Small yardings result in price increases

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 28

Small yardings result in price increases

Small yardings of prime sheep, lambs and cattle led to a boost in prices at the Addington market yesterday. Good-cutting lambs and old ewes suitable for the butcher trade were up to $2 5 head dearer than last week and the beef market was very strong. One of the main reasons for the short yardings was the possibility of a strike by freezing company tradesmen which would have shut down fpeezing works from yesterday. As a result many farmers had elected not to send prime stock to Addington a ad, although the strike was averted late on Monday, it was too late for farmers to change their minds. Prime lambs Good quality butchers’ lambs improved in price by about $2 a head and light lambs were about $ll dearer than last week’s. I The small yarding ! of 760 lambs (compared with 1150 last week) ensured strong competition between buyers. Many pens of heavy lambs suitable for the local trade topped $3O. The top price was $37.20 for lambs from Burrows Brothers, Baisweil. Quality was generally good, although too many overfat lambs were offered. Values were:— Heavy lambs, to $35, with the odd sales to $37.20. Medium lambs, $25 to $27.20. Light lambs, $2l to $24. Sales included:— J. M. Phipps (Christchurch), 30 at $25.20 to $2B; MJ Harper (Lees Valley), 15 at $25 to $2B; Burrows Brothers (Halswell), 23 at $34.40 to $37.20; R. Dakin (Christchurch), 16 at $24.40 to $27.60; J. K. Morrish (Springston), 18 at $24.80 to $26.60; V. T. Winter (Irwell), 35 at $31.20 to $35.20; A. G. Winter (Irwell), 47 at $3O to $36.60; B. A. and J. A. Hutton (Greymouth), 94 at $24 to $30.80; I. R. Ridgen (Darfield), 63 at $25.80 to $3O; G. R. and K. W. Wilson (West Mel-

ton), 59 at $24.40 to $25.60; M. B. Carpenter (Weedons), 22 at $24.80 to $27.20; R. H. Foster (Rakaia), 32 at $24.40 to $2B. Prime sheep The buoyant tone of the prime lamb market flowed over into the prime sheep section where good-cutting old ewes and hoggets sold strongly. Outside competition added to the demand for old ewes which were up to $2 a head dearer than last week’s values. Many sales of medium-wooiled ewes were between $2O and $23. A pleasing feature for vendors was the improvement in the hogget market which has been at a low ebb. Prices were at least $1 better than recent sales, with several making $26 to $29. The prime sheep yarding was 1100, compared with 1400 last week. Values were:— Best hoggets, to $29. Medium hoggets, $23 to $25.60. Best old ewes, to $l9, with woolly ewes to $23. Medium old ewes, $15.40 to $l7. Light old ewes, $l3 to $l5. Sales included:— Old ewes: P. J. Cropp and Son (Cheviot), 39 at $2O to $20.80; D. W. and I. D. Syme (Darfield), 20 at $20.60; R. W. Fleming (Amberley), 13 at $16.40 to $17.20; Mrs B. Hudson (Ladbrooks), 13 at $15.20 to $18.80; S. G. and J. R. Mora (Tai Tapu), 108 shorn at $16.80 to $17.60; R. W. Smitheram (Kotuku), 90 at $l6 to $2O; B. A. and J. A. Hutton (Greymouth), 122 woolly at $17.20 to $22.20; Percival Farm (Hanmer Springs), 92 woolly at $2l to $23.20; N. G. Dailey (Oxford), 15 at $16.40 to $20.20; H. C. Vanstone (Little River), 22 at $17.60 to $20.60; E. W. Coop (Glenroy), 26 at $19.40 to $22; H. H. Lawrence (Christchurch), 72 at $19.80 to $20.60; R. W. Trott (Rakaia), 42 at $l7 to

$22.20; Golden Acre Farm (Dunsandel), 32 at $18.20.

Hoggets: R. H. Wolmsley (Waiau), 37 at $20.60 to $24.80; J. L. and S. J. Doak (Omihi), 19 at $18.40 to $24; A. G. Dunlop (Burnham), 35 at $24.40 to $28.60; J. R. and S. G. Mora (Tai Tapu), 17 at $25.60 to $28.80; E. W. Coop (Glenrov), 26 at $24.60 to $29. Prime cattle A small sale of prime cattle was dominated by a Christchurch wholesaler and retailer who bought a big percentage of the yarding of steers and heifers. Competition was keen between buyers for butcherquality cattle and prices moved up to 250 c a kilogram. The quality of stock was good, but there was a shortage of heavy steers. The yarding totalled 181 compared with 262 last week. The top price was $BOO for a Shorthorn-Angus cross steer from J. J. Lochhead, Omihi. An Angus heifer from P. J. Gardner, Scargill, made $7lO, and an Angus cow from the same vendor sold at $650. Prime steers and heifers to 220 kg sold between 240 c and 245 c a kilogram; from 220 kg to 270 kg, 240 c and 245 c; and over 270 kg, to 250 c. Values were:— Prime heavy steers, to $BOO. Prime medium steers, $6lO to $7OO. Prime light steers, $5OO to $590. Prime heavy heifers, to $7lO. Prime medium heifers, $506 to $570. Prime light heifers, $420 to $5OO. Prime heavy cows, to $650. Prime medium cows, $460 to $548. Prime light cows, $390 to $450. Sales included:— Steers: J. J. Lochhead (Omihi), 6 at $7BO to $800; Mrs I. H. Robins (Scargill), 3 at $630 to $660; R. Dymand (Springbank), 5 at $522 to $700; Inniskillen Partnership (Culverden), 5 at

$544; G. Mugford (Ladbrooks), 3 at $594 to $620; D. R. Shipley (Harewood), 10 at $582 to $650; Mrs R. M. Rice (Springbank), 1 at $5BO. Heifers: A. J. Davison (Culverden), 1 at $610; P. J. Gardner (Scargill), 6 at $662 to $710; Mrs I. H. Robins (Scargill), 6 at $5lO to $662; A. C. Hassall (Hawarden), 3 at $492; Mrs R. M. Rice (Springbank), 2 at $5OO and $598; Watson Brothers (Halkett), 7 at $458 to $500; P. J. Sheate (Ashburton), 4 at $470 to $580; J. W. Matthews (Rangiora), 10 at $4OO to $5lO. Cows: P. J. Gardner (Scargill), 6 at $568 to $650; A. J. Davison (Culverden), 5 at $514; D. Marley (Greenpark), 2 at $5BB and $622; A. R. Fieken (Greenpark), 6 at $522; W. Murphy (Halswell), 1 at $500; R. M. Manson (McQueens Valley), 4 at $468 to $550; R. R. Anderson (Ethelton), 1 at $648; M. Lancaster (Springston), 5 at $420 to $500; Armstrong, Brothers (Kaiapoi), 2 at $440 and $5OO. Dairy cows In the dairy sale, three Friesian heifers with calves at foot sold from $535 to $705. Bobby ealves/c A small yarding of about 60 bobby calves had another steady sale. Most Friesian bull calves made $72 to $lO2, Friesian heifers $72 to $92, beef cross bulls $92 to $136, and beef cross heifers $B2 to $94. Store cattle Farmers from Mid-Canter-bury, the West Coast and local districts, particularly Banks Peninsula, contributed to a steady demand for store cattle. Adult cattle continued to sell well, as they have done for several weeks. There was a good selection of adults for buyers to choose from. A line of mixed-age in-calf cows made to $470 and several other cows which have been running with a bull sold between $320 and $350.

Twenty-month-old Simmen-

tal bulls reached $616 and similar-aged Hereford steers made $558 and Charolais steers $556.

Prices for tussock calves were steady, a line of Hereford and Hereford-Angus cross steers from Mount Somers making $306, and Hereford cross from Craigieburn reaching $322. Big Simmental steer calves sold to $404.

The store cattle yarding was 660. Sales included:— Adults: E. W. Turrell (Kaituna), 11 2Vz and 3ti-year Simmental steers at $6lB, and 6 20-month Simmental bulls at $616; Kinloch Farm (Little River), 12 mixed-age in-calf cows at $470; M. A. and A. I. Reed (Ashburton), 7 Hereford cross steers at $564, and 10 heifers at $418; R. Dymand (Springbank), 6 20-month Charolais steers at $556, 20 Murray Greys at $490 to $5OB, 35 Angus at $428 to $540, and 9 Hereford at $530 to $558; R. Flintoft (Rotherham), 12 20month steers at $428 to $434, and 14 heifers at $358 to $400; A. D. Trott (Rakaia), 61 20month Hereford-Shorthorn cross steers at $484 to $540; A. L. and K. A. Fraser (Pigeon Bay), 31 18-month Hereford heifers at $372 to $402. Calves: Estate R. A. Burnett (Mount Somers), 46 Hereford and Hereford-Angus cross steers at $304 to $306, and 57 heifers at $226 to $258; F. and L. Westenra (Craigieburn), 25 Hereford cross steers at $290 to $322, and 18 heifers at $240; Coleridge Downs (Lake Coleridge), 24 Hereford steers at $244, and 71 heifers at $194 to $252; Peak Hill Partnership (Lake Coleridge), 16 Simmental steers at $370 to $404, and 15 heifers at $322 to $340; R. Flintoft (Rotherham), 9 Angus and Angus cross steers at $2BB, 12 heifers at $240, and 5 Hereford heifers at $240. Store sheep All types of store lambs, even poor, small stock, were in

very strong demand. Several pen’s of small to medium lambs sold keenly between $l5 and $l7 and better iambs were $lB to $22.

A line of 90 Romney ewe lambs from I. C. Stanbury. Little River, sold from $25.40 to $26. Prime pigs Retail buyers were unable to cope with a big yarding of prime pigs and prices droppped $lO to $l2 from last week’s level. The sale attracted no outside competition. Heavy baconers had a particularly difficult sale. Choppers were also hard to clear and few sold for more than $l2O. Values were:— Light pork. $75 to $B5.

Medium to heavy pork, $B7 to $95. Light to medium bacon. $9/ to $lOB. Heavy bacon, to $135. Light choppers. $9O to $lO5. Heavy choppers, to $135. Store pigs Prices for store pigs were similar to last week’s. Quality was mixed and buyers were very selective. Good quality pigs had a sound sale with better quality weaners reaching $4O. Few large stores were offered but these did not sell as readily as in recent markets. Values were:— Small weaners, $22 to $3O. Good weaners, $33 to $4O. Slips and small stores, $43 to $5O. Large stores, to $65.