ADDINGTON MARKET Store Sheep Only Big Yarding; Demand Varies

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 20

ADDINGTON MARKET Store Sheep Only Big Yarding; Demand Varies

Apart from store sheep, yardings were small for the last market of the year at Addington yesterday. With the market coming close to Christmas and giving butchers only a limited time in which to have their stock killed for the holiday trade, it was anticipated that demand might be at a low level and in the fat lamb section, in particular, it was erratic and passings were frequent, even for a modest selection.

Out of a small yarding of fat sheep ewes tended to weaken as the sale progressed, but hoggets sold at firm to better rates. Only 60 odd head were yarded in the fat cattle pens and these sold well and the trade could have taken more.

There were few store cattle yarded and only about one quotable line was among them. There were also few dairy cattle or vealers. The store sheep section again attracted a sizeable selection exceeding 7000 and the sale was a fairly good one with lambs overall dearer and two-tooth ewes, apart from the best, a shade dearer. Better two-tooth ewes were, however, barely as good.

The next market will be on January 5 and 6, when the first of the two-day weekly markets will begin. AU sections, apart from store sheep, will be sold on the first day and store sheep on the second day.

Store Sheep

Tlie store sheep section was the one section of the sale where there was a sizeable entry. Although down on last week the yarding totalled more than '7OOO. The total was 7042 compared with 10,992 last week and Included 5131 store lambs (7368 last week), 1672 hoggets or twotooths (2590), 238 older ewes (811) and one wether (223). The sale was not followed by a very large gallery but was generally a fairly good one with values steady to dearer. The lamb entry included some good lambs, particularly among the ewe lambs, but the quality generally was not up to that of the last sale. The sale opened quietly with the offering of some fairly dry looking lambs and at this stage values were no better than late rates and even possibly a shade easier, but later the market improved and overall values were reckoned to be about 2s better than late rates. However, in the concluding stages, too, there was a tendency for values to weaken again. The best of the fine wool wether lambs made from 44s to 48s 6d, with good at 40s to 445, average at 35s to 39s and others from 30s.

Among a small selection of Romney wether lambs, good sorts made up to about 465, with average making from 35s 6d to 36s 6d, and a further selection of shorn Romney wether lambs sold steadily at 39s to 41s 6d. Good Down lambs fetched from about 45s 6d to 46s 6d with average at 35s 6d to 38s 6d. Some good fine wool ewe lambs from North Canterbury ranged from 63s to 78s—this was the range for 566 Corriedales from Watson and Topp, Ltd. (Waipara). One hundred and seventy-four of these sold at the top price, 150 at 68s, 112 at 63s and 130 at 665. At the first sale of the current year the property sold 366 ewe lambs at an average of 81s 4d and up to 87s.

Other fine wool eive lambs made from 39s 6d to 49s 6d.

Among leading sales of lambs quoted by stock firms were:

Watson and Hopp, Ltd. (Watpara), 566 Corriedale ewe lambs at 63s to 78s; R. J. Gerard (Oxford), 169 Romney-Corriedale ewe lambs at 54s to 555; E, J. D. Good (Kekerangu), 166 halfbred wether lambs at 37s 6d to 45s 6d, 87 ewe lambs at 41s; R. C. and S. M. Inkersell (Kaikoura), 397 Southdown cross lambs at 35s 6d to 46s 6d; D. W. and R. D. Ensor (Cheviot), ISO Corriedale wether lambs at 41s to 47s 6d; Mrs V. M. Cooper and Son (Domett), 92 Corriedale wether lambs at 40s; Prattley Bros. (Rangltata), 70 Romney ewe lambs at 59s 6d; Bowenvale Estate (Cashmere), 125 Corriedale wether lambs at 36s to 44s 6d; A. B. Anderson (Claverley), 199 shorn Romney wether lambs at 39s to 41s 6d; Purau station (Purau), 332 Romney wether lambs at 38s to 48s 6d; R G. Morris (Cheviot), 95 Corriedale wether lambs at 41s.

Ewe hoggets or two-tooth ewes sold steadily but the best did not make quite as good money as might have been expected and were thought to have been a shade easier than last week, but other classes sold fully as well as last week to a shade better.

The best of the Romneys made from 70s to 81s, with average to good at 64s 6d to 665. There were some good offerings of

fine wool two-tooth ewes Included and the best of these sold at 70s to 775. with average to good at 59s to 65s and others at 43s to 495. Shorn Cheviot Romney cross two-tooths made 475. Leading sales of hoggets Included:— R. A. Black (Culverden), 141 Corriedales at 75s to 775: A. T. Black (Waiau), 223 Corriedales at 73s to 74s 6d: The Gates Farm (Waiau) 199 at 47s 6d to 61s; J. Fitzsimmons (Cheviot), 72 Corriedales at 71s; estate G. L. Rutherford (Parnassus), 182 Romneys at 70s to 81s. There were only a handful of pens in the adult sheep section of the sale and they included an offering of five-year-old Romneys which made from 34s to 395. Details of this sale were: Estate G. L. Rutherford (Parnassus), 237 five-vear-old Romney ewes at 34s to 395. Fat Lambs A small yarding of 382 fat lambs compared with 1442 last week met a very limited demand and prices were generally at lower levels. Heavy lambs met an erratic sale. While some lots sold up to recent rates others were cheaper by as much as 9s. Medium sorts were back by about 3s. The fundamental weakness of the market was due to the lack of sustained trade demand, the trade not depending on this sale to fill its holiday requirements because of the limited time before Christmas. This resulted in an erratic sale with quite a number of passings. Values were:— Best, up to 70s Id; medium, 54s Id to 58s Id; light and plain, up to 53s Id. Among leading sales were:— C. E. Parkin (Rakala), 38 at 55s Id to 65s Id; Mount Arden Partnership (Hawarden), 25 at 64s Id to 67s Id: D. L. Parkinson (Tai Tapu), 41 at 60s Id to 67s Id; W. Weir (French Farm). 11 at 64s Id to 70s Id; D. Dalton (Methven), 18 at 63s Id to 70s Id; V. Chambers (Methven), 21 at 65s Id to 68s Id: Tree Vale Farm (Darfield), 10 at 66s Id; M. Murphy (Belfast), 1 at 67s Id; J. R. Petrie (Sefton), 15 at 63s Id to 66s Id: K. J. McCormick (Lakeside), 26 at 61s Id to 66s Id. Fat Sheep A small yarding of fat sheep met a variable sale with hoggets fully firm to a shade dearer than recent rates while ewes began slightly cheaper and slowly deteriorated. A larger yarding might well have led to an all-round deterioration in the market for both ewes and hoggets.

The yarding was well down on last week at 1349 compared with 4079, and the sale was finished by 1.15 p.m. There was a solid demand for good quality hoggets, which sold up to 2s dearer. A few outstanding pens sold up to 81s, while the bulk of the offering made between 6fe and 755. Ewes opened fractionally cheaper and prices slowly fell. Over the last race of the sale, selling was particularly difficult as buying strength fell away. By the end of the sale, ewes could be quoted as easier by as much as 2s to 4s. Values were:—

Prime heavy hoggets, 70s Id to 77s Id, with the odd sale up to 81s Id.

Prime medium hoggets, 65s Id to 69s Id.

Best butchers’ ewes, 33s Id to 36s Id, with the odd pen up to 38s Id.

Prime light and medium ewes, 26s Id to 32s Id. Leading sales quoted were: Hoggets: R. B. Shellock (Rakaia), 87 at 68s Id to 75s Id; W. E. Scoon (Rakaia), 27 at 67s Id to 74s Id; Smith Brothers (North Bank), 50 at 69s Id to 73s Id; J. Petrie (Swannanoa). 25 at 65s Id to 70s Id; E. E Lilley (Kaiapoi), 23 at 69s Id to 71s Id: W. J. Doyle (Leeston), 15 at 75s Id; K. and I. Bailey (Springston), 28 at 75s Id; Parnassus Domain Board, 24 at 67s Id to 72s Id; J. W. Mitchell (Doyleston), 37 at 66s Id to 77s Id; A. G. Winter (Brookside), 13 at 80s Id to 81s Id: L R Gilpin (Rakaia), 61 at 66s Id to 78s Id.

Ewes: M. Mortimer tßakala), 30 at 37s Id; J. C. Craddock (Kaiapoi), 4 at 34s Id; Rangiora High School, 77 at 33s Id; C. and V. Broughton < Fernside), 14 at 33s Id; R. Winter (Kaiapoi), 39 at 33s Id to 34s Id; Estate G. L. Rutherford

(Parnassus), » young ewes at 62s Id: D. M. Moore (Springston), 54 at 30s Id to 33s Id. Fat Cattle There was a ready market for a very small selection of 61 fat cattle compared with 430 last week. While a large selection was not required for this sale with a short week ahead before Christmas, this limited supply was readily absorbed and more could actually have been taken up. particularly in the mediumweight category. The shortness of the supply and good demand had the effect of sales being made at generally firmer rates. Prime heavy steer beef sold at £6 10s to £7 10s per 1001 b. prime medium-weight steer beef at £7 15s to £8 7s «d. and plain and light steer beef at £6 5s to £7: prime heavy-weight heifer beef at £6 15s to £7 ss. prime medium-weight heifer beef at £7 10s to £8 2s 6d. and plain and light heifer beef at £6 10s to £7: prime butchers’ cow beef at £5 to £5 13s fid and secondary cow beef at £4 5s to £4 12s 6d. Values were:— Prime heavy steers, £54 7s fid to £63 12s fid. Prime medium steers, £42 7s 6d to £47 17s fid. Prime light steers, from £3S 17s 6d. Plain and light steers, down to £3,2 17s fid. Prime heavy heifers, £35 7s fid to £42 2s fid. Prime medium heifers. £3O 7s 6d to £34 7s 6d. Prime light heifers, down to £25 7s fid. Prime heavy cows, £3l 7s fid to £34 2s fid. Prime medium cows, £27 2s 6d to £2B 12s Cd. Prime light cows, down to £24 2s 6d. Leading sales quoted by stock firms were: Steers: L. G. Witte (Teddington). 7 at £53 2s 6d to £63 12s fid. Cows: D. G. Young (Southbridge). 1 at £34 2s fid; H. R. Woods (Motukarara), 1 at £32 17s fid; Smith Bros. (North Bank). 1 at £3O 17s fid. Store Cattle The store cattle entry at 45 head, compared with sfis last week, was made up almost entirely of nondescript types. The only quotable line in the selection comprised 12 15-months-old Aberdeen Angus steers which realised £2B 13s (id each. These cattle were considered to have made rates slightly lower than last week. Boner type cattle sold up to about £27 13s 6d. Bulls Bulls met a reasonably good market. The offering totalled 11 head compared with 20 last week and included a number of sizeable animals. Four Aberdeen Angus brought from £59 17s fid to £73 17s fid, with two at the top price. A particularly solid Hereford bull realised £5B 17s fid. Medium-weight bulls made from £34 18s fid to £44 7s fid, while lighter sorts sold down to £2B 17s 6d. Dairy Cattle Only 10 head were entered in the dairy cattle section compared with 22 last week. Only a small gallery followed the sale and the market tended to be slightly easier. The heifer entry Included four well-grown quality Friesians which brought £43 each and one Ayrshire sold for £2B 10s. The balance of the Selection was made up of cows of average to good quality. Two good advertised Friesian cows made £4l 10s and £43. The rest of the cows sold mainly from £2B 10s to £3B, with an odd sale down to £22. Vealers In the veal section also entries were well dotvn. The tally was about 19 compared with 120 last week. No bobbies or small calves were included in the entry, which was of about averJ age quality. Prices were on a 1 par to slightly better than last week. ; The best vealers sold from ' about £2B 2s 6d to £2B 7s 6d, with , a top sale at £29 17s fid. Medium vealers made from £24 12s fid to £26 7s fid and smaller vealers j from £l9 7s fid to £2l 12s fid. Top calves ranged up to £2O, with i medium calves selling from £l2 , 2s fid to £l5 7s fid, and others from £4 Is to £9 Is.

Fat Pigs With the sale »0 dose to Christmas the entry of porkers was quite adequate tor buyers' requirements. Values for the top quality pigs were slightly carter than last week and for the second quality and heavier pigs were 5s to 10s a head lower. Light and medium good quality porkers sold quite well. There were some heavy porkers and light baconers varded and demand for these was very weak, values being back quite considerably.

Values were: Light porkers. £7 !0s 6d to £8 5s fid. Medium porkers, £8 9s 6d to £9 10s 6d. , Heavy porkers. £9 l>s 6d to £lO 17s’ 6d. Baconers, from £ll 19s 6d Io £l2 19s 6d. Store Pigs There was a medium entry of store pigs and quality wm somewhat mixed. Good quality pigs sold up to last week’s rates, but second quality and smaller store pigs were easier. There was a firm demand for the larger stores, but the market for weaners fluctuated slightly, small weaners being somewhat 'harder to sell. One Large •White sow, with a god litter of 11 piglets, was the only entry in the sow section and met a [firm demand realising £39 10s. I Values were: ' Small weaners, 50s to 765. I Best weaners: 89s to 995.

Slips, £5 Is to £5 15s. Medium stores, £5 19s to £6 10s. Large stores, £6 12s to £6 19s.