ADDINGTON MARKET

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22491, 27 August 1938, Page 9

ADDINGTON MARKET

SLOW DEMAND FOR MUTTON

BETTER BEEF VALUES

Fortunately fatteners restricted their offerings on Wednesday to numbers more in accordance with the requirements of the trade. But for this precaution it is to be feared that there would have been a collapse in the mutton market. The penning was only about 55 per cent, of the record offering of the previous week, but it was all the market could absorb—and a little more, as there was a slip over the final race, with some passings. The heavy entries of the previous week allowed butchers to buy a little ahead of requirements, but with the ample supply of half-fattened sheep which seems to be about they showed little disposition in this direction on Wednesday. Good weighty ewes were actually in short supply, and most of the prime wethers were wanted, but the recovery of about a shilling in this class on the previous week did not satisfy some vendors. A few of the medium and light-weight wethers were secured by graziers, but there were quite fair sorts of ewes marketed at from 13s to 16s.

The explanation of the heavy entries probably lies in the fact that feed is quite three weeks late coming away, and as the main lambing is now commencing and feed for ewes is the most important consideration half fattened dry sheep have had to go. There has been very fair growth this last fortnight,' but in an ordinary season there would have been as much young feed about in the early part of August as at the end of it. Where lambing is a few weeks later in starting and where feed looks as if it may be ready for the ewes the fattening of wethers may continue and so help to keep the entries within reasonable limits. If sheep have to be pushed on to the market on the scale of the last few weeks it would appear that prices will be slow to recover, although October-November may establish a more satisfactory level of values. The following is a comparison with the values ruling at the corresponding sale last year, from which it will be seen that the drop has been heavy:—

Store Sheep More interest is developing in the store sheep market. There is inquirj for ewes and lambs, and a fair-sized pen on Wednesday sold at 13s Id, all counted. The in-lamb ewes offered were also wanted, but the class was not attractive. A pen of sound-mouthed ewes near lambing sold at 19s 7d, which cannot be considered excessive at this period of the year with the prospect of a Christmas market ahead for the lambs. Backward wethers are not wanted to much extent, and hoggets are very much in the same position. A comparison with 12 months ago is not pleasant reading. Ewes—

The bright spot of the market was fat cattle. The entry, fortunately was a small one, and this gave values a chance to steady up. The improvement was a good 3s per 1001 b, and there were numerous cases of prime medium weights ranging up to 42s 6d per 1001 b, and in the case of tops a shilling more. Most of the good beef touched the even 40s figure. Some of the heavy bullocks—and there was a particularly fine line from South Westland—made up to about 37s per 1001 b. It is probable that the better market will bring forward a heavy entry next week, as there appears to be no scarcity of wellfleshed cattle about.

HORSE PARADE

CANTERBURY A. AND P.

ASSOCIATION

The annual horse parade of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association will be held on the Addington Show Grounds on Wednesday, September 28, and entries close on Friday, September 23, with the secretary, Mr M. E. Lyons. There are six classes provided, as follows:

Class I—Draught Stallion, foaled prior to June 30, 1935. First prize, £7; second, £4.

Class 2—Draught stallion, foaled since June 30, 1935. First prize, £5; second, £3. Class 3—Draught colt, foaled since June 30, 1936. First prize, £4; second, £2 10s.

Class 4—Thoroughbred stallion, suitable for breeding hacks and hunters. Available to breeders in Canterbury at a fee not exceeding £8 8s for unregistered mares. First prize, £4; second, £2.

Class s—Pony stallion, not over 14.2 hands, suitable for breeding saddle ponies. First prize, £2; second, £l. Class 6—Pony stallion, not over 14.2 hands, suitable for breeding harness ponies. First prize, £2; second, £l. The Clydesdale Horse- Society has given £lO towards the prize money in classes 1,2, and 3. The association offers a diamond jubilee challenge shield for the best draught stallion, three years of age or over, under certain conditions, and a champion ribbon will be awarded the champion Clydesdale stallion.

Aug. 25. Aug. 24. 1937. 1938. Wetherss. s. s. s Ex. prime heavy to 451 to 331 Prime heavy 36 to 40 29J to 32 Prime med. -weight 32 to 35 i 26 to 29 Ordinary 27J to 31 22 to 25 Light to 27 to 211 EwesEx. prime heavy to 44 to 271 Prime heavy 29 to 33 201 to 24 Prime med.-weight 26 to 281 161 to 19 Ordinary 20 to 25 121 to 16 Light to 19 to 12

Ex. good hoggets 34 to 391 Medium 24 to 32 Best wether to 231 Ord. wether 19 to 21J 13 to 15 Backward wether 15 to 18 to 121 Ewes and lambs to 141 to 13 Best young ewes to 331 Best s.m. to 29 to 20 Wethers— Six and 8-tooth to 23J to 18 , , Fat Cattle

Steers— 9 Ex. prime heavy to 25 to 20 Prime heavy Prime medium-weight 142 to 161 15J to 171 13J to 15 13J to 152 Medium 10i to 13 11 to 131 Light ■ -.. to 10 to 101 HeifersEx. prime .. to 141 to 152 Prime 9a to Hi 11 to 121 Medium 71 to 94 81 to 101 Light to 7 to 8 Cows— Ex. prime to 131 to 14 Prime .. 81 to 101 91 to 112 Medium 5J to 7 71 to 9 Light to 5J to 7