ADDINGTON MARKET

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 10

ADDINGTON MARKET

A GENERAL EASING LIFELESS SALE OF EWES The strengthening of the store sheep market last week was only temporary. It receded this week to its former listless state. The reason of the drop is as difficult to explain as the advance, except that a week ago there were more buyers about. Quite a. fair class of aged ewe and decently grown hoggets. wether and ewe, were represented in this' week’s penning, but the few farmers present did not seem to want them, and consequently passings were heavy. The station lines of adult wethers forward were of good class, and close on 1000 of them made from 20s lOd to 21s 6d—a good price considering values of other classes of store sheep—but quite Is 6d cheaper than the week before. The steadier market for fat sheep may have been responsible for this weakening, and possibly as the season is advancing it ia being realised that the turnip crop is not going to give the feed expected some time ago. A good deal of dry rot is reported in crops which otherwise would be quite good. Apart from these causes, however, the general uncertainty in regard to future prices is having a depressing effect. After seeing the sluggish sale on Wednesday one farmer, who had sown 90 acres of wheat, bought seed to double his area. “I might as well be a bit more in this guarantee business,” he said. Another 100,000 acres of wheat would mean the displacement of nearly 200,000 ewes. That would necessarily mean a tremendous decline in the demand for them. The following is a comparison with the prices ruling at the corresponding sale last year, when the market weakened on preceding rates: —

Fat Lambs There was an end of season spurt by fat lamb buyers, one firm taking most of the small entry of close on 1009

head. Most of the lambs were light, as can be judged by the prices. Possibly half the entry made from 22s 6d down. Many of the lines were obviously the clean up of the season, there being a spread of from 5s to 7s in the prices. Fat Sheep Whilst good heavy prime wethers are practically maintaining prices the market has. been showing a slackening tendency for all the medium classes. The export trade is keeping up the price of light weights. »A lot of the wethers were good stores at most. The fact that they are coming into the yards in such substantial numbers indicates that there is not much fattening feed about. In regard to winter prices for prime mutton there is no reason to qualify former opinions that there will be a good market for it. For those who can fatten their hoggets for the early spring this may provide some compensation for the lower values realised for fat lambs this season. Wethers—

Fat Cattle The fat cattle entry was fortunately smaller than for some time, but for which it is probable there would have been a much bigger decline in values. As it was, the heavy steers were down by nearly 20s a head. There has been a fair showing of this class lately, and the suburban butcher, does not want them. He prefers the medium weights, and these on Wednesday sold quite well in comparison with the rates of the previous week. Halffinished steers are coming in fairly heavily, and the £5 or thereabouts cow was also well to the fore. Amongst the well-bred drafts was one from W. Leonardo (Le Son’s Bay), comprising Black Poll and Polled-Hereford crosses. One of the Polls, coming two years old, which made the exceptionally good price of £ls 7s 6d, was an ideal type of beef, being as square and blocky as a Southdown sheep. As will be seen from the appended comparison. values are better than at this time last year.

Store Cattle The store cattle market shows little sign of weakening in spite of the easing market for beef. Grown steers on Wednesday made up to £9 odd, and all the calves offered are assured of keen competition. It is plain that there is more cattle-fattening going on than was the custom a few years ago. It is a question which class of farming it is replacing. The hills are possibly carrying more feed as'a result of topdressing, and the present season has been a good, one for rough feed, but some of the increase is doubtless due to the reduction of dairy herds. Dairying is becoming unpopular in Canterbury, and the writer has heard of a number of farmers who are reducing their herds or quitting them altogether. This is not a very desirable development, as it means less production, but it is a natural development of the times. In any case more cattle grazing with sheep is a desirable farm practice.

A man digging the foundations of a house in Aberdeen broke an earthenware jar. Inside were 200 silver pennies of the reign of Henry 111 (12161272).- "

June 2, June 1, 1937. 1938. Lambs— s. s. s. s. Good ewe # , to 26 _ Ord. ewe ,, to 22 — Small ewe , # to 18 to 112 Ord. wether .. 12 to 14 to 11 Wethers — Forward # , to 26 i 20 to 21i Medium .. 21 to 23 to 18

Ex. prime .heavy to 41 to 371 Prime heavy 31 i to 351 27J to 301 Prime med.-wght. 28J to 31 23 to 27 Ordinary 24i to 27 201 to 221 Light to 24 to 20 Ewes— • Ex. prime heavy to 30* to 27 Prime heavy 24 to 26 20 to 221 Prime med.-wght. 20 to 23 161 to 19 Ordinary 17i to 19 14 to 16 Light to 17 • to 131

Steers— £ £ £ to £ Ex. prime heavy to 152 121 164 Prime heavy 103 to 134 to 14. 1 , Prime med.-wght. 94 to 11 114 to 122 Ordinary 84 to 94 9 to 102 Light Heifers— to 9 to 82 Extra, prime to 11 to 11 Prime 6 to 72 72 to 94 Medium 43 to 52 64 to 74 Light Cows— to 44 to 6 Ex. prime to 102 to 103 Prime .. 5J to 74 7 to 8 4 Medium' 32 to 54 5 to 6J Light to 3i to 42