during the week the' inquiry has improved slightly. There is, however, a strong demanil for ewe lambs and this class is most Jspular, consequently prices have risen considerably higher than in thc_ case of wether lambs. The recent improvement in the schedule has also increased th 6 inquiry for store wethers, and although few good quality sheep are being offered, those which do come forward find a ready market. There is, however, a general shortage of store wethers which may result in farmers changing their attitude and buying store owes for fattening instead of for breeding. Best ewe lambs sold from 18/6 to 20/, smaller 15/ to 16/; best shorn store lambs, up to 16/; : medium shorn lambs, 14/ to 15/;- best woollv lambs'up to 17/, medium 15/ to 16/; cull lambs, 8/ to 10/; forward conditioned store wethers, 20/; two-tooth wethers, 16/ to 18/; cull ewes, 8/ to 10/; others, 0/ to 7/- '• yardings of both fat and store pigs are the order of the day at most country sales, although this cannot ■be said of Frankton sale mi, Tuesday, when lighter entries came forward in all sections. Prices, however, remained fairly steady on late rates, excepting in the case of porkers, which recorded a drop of approximately 3/ per head. A feature of: recent pig sales has been the keen demand 1 for choppers, -and at a sale lost week a particularly heavy pig realised the record figure of- £0 0/. Prime top-weight baconers, £4 to £4 0/; medium baconers, £3 13/ to £3 IS/; light,'£3 5/ to £3 11/; heavv porkers and buttermilk pigs, £2 11/' to £3; light porkers, £2 2/ to £2 6/; large stores, 33/ to 39/; slips, 10/ to 22/; weaners,.B/ to 15/,; ■'■■_■•' .

QUOTATIONS COMPARED. Prices realised for fat stock" at Westfield in the past two weeks are:—neiu turn x Tuu k Lns( . week BEEF (per 1001b) — Extra choice ox 36/ 30/ Choic e _ & prime. 32/ Choice & prime . „.. cow & heifer 27/ to 34/ - f to 34/ Boner & rough 22/ to .27/ 2J/ to 2./ SHEEP (per head) — Prime wethors 23/ to 30/ 22/ to 27/3 Unfln. innrbs . 8/ to 20/ 7/3 to li/G CALVES (perhead)— Runners 65/ to 152/ 60/ to ISO/ Vealers .::" 3/ to 103/ 5/ to 110/PIGS (per head)— Boconcrs 67/ to SO/ 67/ to SO/ Porkers ...'•.. 34/ to 60/ SS/ to 65/ Wcanc?s ... 6/ to 19/ 0/ to 20/ SUDS 18/ to 20/ 20/ to 26/ Large stores . 26/ to 33/ 27/ to 34/ ALFRED. BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckjand and. Sons,. Limited, Bee£—Our-'total' yarding of fat cattle! numbered 228 head, as against 322 head: last week, comprising 90 steers and 138 cowa and heifers. Ox beef sold under keen competition, and, although our quotations remain the same,- values showed improvement. Cows and heifers were also in keen demand, and, like ox values, were better than.late sales. Extra choice ox, £110/ per 1001b;. choice and prune, £1 ■13/" to -M. i 5/;, secondary and plain, £19/ to £l 12/; prime young cow "and"heater'

'!??*■ £ i,W to £1:14/; ordinary cow, £1 I„™ heavy prime steers, il4 to £10, for steers from JUr. Gordon i^^flv, 0 the line of 25 averag?<&t 13 hcavy ' £13 to £13 W; 1,? ii'; f- 1 ? o/ to „ £?2 15 /= ]i S ht < "<> W +°? f i? / L small and ""finished steers, £L - *2 /; extl ' a ,hcav >" i™ lo y° un s °r heifers;; £8 10/ to £0 2/6; heavy" £h %'*i? VT 10/; ]ishter ' £5 10 / *> £6; other tillable cows, £4 10/ to £5. Sheep— Sheep -ivere penned to the number of 844. Bidding was keen throughout cue sale for both wethers and ewes, and ?™™i- Vi ? u ! a proved on last week's s/ P £S-? 3 ??? l leavy P" mo Athens, £1 „<„r £1 10 / ; heavy, £1 6/ to £1 7/6; medium to heavy,- £1 4/6 to £1 5/; light to'medium £1 3/ to £1 4/; unfinished wethers, £1 to £1 1/0; extra heavy prime joung ewes, maiden, £1 to £1 5/3;.•-heavy ■prime ewes 17 /0 to 10/; lighter, 16/ to e4, ot 2/C to"ll/ 0 . eWeS ' ; U/ . t0 15/; ° ther Lambs.-Ouf total yarding numbered 774 ™ ( ~ .««1 resulted at last week's quoUti 0ns _. Kxtra heavy-prime lambs, £1 ii -/}■'! 1 IlSavy I"' ime lam bs, £1 4/ to •?/. 1A ."Snter prime lambs, £1 2/ to £1 in'i „1 • P , r "", e lambs ' 18 / 6 to £1; small and plain lanrbs, 11/3 to 17/. the a in e fi;7 We ha l, a lar^r yarding and «?!«£ y S ollo ™ was. first class. At I™,- mi T ,cem , ent of tQ e sale bidding was domnnd y a ," d va ? ues wcre firm > bl " inTl^f 3 the sale Progressed, and -lMv L ater 4 tagC3 values werc consider-" "U";' Heavy prime runners, £6 5/ , ' I. 2 /: medium, £5 to £5 15/- lMvt and unfimshed, £3 5/ to £4 16/- heavy yt o £5 V; inedium, smaller io £ .l I'' l ishfc ' £3 to £3 "/; £11?/' 2/to £2 16/; small. 17/ to to ii '«/ i e calves, 15/ total of 222 calves was sold. ■ ,i;? ss ~ T ' I,< : rD lva s a smaller offering. BidE VK spirited for all classes of fats and ™.™' again fully firm. The demand nri,.i ' CS ,? ut l weaiiere slackened and puces eased. Choppers made £2 5/ to i,4 19/, .according to weight: heavy prime to £3 10/; light, £3 9/ to £3 13/- heavv ?U° £3 G//medi„m, £2 13/ ' to a -V' l . ,ght ' £2 5 / to 9/; small and nnHnishod, £1 14/ to £1 IS/;'stores, £1 £1 ;1°/; sl 'ps, IS/ to £1 1/; best J eauers, 12/ to 15/; others, 6/ to 9/; baconera sold from 6«d to 6Vid per lb, and

LOAN AND. MERCANTILE. .Ww X n V ' Z6alan i Loan and Mercantile Company,. Limited, report,:— yarding was less than an S, on< v Competition was very keen mil JJ' h0 7 Ug H luotations arc the same, the ■market displayed a decided .firmer tone, lixtra choice ox, £1 10/ per 1001b; choice and prmie, £1 12/ to £1 15/; ordinary aud Plam, £1 8/ to £1 11/; prime young cow and 'heifer beef, £l 7/ to £1 14/ordinary cow beef, £1 2/ to £1 0/; heavv ?o£ ne + Ste S?, ; ,€ ] 2 to £12 15/; lighter, £10 12/0 to £11 1,/0; light, £0 to £10 10/; plain and small, £0 to £S 15/; extra heavy P J!?\%?? U ? S COTO a nd.heifers, £9 2/6 to ±J 12/b; heavy prime young cows and J5; fer »', £ 8 to £9; lighter, £0 15/ to £7 W; light, £5 10/ to £6 10/; aged and plain hmshed cows, £3 to £5 5/.Sheep—Sheep, penned in small numbers, met with a brisk demand an"d improved in value by about 1/ to 1/6 per head. Heavy prime wethers £.17/ to £1 7/6; medium, £1 of to £1 0/9; light, £1 3/ to £1 4/9: small and unfinished wethers, £1 to £1 i'li' hea\T prime ewes. £1 to £1 V*,l h 3 6 t0 19 ' /!} ; inedium, 17/ to 18/3; light -15/ to 16/9; just killable, 12/ to 14/9; miei-iorly fatted ewes, 5/ to 11/9. Lambs. —Lambs in average numbers again sold readily, values being very firm <a ci Jf / a H s ; E , xtra hca% *>' P ril »e 'amos, £ /i 0/ *?. £1 £1 4/9 to £1 5/9; medium, £1 3/ to £1 4/0; light, £1 0/3 to .£l2/6; smaller, 18/ to £1;' store lambs also sold at late quotations. Best, 13/ to 17/6; others, 8/ to 12/6.

■ e .'^ s . l Wc iiad a h "'SO yarding. Com-] petition was (steady and values were very firm on lost -week's quotations. Choppers, £2 10/ to £4 7/; heavy and medium ibaconers, £3 17/ to £4 9/; light baconers and heavy porkers, £3 5/ to £3 15/; medium porkers .and light, porkers. £2 8/ to £3 3/; small, £2 to £2 6/; unfinished, £1 10/ to £1 19/. Store pigs sold at late rates. Largo stores, £1 10/ to £1 16/; slips, 16/ to £1 5/; weancrs, 10/ to £1.

. Calves.—Our entry was, an average one. The demand was fair, but values were inclined to be easier on ilast week's quotations. Runners, £4 to £0; heavy vealers, £4 to £5; medium. £3 07 to £3 12/; light, £2 10/ to £3 3/: smaller, £1 10/ to £2 S/; small. 16/ to £1 8/; rough calves, 10/ to £1; fresh-dropped, 7/ to 14/. DALGETY AND COMPANY. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report :t-Beef.-yOui- offering totalled 53 head; comprising 53 cows and heifers, against .126 Head last week. The quality of the cow- and heifer beef was first-class, and, selling under a keen demand, values improved on those ruling last week. Extra choice ox, 30/ per 1001b; choice aud prime, 33/ to 35/; secondary and plain, 29/ to 32/; extra prime young cow. and heifer beef, 31/ to 34/; choice and prime, 28/ to 30/; ordinary cow beef, 24/ to 27/; extra heavy (prime young cows aud heifers, £8 15/ to £9 15/, for cows from Mr. H. Harkness, Karaka; heavy. =67 10/ to £8 10/; lighter, £6 5/ to £7 5/; light, £5 5/ to £6; aged and unfinished cows, £4 to £5. Sheep.—A small market sold under keen competition, and values improved on those ruling last week. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 0/0 to £1 7/9; heavy, £1 4/9 to £1 6/; medium, £1 3/6 to £1 4/6; light, £1 2/ to £1 3/; plain and unfinished wethers, 17/3 to £1 1/; heavy prime young and maiden ewes, £1 to £1 0/9; heavy prime ewes, 18/ to 19/6; lighter, 10/ to 17/6; plain and aged ewes, 10/fi to 10/ li. Lambs.—An average entry sold freely at full late ruling rates. Heavy prime lamb, 22/ to 24/: medium, 20/ to 21/6; lighter, 18/G to 19/6; light, 18/ to 18/; small and plain lamb, 10/6 to 15/. Calves.—A medium yarding come forward. From the outset values were easier, especially, for unfinished sorts, which were hard to sell. Runners,' £4 10/ to £7; heavy vealers, £4 5/ to £'5 5/: medium, £3 8/ to £3 10/; light, £2 16/ to £3 5/; small: £2 5/ to £2 13/f smaller, £1 10/ to £2 2/; plain and unfinished, 17/ to £1 8/; bobby calves, 3/ to 14/. Pigs.—An average .yarding came forward.- Competition for fat pigs remained firm; while stores were slightly easier.' Choppers, £3 5/ to £4 7/; heavy baconers, £4 to £4 6/; medium, £3 14/ to" £3 18/: light. £3 7/ to £3 12/; heavy porkers, £3 to £3 4/; medium, £2 13/ to £2 17/; light, £2 6/ to £2 10/; small, £1 15*/ to £2 3/; stores, £1 6/ to £113/; i slips,.£l 2/ to £1 6/; weauers, 10/ to 19/.

ADDINGTON MARKET. HEAVY ■■YARDING OF SHEEP. (By. Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' •' CHIUSTCHURCH, Wednesday. At the Addiiigton market the largest sheep entry of the season came forward, a total of approximately 21,000-head, containing 12,000 store lambs.. . The latter, which have been increasing in value for some weeks, were easier by a good 1/ a head. A few of the best lines made from 18/ to 20/. Four, six and eight-tooth Romney ewes sold at 2S/10, and a good draft of station four-year halfbved at -21/. In fat lambs, 2500 were penned, and sold at tlie top export schedule price, and up to 9d for butchers' lots. In fat sheep 4750 were penned, and there was a good sale for best sheep. ■ Best wethers made from 2S/ to 31/; tops, to 33/; light, down I to 18/; best ewes, 24/ to 26/; tops, to 29/; export ewes, 11/ to 10/. Exporters: were actively iu-the market for ewes and took a good proportion. Fat cattle recovered last week's decline of up to 20/ ■A head. Good steers sold from £16 10/ to £18; tops, £19 to £19 17/6; medium, £13 to £15 10/; light, down to £8; good heifers, to £13; tops, to £11 12/6; best cows, £10 10/ to £14; inferior, £5 to £0. Fat pigs met little change, pork averaging from BVid to 7d per lb and bacon from (H4d toSftd.