ADDINGTON MARKET

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21714, 22 February 1936, Page 25

ADDINGTON MARKET

BREEDING EWES WANTED I LAMB EXPORT SCHEDULE RAISED In most departments the Addington market; on Wednesday was a brighter fljeture than that of last week, a de r velopment with which the improved feed following the rains had a good deal to do. Breeding ewes were again dear, and there were useful rises in the price of fat sheep and fat lambs. Store Sheep The store lamb entry was a heavy one, but the condition of the offer was considerably better than that forward last'week.' A number of the lines offered could be fairly described as forward, an adjective that would have fitted ill the bulk of last week's collection. The lambs as a general thing looked more sappy, and better prices ill consequence ruled. The enquiry for ewe lambs was: determined, and high prices were paid, a reaction to the stiff prices now asked for-mature ewes. The i&rthing rise- in the export schedule also gave a fillip to trading, but the farmer who has bought on the assumption that export lamb will rise, or even stay at the present BJd, has bought wrong. In the store sheep pens a much larger selection came forward, and again there was a dißtinct improvement in quality. Old ewes were again dear, about a* shllllhg a head more than they were last week, and in cases considerably more. The only class of ewe that was more or less neglected was the .really old ewe, suitable .only, .for fattening.on soft feed, and even here, prices were particularly good in comparison With the values ruling in the fat sheep pens. There was quite a good selection of ypung ewes, and the prices paid did not seem to be out of the way when compared with old sheep. All ewes from four years old upwards were dear; anything snowing any sign of quality at all, irrespective of the condition of the mouth, was worth from 17s ißd upward, and at prices round about £1 many doubtful looking lines changed hands. The market could have absorbed many more of this description. Drafts were forward from practically all over the South Island. Feb. 20. Teb. 19. 1935. 1936. Lambs— ■. s, ' s. s. a. Best rape .. 16 to 151 "J to 19 Medium rape .. 121 to 141 16 to 17 Cull lambs .. 41 to 8J 101 to 14 Ewes— . « Good 2-th Cor. 291 to 30 to 36$ Good 2-th. ibred 28 to 291 30 to 32J Med. 2-th Ibred 221 to 25i 25 to 291 Good a.m. .'. 154 to 1? 23 to 26 Qrdinary .. 14 to 154 19 to 221 Acred .. 4 to 81 31 to 14 Fat Lambs The local consignments in. the fat lamr> entry were much better in quality than were those forward last week, and with the inclusion of a number of fairly good West Coast lines, the yarding »was quite a good one. Exporters were operating on a schedule of for up to 361 b, and the market was consequently firmer. The sale was not quite so hot as it was last week, partly because there were more lambs suitable for butchers forward, and partly also because, unlike last week when they were paying over the schedule rate, exporters this week stopped at the schedule limit. Lamb prices are now good, almost entirely because deliveries of first quality have fallen off considerably and all buyers'are finding it difficult to fill their requirements. With an increase in feed, the lambs will begin to come forward freely again, and the price will probably drop. Lambs are not doing well at present on green feed, and fatteners are finding it difficult to get drafts of any size away.. LambsExtra prime .. 27. to 291 291. to 311 Prime .. 231 to 261 263 to 291 Medium-weight .. 21 to 23 243 to 261 Light * .. 17 to 201 191 to 241 Fat Sheep The fat sheep sale was an excellent one for vendors. At the outset there was little change from last week, but freezers began to take a strong interest in the ewes offering, and the sale rapidly hardened till prices were up to Is 6d a head dearer than they were last week. The offering contained mainly ewes and a good selection of the weights that freezers want, and though there has been no change in the ewe schedule, there were many cases where exporters paid more than full rates. The selection was fairly good, though extra choice lines were not numerous. WethersExtra prime heavy to 293 to 311 , Prime heavy .. 231 to 251 252 to 27j Prime med.-wgt 214 to 23 231 to 251 Ordinary .. 18 to 201 21 to 203 Light .. 14 to 17 16 to 201 EwesEx. prime heavy . to 233 to 26 / Prime henw ~ 18 to 201 201 to 231 Prime med.-wgt. 14 to 171 17 to 20 Ordinary .. 11l to 13 13 to 161 Light .. 8 to 11 9 to 121 Fat Cattle Except for a few pens, there was little really good quality offered in the beef section, the proportion of cows and secondary steer beef remaining heavy in the slightly larger entry. The market was erratic throughout, but values on the whole were equivalent to those of last week, if not a little firmer. The few good pens of-steers were outstanding among so much mediocre stuff, and the top priced line, of Aberdeen Aagus cross from the estate Of R. Gould, The Hermitage, looked a picture. The veal demand was again well maintained on the higher level of prices that has fuled lately. Heavy calues were again rather too numerous, but sold well nevertheless. Steers— £ £ £ £ EX. prime heavy to 111 , to 12J Prime heavy .. 82 to Si 94 to 11 "MeS.-WgV. prime 6 Vo 9* Ijto •9i Medium .. 41 to 7 1 53 to 6-J Light .. to 4J 34 to 5 Heii'Wß Extra prime .. to 81 Prime .. 5 to 71 8 to 7 MediUm .. 34 to 43 41 to 53 Light .. to 31 23 to n CowsExtra prime .. to 101 to 81 Prime .. 43 to 53 41 to 6 Medium .. 21 to 41 31 to 41 Light .. to 21 to 3