LIVE STOCK, &c.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8477, 8 May 1893, Page 3

LIVE STOCK, &c.

Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. report upon the live stock market for the week ending Satnrday, May 4th, as follows:—

At the Tinwald Saleyards on Tuesday the entry of stock comprised about 4000 sheep and a few head ot cattle. Owing probably to the continued wet weather the atteudauce was much smaller than usual. Business was dull in the extreme, and in consequence of the muddy state of the roads andyard3tbe sheep presented a very draggled appearance. There were some good lines of lambs penned, also of crossbred wethers very suitable for finishing on turnips, but buyers evidently prefer to wait; meanwhile the grass is growing and the turnip crops are increasing in bulk, so that with the return of sunshine we may be certain that prices will revive, and we shall again witness a return of activity in the sheep market. Crossbred lambe, small sorts sold at 5s lid to 7s, and good lines of lambs, a portion of which could be drafted for export, at from 103 6d up to lls 6d ; crossbred wethers up to 15s 3d; meriuo wethers, lls 7d ; mermo ewes 6s ; fat crossbred ewes up to lls 8d each. The cattle market was also dull. Fat cows sold from £6 to £7 12s 6d each, springers up to £4 10s. Pigs met a brisk sale; porkers up to 30s, baconers up to 603 each.

Canterbury Saleyards, Addington, Wednesday, 3rd inst.—The stock penned for the day's sale comprised 11,871 sheep, 364 cattle and 564 pigs. The entry of fat cattle was again a large one, the result being that the best beef only reached late quotations of 20a to 21s per 1001b. Medium and inferior sorts had to submit to lower rates to effect sales, and several withdrawals were made. Of store cattle there was an average eutry, but the sale was not brisk, although there are buyers for good sorts in fresh condition, a pen of bullocks selliug at £6 each. In odd lots and old cows there is no business doiDg, but. for good dairy cows there is brisk .demand, ready sales *re.«-ffected at high prices. Of store sheep there was a large yarding for thi3 season, augmented by consignments from the Chathams and the North Island. The former, large-framed coarse sheep, do not find favour with our graziers ; former importations have not thriven to the satisfaction of farmers, and though bought at comparatively low prices they do not appear to leave a reasonable margin of profit. As for the North Island lots, the shippers must have an idea that we are badly in want of sheep, for certainly such wretched mis-shapen animals jeere never before seen in our metropolitan yards. Two-tooth wethers, locally grown, brought up to 12s 9il, four-tooth up to 14s sd, both lots well-bred sheep, and at these prices they should leave the graziers a fair profit. Good store lambs sold at from 9s to 10s each. Store merino wethers are practically unsaleable. Fat Lambs—A fair average yarding, but the recent continued wet weather has evidently had a baneful effect, and the quality is not what it was, but few pens being Sufficiently good to tempt buyers for export, $nd the trade are not buying freely at this season, therefore the lamb market is virtually over. Of about 900 penned the bulk were withdrawn, those sold bringing 9s, 10s, 11s and 12s each. The entry of fat sheep was by no means large, and very irregular in point of quality and ripeness. There wae, ia fact, but little to tempt buyers for export hadthey been in force, but, with the facrories full of frozen sheep, the relief of which has only just commenced, their operations will yet be protracted for a few days. A few pens of extra prime heavy sheep, too heavy for export at this season of ths year, brought from 18s to 19s each, while lighter sorts of good quality sold at 16s to 17s 6d each. Fat crossbred, ewes brought from 11s to 14s 3d, with intermediate prices, according to quality and weight! Fat merino wethers sold at from 10s to 133 6d. A laige entry of pigs, for which the competition was not quite so brisk as during previous markets. A good clearance was, however, effected at fair values. Our sales for the day comprised—l6o good healthy lambs, which we sold at 9s each ; 100 fat lamb 3at 9s 3d, 30 fat crossbred ewes at 13a 7d, 38 prime merino wethers at 13s, and fat pigs at 61s each.