Addington Market Depressed sale for prime cattle

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 20

Addington Market Depressed sale for prime cattle

Prime eattle and veal prices slumped badly at the Addington Market yesterday. It was a trend which coincided with the freezing works strike, and one which regular followers of the market I found hard to explain. ! Prime lambs were a little eas|ier, but a reduced yarding of (prime sheep showed a small reIcovery. I The pig markets remained very weak. Prime lambs Prime- lambs had a slightly easier sale. Th’ was partly a reflection of quality; because of the dry conditions many lambs were on the plain side. The yarding was 850, compared with 820 last week. A number of lambs from th West Coast were lambs from the West Coast were included but, they too, were not as good as those seen from the Coast so far this season. Generally, the market was anything up to 50c a head easier. Values:— Heavy lambs, to $14.70. Medium lambs, $12.80 to $13.50. Light lambs, $11.50 to $12.50. Shorn lambs, $8 to $10.50. Leading sales of prime lambs included:—

J. R. Eastmond (Aylesbury), 56 at $13.10 to $13.60; W. D. Glass i Yaidhurst), 24 at $13.10 to $13.70; B. Addie and Company (Ohoka), 13 at $13.20 to $13.70; D. C. Johnston (Dunsandel), 63 at $12.50 to 514.30; R. J. Wright (Dunsandel), 13 at $12.70 to $13.40; Kenmare Farming Company (Culverden), 17 at $13.30 to $13.50; Kirwee Farm (Kirwee), 17 at $13.10 to $13.60; Seaton Brothers (Kirwee), 45 at $l3 to $13.70; B. H. McEvedy (Southbridge), 14 at $l3 to $l4; C. Chesterman (Kokatahi), 30 at $13.50 to $14.30; W. Band (Darfield), 59 at $l3 to $14.40; G. Watson (Westport), 49 at $l2 to $l4; estate G. Templeton (Weedons), 38 at $13.10 to $14.40; H- J. Macartney (Tai Tapu), 21 shorn at $9.70 to $10.30; C. and J. Sullivan (Oxford), 24 shorn at $9.10 to $10.50; R. McLean (Amberley), 15 at $l2 to $l4; C. A. and M. D. Maw (Rakaia), 5 at $13.70 to $14.70; G. Baxter (Christchurch), T. Hopkinson (Woodend), 42 at $13.20 to $l4; P. J. and P. Tully (Rakaia), 13 at $13.10 to $13.90. Prime sheep Prime sheep had a slightly better sale. The yarding fell from more than 3000 last week to 1985, and there was a marked reduction in the numbers of young wethers. I The wether market recovered at least a dollar a head, but it was still far from strong. Ewes were at least up to last! week’s rates, and sometimes a' little better, the top pens reaching $B. Quality was often plain, and some ewes were no better than a fattening proposition, although that is hardly possible in the present conditions.

Values:— Best young wethers, to $12.80. Medium wethers, $11.50 to $12.10. Light wethers, $lO.BO to $11.30. Best ewes, to $8.40. Medium ewes, $7 to $7.60. Plain ewes, $5 to $6.50. Leading sales of prime sheep included:—

Wethers (two-tooth unless otherwise stated): Estate J. A.

Collie (Sefton), 94 at $ll to $11.90; Marlow Account (Amberley) 41 at $11.60 to $l2; A. E. Birdiing (Birdiings Flat). 25 at $11.20 to $12.10; B. F. Mears (Ashburton:, 60 late-shorn at $9.50 to $9.80; D. A. Metcalf (Waipara), 21 full-mouthed at 57.90 to $8.10; M. S. Bower (Swannanoa), 113 at $10.20 to $11.80: C. T. Clark iDunsandel), 49 at $10.40 to $11.80; C. A. Adams (Greendale), 51 at $10.50 to $11.80; B. J. O’Carroll (Hawarden), 26 at $11.60 to $12.30; Marble Point Station (Hanmer Springs), 29 at $ll to $l2; estate W. R. Hawker (Springbank), 11 at $12.20 to $12.80; G. T. Reed (Oxford). 23 at $10.60 to $ll.BO. Ewes. E. Scott Craw (Chorlton), 34 at $7 to $7.20; B. T. Grofski (Ohoka), 26 at $7 to $8; G. Lomas (Sheffield), 49 at $7 to $7.30; W. Byron (Rangiora), 50 at $7.10 to $8.10; E. R. and J. Y. Winterbourn (Chorlton), 29 at $6.20 to $7.80; R. H. Ensor (Barrys Bay), 24 at $7.10 to $8.40; R. J. Wright (Dunsandel), 134 at $5.80 to $8.30; D. R. Shipley (Ha rewood), 80 at $6 to $8.20. Prime cattle Prime cattle had one of the poorest sales at Addington for a considerable time. The market opened in line with last week’s rates, but when it became known that killing at the export works had stopped the market fell away. The steer market dropped $lO to $l2, and sometimes as much as $l5 a head; heifers slipped at least $lO, but the cow market was still reasonably sound. Considering that the export trade has little impact on the numbers of steers and heifers bought out of Addington, the sudden weakening in the market was a surprising reaction. For much of the market, steer beef sold at 52c to 55c a kg, with some sales to 58c early in the day; heifer beef ranged from 44c to 48c and cow beef at 45c to 48c. Values:— Extra-heavy steers, to $221. Prime heavy, $165 to $lBO. Medium steers, $l4O to $155. Light steers, $l2O to $135. Other steers, down to $95. Top-weight heifers to $l3O. Medium heifers, $lO5 to $ll5. Light heifers, $75 to $95. Butchers’ cows, to $l3l. Medium cows, $llO to $l2O. Light cows, $7O to $lOO. Leading sales of prime cattle included:— Steers: I. C. Stanbury (Little River), 9 at $155 to $176; C. E. Grigg (Hickory Bay), 12 at $l3B to $150; J. G. and L. H. Scott (Oxford), 10 at $137 to $155; T. J. Sullivan (Cashmere), 13 at $155 to $182; W. H. Foster (Omihi), 20 at !$l5O to $166; Spurtleton Downs ■(Omihi), 10 at $l3O to $144; R. J. Wright (Dunsandel), 4 at $192 to $221; K. D. and H. Thacker (Okalns Bay), 3 at $156 to $170; A. B. Partridge (Christchurch), 9 at $146 to $157. Heifers: K. D. and H. Thacker (Okains Bay), 6 at $116; P. R. Blunden (Port Levy), 11 at $ll2 to $130; Weldon Downs Partnership (Amberley), 6 at $95; A. K. Burrows (Omihi), 22 at $BO to $94; J. R. Stanbury (Little River), 10 at $110; Tokanui Farm (Purau), 4 at $110; Muller Station (Awatere), 16 at $l2l to $125; Mount Torlesse Station (Springfield), 4 at $lO4 to $ll6. Cows: Muller Station (Awa-

tere), 8 at $9l; C. T. White (Cheviot), 23 at $B3 to $95; J. McGuire, sen (Sefton), 7 at $96 to $l3l.

Store cattle There was no sale for store cattie; however, on Monday Dalgety’s held its annual special sale of steers, which drew a yarding of 623 head. In the drought conditions prevailing in most districts, the sale was surprisingly good, 18 and 20month old steers being $5 to $7 ahead of the previous week’s rates. As well as inquiry from local fatteners, competition came from the West Coast, and butchers took some of the top pens. Sales included:— T. and J. Barrett (Lewis Pass), 45 adult Herefords at SlOl to $131; J. G. Laidlaw (Oaro), 38 adult Angus and Angus cross at $9O to $116; A. F. S. and W. 11. Rutherford (Montrose), 93 20-month-old Hereford and Anguscross at $95 to $111; Gartmore Partnership (Hanmer Springs), 72 20-month-old Herefords at $65 to $93; I. A. Humm (Waikuku), 375 20-month-old Hereford, Anguscross and Shorthorn cross at $6B to $133. Vealers Vealers had a very poor sale. This was partly because the yarding at 225 head was well above the requirements, and partly because of the sudden loss of interest when killing at export works stopped. On estimated dressed weight, much of the veal fetched about 40c a kg and often much less. This represented a drop of $8 to $lO a head. Only the best vealers reached $9O, and few sales exceeded $7O. Average veal sold at $5O to $65. Fat pigs Light porkers had their weakest sale for several weeks. The rest of the yarding held to recent rates, better quality baconers meeting the best competition. The yarding was of medium size, and quality was reasonably good. A large yarding of choppers again had a firm Inquiry. Values: Light porkers, $35 to $39. Heavy porkers, $4O to $45. Light and medium baconers, $46 to $54. Heavy baconers, $55 to $6l, with odd sales to $65. Choppers, good, $5O to $63. Other choppers, $l5 to $3O. Store pigs Store pigs had a very slow sale. Quality over-all was mediocre. very few good quality pigs being on hand. The market was very similar to last week’s, only better quality pigs drawing good competition. Buying Inquiry came mainly from local fatteners, although at one stage useful competition came from Banks Peninsula.

Breeding stock again met nominal inquiry, and passings were frequent. Values:— Small weaners, $5 to $B. Good weaners, $9 to $l2. Slips, $l3 to $lB. Small stores, $lB to $24. Large stores, $26 to $3l, with odd sales to $35.50,