LIVE STOCK SALES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 85, 4 January 1940, Page 3

LIVE STOCK SALES

Small Yarding At Addington SOME SHEEP CLASSES IMPROVE. By Telegraph—Press association. CHRISTCHURCH. January 3. The small yardings in most of the sections were a feature of today's Addington stock market. A slight improvement in the fat lamb and fat sheep classes was evident. The very short cattle entry was ample for the requirements, the demand weakening as the sale went on. The fat sheep entry was one of the smallest ou record—approximately 3000 head —but it also was ample for the requirements. the market being affected by the hot weather and the absence of people on holiday. The market opened briskly and good ewes and wethers showed a decided improvement, being better by 1/to 1/6 on the rates of a fortnight ago. There was some buying of light ewes at up to 13/- a head, the sale concluding firmly for a truck of 74 wethers from Orari which averaged 31/9. Prime heavy wethers made from 30/- to 32/-, medium to 29/6, light to 20/-; prime heavy ewes to 27/6. medium to 23/6, light to 14/-. Only 600 fat lambs were forward as compared with 3000 forward at the double market of a fortnight ago. The sale was keen and freezing works buyers were active, paying more than schedule rates for grade lambs and buying freely. The trade paid BJd. and more for light and medium prime sorts, and prices were helped by the short entry. About 1500 head of store sheep were on offer. These comprised only lambs, and they met with good competition. One two-truck lot sold at 17/- and another big line at 16/3. Medium sorts brought 13/2 to 14/5 and cull lambs to 11/-. Medium two-tooth wethers made to 14/-. Four hundred and thirty-two fat cattle were yarded. The market opened at the last sale's rates, but the demand weakened. On the average heavy steers were down by 20/- a head and medium and mediocre cows by a good 15/- a head. Mediumweight prime steers and heifers also receded, by about 10/- a head. The sale concluded soundly. Prime heavy steers made from £l5 to £l7. medium to £l5/15/- and light steers to £9/5/-; prime heifers from £lO to £l2, medium to £'J 10/-, light to £8; prime cows to £lO/5/-, light to £6/15/-. A very small entry of porkers was forward at the.opening of the fat pig section. and prices rose 3/- to 4/-. Later entries, however, brought prices back to a little better than export parity. Choppers met with a keen sale, and the sale was also good for bacouers. Choppers made from £3/1/6 to £6/1/-: heavy porkers from £2/9/6 to £2/14/6; light baconers to £3/8/6. heavy to £4/7/6. The average price a ]b. for porkers was 6’d. to 7-ld. and for baconers 6Jd. to 6?d.

Store Sheep Of Chief Interest At Stortford Lodge Dominion Special Service. HASTINGS, January 3. The chief interest in the first sale of the 1940 season at Stortford Lodge today centred in the store sheep section, which included the first big entry of rape lambs. The whole of the yarding of 9660 head met with a keen demand. Extra forward lines showed a little change on the values at the last sale before the holidays, but medium sorts were up to 1/- a head higher. The yarding included some outstanding Romney lines in excellent order which realized the top price of 20/7. Forward lines which had not been drafted or which were subject to early picking ranged from 18/6 to 19/3, with extra good lots making more than 20/-. Good medium sorts ready for putting on to rape brought from 15/(1 to 17/-. and small grown but hardy lots from 13/6 to 14/6. The first offering of the season was made of shorn lambs, which brought 16/1, this price equalling 18/6 in the wool. Forward Lown cross lambs, which were in short supply, brought to 19/3. The market for wethers was not up to the expectations of vendors. Good four-tooths ranged from .18/9 to 19/8, and early shorn two-tooths to J 6/9. Little interest was shown for fat sheep, where the yarding was small. Ewes were as much as 1/6 a head cheaper. A few lambs were penned, though quality generally was not well featured. The wethers on offer were poorly finished and were elow to trade. The top pens of the ewes, which were a very mixed lot, brought from 17/- to 17/9, medium pens 15/- to 16/-, prime Down cross sorts 18/-, and prime finished two-tooth Down cross ewes 20/-. The lambs were only average sorts to make from 18/- to 21/-. The best of the wethers, which were light, brought from 21/- to 22/-. and lighter pens ranged from 18/- to 20/-. Though the small yarding of 148 head of cattle was equal to the demand, little change was shown in values and the market was inclined to drag. The earlier part of the sale was confined chiefly to the offering of light yonng bullocks, which were in good order for the summer trade. Prices ranged from £lO to £ll/12/6, to average about 30/- a 1001 b., for pens showing finish. The female beef sold practically on a par with the rates ruling before the holidays. The female entries consisted largely of heifers, with very few cows on offer. The entries were chiefly medium sorts, selling at from £7/10/- to £S. to average from 28/- to 30/- a 1001 b. One heavier entry made the top priee of the day at £lO/2/6. Quality- was uniform throughout.

Firm Values For Beef At Westfield Auction

By Telegraph- Pres- Association AUCKLAND, January 3. Values for beef were firm at the first sale, of the year at the Westfield stock market today. Competition was steady for the yarding. which was about the same as at the last sale. _ Extra heavy prime steers made £l4 to £l5/5/-, heavy £l3 to £l3/15/-, medium £l2 to £l2 15/-, light and unfinished £6/10/- to £ll 10/-; extra heavy prime cows and heifers, £0 to £lO/10/-_. heavy £8 to £8 15/-, medium £7 to £7/17/6, light an! ■unfinished £3/15/- to £6/15/-. Extra choice ox beef made 37/- a 1601 b., choice and prime 34/- to 36/-, prime cow and heifer 33/- to 35/-, secondary and plain 26/- to 32/-. Prices eased to lower lends than before aflei a good start in the sale of a full average veal entry. Runners made £3/5/- to £B/17/6; heavy vealers, £4 to £5/17/-, medium £3/10/- to £4 17/-, light £3 to £3/15/-. small £2 lo £2 ■l-8/-. smaller £l/15/- to £2/2/-. bobby and rough 5/- to 32/-. Values for pigs showed an improving trend on the ia.-t sale. Choppers made 50/- to 79/-; heavy baconers, 79/- to ■B6/-, medium 73/- to 78/-. light 66/- to 72/-; heavy porkers. 60/ to 65/-, medium 52/- to 57/-, light 47/- to 52/-; stores. 30/- to 34/-; slips, 24/- to 31/-; weaners. 10/- to 24/-. Baconers averaged 6d. to 6Jd. a lb., and porkers 6id. to Ewe mutton showed an easing tendency, though wethers were steady in the sheep sale. Extra heavy prime wethers imide 26/- to 27/9. heavy 25/- to 26/9. medium 23/- to 24/9. light 20/- to 22/9. unfinished 16/- to 19/9; extra heavy prime ewes. IS/- to 20/-. heavy 16/6 to 17/6, medium 15/- to 16/3. light 10/- to 13/6. unfinished 5/- to 9/-. Lambs, which were forward in average numbers' were easier by 2/- a head. Prime sorts made 16 z - to 2'5/-. and others 10/- to 15/-.