Demand down for light lambs

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 23

Demand down for light lambs

A drop in the export schedules for prime lamb and sheep during the week-end was reflected in an uneasy Addington market yesterday.

The demand for medium to lightweight lambs plunged. Over-all prices for prime lambs declined between SI and S2 and by $2 for prime sheep.

A medium sized yarding of mixed quality prime cattle did not stir a lot of interest but over-all prices wavered only marginally and the prices a kilogram for steer and heavy beef remained on par with last week. A large proportion of yesterday’s prime pigs was not suitable for the retail trade and tended to depress the market. Prime lambs The market continued to slip this week with only the heavy butcher’s lambs attracting competitive bidding. Their premium prices were back, however, by several dollars on last week. The light end of the lamb market was poor and many of the mixed quality lambs went for discounted prices with few making more than $l7 compared with $2l last week. Yarding figures strengthened at 1533 compared with ■ 1411 last week. Values were:— Heavy lambs, to $25, with some sales up to $2B. Medium lambs, $l7 to $2O. Light lambs, $l4 to $l7.

Sales included: — Dalray Farm (Amberley), 46 at $17.20 to $21.80; J. R. Spiers (Springston), 24 at $17.80 to $20.80; G. Baxter (Marshland), 7 at $23.80 to $24.80; Houston Farms, Ltd (Oxford), 28 at $21.80 to $25; W. Allan Gray (Teddington). 57 at $22.40 to $2B; Teevale Farm (Hororata), 87 at $l7 to $26; Newton Brothers (Little River), 46 at $l9 to $24; C. Light (Kaiapoi), 54 at $14.80 to $2l; C. B. Stanbury (Little River), 24 at $16.40 to $2O; D. A. Philpott (Okuku), 68 at $17.40 to $20.80; J. R. Westley (Rangiora), 36 at $l4 to $20.60; Paparoa Prison (Paparoa), 30 at $lB.BO to $2l; A. Prendergast (Templeton), 26 at $l7 to $21.40; M. Bradley (Leeston), 47 at $17.80 to $21.40. Prime sheep Once again the quality twotooth ewes caught buyers’ attention but the good yarding of lambs brought the average prices of most twotooths back by almost $2. The top prices of two-tooths remained on a par with last week. A small pen of early shorn Corriedales from Waipara made the top price of $25.80 The yarding of 1985 was an improvement of 385 on last week but still not up to the 2000 head market of recent weeks. Values were:— Best ewes, to $l4, with one sale up to $16.80. Medium ewes, to $ll. Light ewes, between $6 and $B.

Best two-tooths, to $25.80. Medium two-tooths, $lB to $21.50. Sales included: —

Two-tooths: Lincoln College cropping farm (Lincoln), 32 at $21.40 to $24.60; Lancorp’s Tiromoana Farm (Waipara), 13 at $2O to $25.80; K. Stackhouse (Omihi), 10 at $17.40 to $22.20; J. R. Wilson Partnership (Hanmer Springs), 72 at $19.60 to $22. Old ewes: View Hill (Oxford), 35 at $16.80; Cleardale Stud (Oxford), 81 at $8.20 to $13.60; D. A. and N. J. Adams (Lincoln), 51 at $12.20 to $13.20; Estate of G. A. Arres (Waikari), 139 at $ll to $l3; Giggs Crossing Farm (Christchurch), 102 at $lO to $12.80; Harland Partnership (Parnassus), 167 at $ll to $l3; M. A. Rutherford (Cheviot), 118 at $ll to $12.40; D. R. Shipley (Harewood), 48 at $l3 to $13.80; J. Westley (Rangiora), 103 at $9 to $l2. Prime cattle Apart from a smaller yarding of over-fat heifers the market for prime cattle was virtually unchanged from last week. Although the average price for heavy steers slipped marginally, lightweight steer prices improved slightly. The yarding figure of 326 was back by 137 on the previous week. Prime steers to 220 kg sold between 190 c and 195 c a kilogram; from 220 kg to 270 kg and over, at 180 c to 185 c. Values were: — Prime heavy steers, $6BO to $720, with some sales to $790. Prime medium steers, $550 to $650. Prime light steers, $440 to $550.Prime heavy heifers, $450 to $520, with some sales to $584. Prime medium heifers,

$3BO to $420. Prime light heifers, $3OO to $360. Prime heavy cows, $430 to $460, with one sale to $472. Prime medium cows, $3BO to $420. Prime light cows, $3OO to $370. Sales included:— Steers: L. R. Wilkinson (Cheviot), 5 at $612 to $628; J. S. Dalgety (West Melton), 1 at $750; J. R. Stanbury (Little River), 10 at $630 to $650; A. W. Coffin (Little River), 6 at $560 to $632; D. R. Shipley (Harewood), 10 at $534 to $562; J. Plaskett (Fernside), 12 at $594 to $712; R. J. Totty (Methven), 6 at $522 to $526; Estate of A. J. Reece (Takamatua), 6 at $524 to $566; G. D. Stanbury (Little River), 12 at $634 to $668; R. J. Turpin (Little River), 8 at $532 to $548; R. H. Webb (Landsdowne Valley), 7 at $5lB to $640. Heifers: B. J. Donovan (Wainui), 17 at $450 to $500; Te Oka Farm, Ltd (Little River), 12 at $426 to $440; A. J. Thomas (Greenpark), 2 at $450; L. T. Brown (Greenpark), 1 at $584; A. W. McWhinney (Kaiapoi), 6 at $462; Inkson and Hardaker (Omihi), 6 at $414 to $418; A. W. Coffin (Little River), 4 at $352 to $410; P. L. and J. S. Winter (Coopers Creek), 5 at $352 to $404; J. Harris (Omihi), 2 at $334; Benmbre Graziers (Sheffield), 4 at $4OO to $428; N. Souness (Loburn), 10 at $250 to $316. Cows: Benmore Graziers (Sheffield), 4 at $404 to $458; T. G. Searle (Southbridge), 8 at $276 to $308; Shortlands Farm (Prebbleton), 17 at $3BB to $448; L. T. Brown (Greenpark), 1 at $472; J. S. Dalgety (West Melton), 6 at $434 to $438. Bobby calves

Virtually no demand was registered for the good yard-

ing of bobby calves but auctioneers expect the market to improve in four to six weeks. Prices peaked for beef cross bulls at $l4O but most fetched between $lOO and $l3O. Friesian bulls averaged between $BO and $lOO. Some sales of heifers reached $l2B but most, both beef cross and Friesian, sold between $5O and $9O. Prime pigs Good quality heavy baconers met with reasonable demand and sold up to $2OO but the medium sized yarding of the remaining mixed quality prime pigs was greeted with less enthusiasm. The small yarding of good quality choppers, however, sold very well and averaged between $l5 and $2O better than last week. The top boar sold at $350. Values were:—Light porkers, $B5 to $95. Medium to heavy pork, $lOO to $ll2. Light to medium bacon, $l2O to $135. Heavy bacon, up to $l6O. Light choppers, $l4O to $l7O. Heavy choppers, $lBO to $2OO. Store pigs Although the number of weaners was the smallest seen in three weeks the quality of both weaners and slips was generally excellent. Small weaners sold strongly regaining all of last week’s drop with the best selling at better than $5O. Some very good quality store pigs were yarded yesterday but the slips and small stores proved difficult to sell and few sold for more than $6O. Values were:— Small weaners, $35 tb $45. Good weaners, $47 to $53. Slips and small stores, $55 to $62. Large stores, to $75.