ADDINGTON SALE TRENDS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27990, 9 June 1956, Page 7

ADDINGTON SALE TRENDS

CATTLE AND SHEEP PRICES COMPARED

Of all stock sections at Addington market, cattle have shown the most variation over the last two or three months. The fat cattle pens have lately been under a shadow, with rates steadily moving downwards. A comparison with values ruling at the market a year ago shows that the best steers were selling, this week, at almost exactly £8 cheaper than a year ago, top heifers were around £9 below rates of 12 months ago, and best cows were down at least £5 or £6.

In the store cattle pens, too, the going has been difficult. A year ago best steer calves were ranging from £l4 8s to £l6 13s. On Wednesday the best of the steer calves were at £ll Is, and heifer calves, which made up to £l5 3s 6d a year ago, were making up to a little more than half that price this week.

In the sheep pens the picture has, however, been brighter. Even during the long summer drought there was an amazingly consistent demand for store lambs and sheep. Only light and backward sorts really became very cheap, and some farmers who were able, as a result of their sound farming practices or optimism, to buy at these rates have since reported gains that are little short of spectacular. With the autumn rains and mild early winter weather the store sheep market has recovered from the drought interlude, and values for the last few weeks have been very steady, with a sound buying interest. Wether lambs at Addington this week making up to slightly more than 50s were close to the best rates of a year ago, and mixed aged ewes selling at more than 60s were also in line with rates of 12 months past.

Fat wethers selling at 92s Id and fat lambs at 82s Id at Addington, this week, both, however, looked to be several shillings below the top rates ruling a year ago.