A YEAR AGO

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

A YEAR AGO

Markets Then Buoyant

At this time last year the markets for both fat and store stock were generally buoyant. On the East Coast, from M airarapa to Hawke’s Bay, feed was ve ry short and fats were consequently highprjged. On the West Coast, an excellent autumn growth had been largely “melted” by intensely cold June weather, following upon a very wet May. Pastures were sodden in all districts. Through late June values for mutton sheep had rapidly firmed. As usual at this season, there was little doing in store stalion cattle. Dairy sales were, howevej, doing an active turnover. Store sheep were selling keenly, and ewe hoggets in particular were moving up strong-, ly. Breeding ewes and wether hoggets were only slowly improving upon autumn’s closing prices.

Last year's values were:— Beef. — Best ox beef, 32/- 1001 b. This had only by the end of June attained chiller schedule worth. During May-June there had been a serious hold-up of chillers. owing to lack of shipping space. This had driven beef down to freezing values. Ex-dairy beef had moved up only slightly above autumn values. Light, killlable cows were making £3/17/6 to £4 10/-. and prime heavy £5 to £6. Mptton.— Good average wethers, 30/to '32/-. Tops at Feilding made 33/10. Wanganui was the cheapest mutton market and Stortford the dearest. At a latter sale, n line of supei two-toeths modi 37/-. x Eyes were generally worth 27/-, and a top pen at Feilding sold at 32/-. On that week Johnsonville hnd risen 2/-, to catch up with country sales. Store Sheep.—Fair good five-year ewes, j.w. S.D. rams, were worth 27/-. An outstaudipg line at Stortford made 30/-. Masterton showed the keenest demand of any centre.

At Fordell. an outstanding line of twotooth ewes, r.w. R.R., sold at 41/6, and 37/- was paid for fair good two-tooth ewes.

Good wether hoggets were making around 21/-. Good ewe hoggets about 27/- to 28/-. Demand was keen. Tara.naki was.aiding the Hawke’s Bay market, by substantial purchases of both eWes and hoggets. Dairy Stock.—Compared with June sales, those of early July appeared Jo be down by about 5/- to 7/0 a cow. Useful herds were averaging £B/8/-. At Mastertoil,, a well, above average herd was sold at £9/12/6 average. . A Shannon herd of fair type, but off rich land, sold at £7 overall. The early July offerings were not so attractive generally as (hose of June. By ?nd of July, however, values had jumped higher than ever and there was n good deal' of discussion as to causes. \ 1030 Comparisons. Compared with July, 1936, last winter’s values were:— ■ Breeding ewes, unchanged. IDwe hog-

gets, 4/-to 5/- up. Wether hoggets, same for average to poorer sorts, blit 2/dearer on the best lines. , Beef was up 1/- to 2/- 1001 b. Dairy herd values were up to the aforementioned £B/8/- average, from £6 to £6/5/- in 1936. Tliis in turn was up on the IJoO level, which was only £4/5/- -for good Quality herd averages.