LIVESTOCK MARKETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 16, 20 January 1938, Page 5

LIVESTOCK MARKETS

EFFECT OF DRY SPELL

PRICES GENERALLY DOWN

Mainly because of the dry spell, offerings at the livestock sales held in the Dominion this week have been in excess of the demand and prices, in the main, have shown an easing tendency.

'Heavy supplies of beef after the shortage of a week ago resulted in an easier tendency in the Westfleld market yesterday. Quotations remained unchanged, although mosx sales revealed lower worth than, at recent auctions. Firm values were general over the sheep section, with the exception of wethers, which receded about Is a head. Quality was consistently satisfactory in a large entry. The calf yarding was oversupplied. The early demand was slack and values depreciated as the sale progressed. In some cases prices were more than 7s a head easier. A full entry of pigs met with a steady demand, although there was an easing tendency in all but primest grades. There was a general easing in the cattle and sheep sections at the Burnside stock sale. The entry of fat cattle numbered 393, an increase of 70 over the,previous sale. Though the quality was fully up to standard, the demand was easier and the market opened to a general drop of 20s a head. JOHNSONVIIXE MARKET. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., and Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report that a small yarding of cattle and an average yarding of sheep came forward at the Johnsonville sale. The bullock pens consisted chiefly of medium weight and heavyweight bullocks, with a few pens of lightweight quality cattle. Extra heavy bullocks met with a good sale, with prices firm on last week's, while lightweight andmedium weight cattle showed an easing tendency. Owing to a shortage of railway trucks no cows and heifers came forward. Owing to the inferior quality of runners and vealers, these met with little demand, with .prices easier to the extent of 5s per head on last week's. The yarding of wethers was of good quality. Extra prime heavy wethers met with keen competition, with prices showing no alteration, while prune medium-weight sheep were slightly firmer. Extra prime quality hoggets sold readily. There was little demand for extra heavy ewes, while medium weight and lightweight sheep met with a good sale with prices slightly above those ruling for export. The yarding of lambs was of indifferent quality. Only a few pens of 'fine quality lambs came forward, the balance of the yarding consisting of lightweight and unfinished sorts, with a few pens of lambs just on the border of being killable. These quality lambs met with a ready sale at prices Is to Is 6d above those ruling for export, while lower grade lambs were hard to sell even at prices not above those ruling for store. Quotations: —Prime extra heavy bullocks, £15 to £14 8s 6d; prime heavy bullocks, £14 5s to' £13 18s; heavy bullocks, £14 15s to £13 ss; light and unfinished bullocks, £13 to £11 18s; runners, £3 Is to £2; vealers, £2 to £1 7s 6d; prime extra heavy wethers, 28s to 26s 9d; prime heavy wethers, 27s to 26s 3d; medium wethers, 25s lOd to 255; prime extra heavy ewes, 20s 7d to 19s 3d; prime heavy ewes, 19s to 18s Id; medium ewes, 17s to 15s; heavy hoggets, 26s 6d to 245; light hoggets, 23s 6d to 22s Id; heavy spring lambs, 26s to 23s 10d; spring lambs, 23s 6d to 20s; light lambs, £1 to 18s 6d; light and unfinished, 17s to 15s lOd. WAIRARAPA VALUES. The New Zealand Loan and Mer-. cantile Agency Co. offered a fair yarding of sheep, cattle, and horses at the Masterton sale. Fat sheep remained at late rates, and good b.f. rape lambs were in keen demand and sold at prices well' in advance of last week's, sale. In this section Mr. F. Bird, Tinui, topped the market with a fine line oi fat and forward lambs at ■■ 20s; 4d. Wethers and w.f. lambs were considerably easier than last sale, but venders were anxious to meet the market, and there was a total'clearance at.auction. The hacks offered met with a fair sale. . . . . Quotations:— Fat Sheep: Fat wethers, 25s to 265; light, 235; fat lambs, 21s; fat ewes, 18s; light, 14s Id. Store sheep: Twotooth wethers, 19s 6d to 20s 3d; s.m. ewes, 14s; good b.f. lambs, 20s 4d; others, 16s 6d to 18s; small, 8s to 11s; good woolly wether lambs, 15s to 15s 9d; medium, 10s to 11s 6d; small, 6s to 7s 6d; good ewe lambs 19s. 3d. Horses: Good young hacks, £15 to £18; others, £6 10s to £10; four-year pony, £5. Cattle: Store cows, ex dairy, £2 10s to £3 14s; vealers, £3 ss; cows and calves, £4 ss. ' The New Zealand Farm .rs' Co-op. Distributing Co. had good entries of fat and store sheep and a small yarding of cattle. Fat sheep sold at prices about on a par with those ruling last week. Good rape lambs met with keen competition, while store wethers were easier by about 2s per head. Quotations: — Sheep: Fat wethers, 21s to 235; fat ewes, 14s 6d to 17s; fat lambs, 225; four-tooth wethers, 22s 6d; two-tooth wethers, 18s 3d to 19s 6d; b.f. lambs, 17s 6d to 18s sd; others, 12s 6d to 155, ; cull b.f. lambs, 7s to 11s 4d; rape ewes, 7s to 13s. Cattle: Empty cows, £3; Jersey vealers, £1 15s. Pigs: Weaner pigs, 10s to 12s; small, 3s to ss; slips, 235; aged sows, 20s. Wright, Stephenson's submitted a big offering. Several outside buyers were present, but were very cautious. Good lambs met with strong competition and prices for this class were higher than expectations. Medium and cull lambs met with a very limited demand, and prices were decidedly low. The long spell of dry weather is seriously affecting the market for the smaller lambs. Store wethers met a weak market and looked good buying. Quotations: — Sheep: B.F. rape lambs, good, to 20s; b.f. rape- lambs, 16s to 18s 3d; medium b.f. lambs, 14s 3d to 15s 6d; wooly ewe lambs, to 18s lOd; small, to 14s; small b.f. lambs, 10s to 12s 9d; cull b.f. lambs, 5s 5d to 6s 9d; woolly wether lambs, to 16s 6d; shorn wether lambs, to 16s. Cattle: Fat dairy cows, to £5; Jersey heifer calf, to 21s. Dalgety's entry, which consisted of sheep, came forward slightly in excess of advertised numbers. A large number of two-tooth wethers were yarded and, with the exception of one very forward-conditioned pen, showed a decided decline in prices, in some cases; as much as Is 6d a head. Good woolly b.f. wether lambs were hard of sale. However, the market for good b.f. lambs was good, lambs with condition again being in favour, and in this section prices improved from Is to Is 6d a head. PRICES AT PAHIATUA. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency submitted a yarding of 3077 lambs of all classes at the Pahiatua sale on Tuesday. Included were several pens of very attractive lambs, for which there was good competition, and prices, in view of the prevailing conditions, "were up to venders' expectations. Quotations: — Best shorn w.f.w. lambs, account W. Mitchell, 16s 4d; account George Estate, 15s 9d; account J. Stewart, 15s 2d; account Checkley Estate, 14s sd; account R. K. Bamford, 15s; medium shorn w.f.w. lambs, account Mrs. Checkley, 13s 4d; account Balfour Estate, 13s 3d; b.f. lambs, best, account T. H. Verry, 17s; account E. Chisnall, 15s 3d; account J. Bambry, 16s 6d; ewe lambs, good, account R. H. Hughes, 25s 6d; account A:. Davidson, jun., 25s 3d; account Balfour Estate, shorn, 21s 3d; medium woolly, 21s Id; account estate T. Checkley, 17s 7d; account H. H. Godfrey, 17s; medium shorn, account E. R. Winkler, 16s 6d; cull woolly ewe lambs, 12s 7d;; cull m.s. shorn lambs, mostly wethers, 7s 9d to lls Id; cull woolly wether lambs. 9s Id to 9s 3d; fat wethers, 255.