ADDINGTON MARKET Values Remain Firm For Most Classes

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30364, 13 February 1964, Page 16

ADDINGTON MARKET Values Remain Firm For Most Classes

The dry condition of the province had little impact on values at the Addington market yesterday. Store lambs sold at values fully firm and in cases possibly even Fine wool two-toth ewes, particularly of medium quality, were fully firm to dearer,' and Romneys sold about late rates. Some of the better-class older ewes were a shade easier, but the main weight of medium quality sold at prices very similar to those of the last sale, and there was a good clearance.

One market authority said yesterday that although feed supplies were by no means plentiful, many farmers now had stubbles available to carry them over.

The yarding was very similar in size to last Week’s. It totalled 25,936, compared with 25,398 last week, and included 7495 store lambs (10,930 last week), 6406 twotooth ewes (2426), 11,750 older ewes (11,663), and 285 wethers (379). Store Lambs Continued dry- weather duringthe last week obviously has not ■deterred store lamb buyers, for this week’s sale was as good as the previous one, values being fully maintained. On a value-for-quality basis some Iambs could have been a shade dearer. Sizeable lines of top-quality, well-brought-out lambs were scarce, but those which did come forward met a keen demand. This week’s entry of 7495 was slightly smaller than the 10,930 which comprised last week’s offering, and the bench or buyers was noticeably smaller. One bad feature of the lamb market was the large proportion that had to be dipped. This week 2600 were found to be lousy. Many of the lambs offered were looking somewhat drv in the wool as a .result of the spell of dry weather. The ewe lamb market retained a brisk, buoyant note throughout, and current values were easily sustained. Competition was particularly - brisk for the best-quality lines of both Romneys and fine wools, an entry, of 234 shorn Romney ewe lambs selling exceptionally well at 60s to 64s and averaging 62s. The medium type of lambs sold very well at values which were probably a Shade better than last week’s. The best of the Romney ewe lambs sold from 62s 6d to 73s, good made from 51s to 61s, medium 42s to 50s, and others up to 39s 6d. Shorn Romneys realised from 60s to 64s for the ■very best with others selling from 32s to 42s. Of the fine wool ewe lambs, the best realised 57s to 69s. good 47s to 55s 6d. medium 39s to 46s 6d and others 32s to 38s 6d. Some shbrn fine wools realised up to 37s.

Although the wether lamb yarding was not particularly big, there was a varied selee-

tion offering and values remained as good as at recent sales. The majority of the entry comprised medium and lighter sorts, . which enjoyed a good demand. A handful of Down cross lambs was included in the yarding and . these sold well at up to 48s for the best. Among the Romney wether lambs offering, the best made from 39s to 465, with the odd line realising to 595, medium sold from 35s to 38s 6d and others up to 345. In the fine wool pens, the top offerings brought from 40s to 44s 6d. medium 33s to 39s 6d, . and others from 22s to 325. Shorn wether lambs made up to • 355. while Down cross lambs realised from 33s to 365, with the odd pen at up to 48s. Leading sales of store lambs quoted by stock firms included the following:— Wether lambs; R. C. Overton (Raumati), 102 Corriedales at 435; Lands and Survey Department (Hokitika), 184 shorn Romneys at 31s to 335: estate R. Allan (Allandale), 152 Down cross at 34s 6d to 38s 6d: A. T. Black (Waiau), 94 Corriedales at 445: J. C. Rodger (Ethelton), 116 Down cross at 34s 6d to 41s: I. W. Calder (Mount Whitnow', 1055 halfbreds at 25s 6d to 40s 6d; J. R. Dodge (Kaiapoi). 48 Down cross at 48s; Lands and Survey Department (Hokitika)', 168 Down cross at 33s 6d to 38s. 89 shorn Romneys at 31s to 37s 6d; Murchison Brothers (Lake Coleridge!. 607 halfbreds at 31s to 445: Pufau Station (Purau), 9 Romneys at 595: H. J. Stace (Kaikoural, 288 tbree-quarterbreds at 33s to 42s 6d. Ewe lambs: K. MqKenzie (Oxford), 234 shorn Romneys at 60s to 64s (average price of 625): Watson and Topp, Ltd. (Waipara), 176 Corriedales at 58s to 695; Mrs J. L. O'Boyle (Domett). 365 Romneys at 51s to 735; H. D. Greenwood (Amberlev). 330 Corriedales at 46s to 51s: Murchison Brothers (Lake Coleridge), 606 halfbreds at 33s to 50s. Two-tooth Ewes The continuing dry weather also had no adverse effect on the two-tooth sale, with values fully firm to possibly a shade better than last week’s slightly weaker market. Generally sales were easier to make, and the sale seemed to gain ground as it went along. The two-tooth sale took about two hours to complete. The offering totalled 6406 compared with 2426 last week. The character of the entry was slightly different this w’eek. with more station lines and tussdck-bred sheep in the selection. Overall there was quite a good representation of sheep. From a cautious start the sale quickly got into its stride, and it tended to firm as it went along. Fine wool ewes predominated in the selection, and the medium class of ewes in this category probably showed the most marked gain. For Romneys values were similar to last week, with again some of the smaller sheep selling at what looked to be better rates than the top class sheep. The sale was followed by quite a large gallery, and there was obviously quite * lot of

buying power with practically a complete clearance being made at auction.

The best of the fine wool ewes made from 84s to 89s, with good at 75s to 80s, average at 68s to 745, others at 60s to 68s, and small and backward and late shorn at rates ranging down to 365. The. pick of the Romney and Romney cross ewes realised from 98s to £5 3s, with good at 87s to 975, average at 70s to 795, and others at 60s to 68s. For a handful of Border Romneys prices ranged from about 72s to 82s. Out of a sizeable line of Romneys from the south 540 sold at between £5 and £5 2s, and nearly 1000 halfbreds from the Bluff Station realised prices up to 86s.

Among leading sales of twotooth ewes quoted by stock firms were the following:—P D, H. Bush (Iona), 60 Corriedales at 80s J. T. and G. V. Prosser (Leeston), 102 Romney cross at 79s to 82s; Bluff Station. Ltd. (Kekerengu), 954 halfbreds at 68s to 86s; Balnebreich Farm, Ltd. (Culverden), 102 Corriedales at 80s; R. J. c. Hamilton (Culverden), 47 Corriedales at 82s 6d; J. L. Walker (Dunsandel), 120 Romneys at £5 ss; A. J. Sloss (Omihi) 71 Romneys at 97s to £5 3s; Randlea Farm (Springbank), 80 Romneys at 925, 144 Border Leices-ter-Romney cross at 77s to 82s; estate D. S. Fleming (Culverden), 70 Corriedales at 89s; J. R. Murray (Clarence Bridge), 370 Corriedales at 72s to 89s: D. Grigg (Grasslngton),' 198 Corriedales at' 72s to 88s; estate E. H. Pierce (Annat), 61 Romneys at 935. Older Ewes There was another large selection of older ewes totalling 11,750 compared with 11,663 last week. It did not include the same top class ewes that were yarded last week and the quality could generally be described as lower with more of the ordinary sorts. Considering the size of the offering and the continuing dry conditions the sale was regarded as a very satisfactory one. For the best of the offering values were inclined to be a shade easier by up to a shilling or two, but for the average and medium class of ewes there was a sound and widespread inquiry and for these values would be little different from

last week. It was noticeable that there were buyers present prepared to pay up to fairly strict limits for the average quality ewe and this tended to increase the competition on this class.

Fine wools again made up the biggest part of the selection and for . the best of tne four and five-year-old and annual draft eWes values ranged from 53s to 58s, with an odd sale up to 67s, average to good sorts realised from 44s to 48s, average from 35s to 39s and others down to 39s. Later shorn fine wool ewes sold from, about 30s to 46s. For the smaller selection of Romneys dr Romney cross the best brought from 56s to 64s, With good at 49s to 56s, average at 40s to 48s, and others at 28s to 37s. A handful of Border Romneys sold for about 50s. For younger Romney ewes values ranged from about 50s to 74s 6d, with the upper fig. ure being paid for six-tooths, and younger fine wools sold from, about 46s to 62s 6d, with the top figure being for fourtooths. Among the best sales quoted by stock firms were:— Decanter Bay Farm (Little Akaloa), 182 five-year Romney ewes at 44s 6d to 48s; estate F. and J. Northcote (Whalesback). 70 two-shear halfbreds at 62s 6d; W. Vogan (Duvauchelle), 75 three-shear Romneys at 74s 6d; H. V. Snushall (Quail Dowds)., 252 four-year Romney Cross at 63s to 64s. 78 five-year Romney cross at 49s; J. H. Ensor (Manuka Bay), 120 five-year Romneys at 46s to 50s; L. B. Ensor Farm (Rendle Hill), 151 four six and eight-tooth halfbreds at 54s to 62s; Bluff Station, Ltd. (Kekerengu). 326 annual draft halbreds at 47s 6d; A. R. Turnbull and Son (Dingley), 260 fiveyear halfbreds at 47s 6d to 52s 6d; J. A. Paton (The Birches), 277 four-year halfbreds at 46s to 52s 6d; Blue Mountain Farm. Ltd. (Ward), 180 annual draft halfbreds at 47s to 49s 6d: L. H. Field (Port Levy). 95 fiveyear Romneys at 48s: A. T. Stone (Hororata), 197 annual draft halfbreds at 67s: P. Le Cren (Parnassus). Ill five-year Corriedales at 48s 6d; Ngaio Downs (Parikawa), 300 Corriedale ewes at 51s to 54s; estate E. H. Pierce (Annat), 215 four, six and eight-tooth Romney ewes at 44s to 48s; Purau Station (Purau). 418 Romney ewes at 56s to 61s; J. A. Howden (Port Levy) 55 Romney ewes at 56s and 104 Border Romneys at 50s; estate J. B. Steel (Mount Virginia), 405 halfbreds at 43s to 48s. Wethers. Again only a handful of wethers, totalling 285, was yarded. These included twotooth Merinos selling round 43s and 44s and two-tooth halfbreds making about 48s. Queensland Flooding.— The worst floods in the history of Queensland's far north-west are leaving widespread devastation as they recede across hundreds of square miles of country.—Brisbane, February 12. ,