Yarding small, prices steady

Press, 19 February 1986, Page 32

Yarding small, prices steady

The strike by shift engineers which had closed most export freezing works disrupted Addington market yesterday for the second successive week. Small numbers of prime stock were yarded because of the lack of buying power from freezing companies. Sufficient sheep and lambs were offered to meet the demand from local butchers and a very small yarding of prime cattle sold strongly. Both prime and store pigs had improved sales. Prime lambs The yarding of 561 prime lambs was slightly more than half last week’s total offering. Local butchers competed reasonably freely fbr heavy lambs suitable for the retail trade, but light lambs normally bought by processing companies were virtually unwanted. Good lambs regularly made between $l9 and $24, and several heavy lambs reached $26 to $2B. Woolly lambs from J. G. E. Pascoe, Aylesbury, sold to $2B and shorn lambs from G. J. Mason, Springston, made to $24.80. Values were:—• Heavy lambs, to $24.80, with some sales to $2B. Medium lambs, $l6 to $lB. Light lambs, $l3. to $l4. Sales included:— J. and K. Polson (Hickory Bay), 32 at $l5 to $19.80; J. D. R. White (Little River), 12 at $2O to $23.60; G. L. Giles (Rangiora). 12 at $19.20 to $20.20; E. J. Ridgen (Greendale), 26 at

$16.20 to $23; Mrs E. R. Courage (Amberley) 13 at $l6 to $18.20; Miss J. K. Fleming (Amberley), 10 at $17.80 to $23; R. J. Crossan (Dunsandel), 23 at $20.80 to $23; A. B. Smith (Waiau), 53 at $l4 to $19.40; J. G. E. Pascoe (Aylesbury), 70 at $2O to $2B; I. J. Maw (Broadfield), 15 at $15.40 to $21.60; G. J. Mason (Springston), 40 shorn at $l5 to $24.80; R. J. Parkin (Lakeside), 68 shorn at $13.60 to $19.80; D. W. Wright (Duvauchelle), 30 at $l4 to $21.80; Mrs L. A. Cairns (Rakala), 17 at $20.40 to $27.60. Prime sheep As in the prime lamb market, the yarding of prime sheep was sufficient to fill the needs of the local market without any big alteration in price. The yarding was 1065 compared with 1200 last week. Most ewes sold between $6 and $8 and better quality sheep, and those carrying better pelts, reached $9.60. Hogget prices generally were steady at $lB to $2O for the better cutting sheep. A line of nine hoggets from R. J. Crossen, Dunsandel, sold from $22.20 to $22.80. Values were:— Best old ewes, to $9.60. Medium old ewes, $5.60 to $7. Light old ewes, $3 to $5. Best hoggets, to $22.80. Good hoggets, $lB to $2O. Sales included:— Old ewes: J. G. E. Pascoe (Aylesbury), 24 at $5.40 to $8.80: W. E.

Tulley (Hororata), 52 at $7.80 to $9; D. W. Wright (Duvauchelle), 36 at $5.80 to $7.80; Estate C. B. Thacker (Okalns Bay), 139 at $5.40 to $9.60; R. J. Thomson (Greta Valley), 85 at $5.20 to $8.40; Dalray Farm (Amberley), 19 at $5.60 to $6.20; D. J. Davis (Oxford), 67 at $5.60 to $7.80; W. M. Breach (Rangiora), 95 at $4 to $B.BO. Prime cattle The prime cattle offering was only 67 head, the smallest yarding for many months. The small offering resulted in prices strengthening slightly as butchers bid keenly for beef suitable for the local trade. However, the small yarding tended to create a false market which could easily have been overloaded if too many cattle were offered. Hereford steers from M. P. Smith, Hanmer Springs, reached $B7O, a heifer from E. W. Coop and Son, Port Levy, made $5lO, and Kaituna Holdings, Kaituna, sold a cow at $5OO. Prime steers and heifers to 220 kg sold between 210 c and 222 c a kilogram; from 220 kg to 270 kg, 210 c and 222 c; and over 270 kg, to 220 c. Values were:— Prime heavy steers, to $B7O. Prime medium steers, $620 to $720. Prime light steers, $540 to $6OO. Prime medium heifers, $460 to $5lO. Prime heavy cows, to $5OO.

Prime medium cows, $420 to $470. Sales included:— Steers: M. P. Smith (Hanmer Springs), 8 at $768 to $870; T. D. Barwick (Little River), 4 at $660; D. R. Shipley (Harewood), 18 at $570 to $668. Heifers; E. W. Coop and Son (Port Levy), 6 at $462 to $5lO. Cows: Cora Lynn station (Cass), 3 at $402 to $440; T. D. Barwick (Little River), 2 at $406 and $442; Kaituna Holdings (Kaituna), 4 at $452 to $5OO. Bobby calves A yarding of more than 100 bobby calves attracted a big gallery of buyers. Most Friesian bulls sold between $B6 and $136, Friesian heifers $6O to $B2, beef-cross bulls $lO4 to $132, and beef-cross heifers $B6 to $llO. Dairy cows An attractive springing Friesian heifer sold at $6OO in the dairy cow section. A Friesian heifer with calf at foot made $515, an in-calf Friesian heifer $475, and an in-calf Jersey made $330. Store cattle Included in a very small selection of store cattle were a pen of 16-month Friesian bulls which sold at $350, and a pen of Angus bull calves at $268.

The next special sale of store cattle at ‘Addington will

be on Wednesday, February 26. Prime pigs A medium-size yarding of prime pigs had a sound sale. Good quality baconers were $5 to $8 dearer than recent rates and there was a shortage of heavy porkers. A big yarding of choppers attracted selective bidding from buyers. Only the best cutting pigs maintained recent values and overfats were not wanted. Values were:— Light pork, $7O to $BO. Medium to heavy pork, $B5 to $lOO. Medium bacon, $llO to $125. Heavy bacon, to $135. Light choppers, $BO to $lOO. Heavy choppers, to $l3O. Store pigs The biggest gallery of buyers for several weeks attended the store pig sale. Weaners and stores were $5 to $6 dearer than last week’s prices and few weaners sold for less than $25. A big proportion of the yarding sold between $35 and $45, and large store pigs were in steady demand at up to $6O. Values were:— Small weaners, $2O to $25. Good weaners, $27 to $37. Slips and small stores, $4O to $5O. Large" stores, to $6O.