LIVESTOCK MARKETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1940, Page 7

LIVESTOCK MARKETS

SATISFACTORY VALUES

SOME INCREASES YESTERDAY

A larger offering of first-class quality beef made the full rates under keen competition at the Westfield sale yesterday. A smaller yarding of good quality calves met with a keen demand and values improved slightly. ~A strong demand existed for a smaller pig offering, and all classes improved. A full sheep entry met with a steady demand and realised late rates. An average entry of lambs sold freely at full late rates.

At the Burnside sale a medium entry of fat cattle was forward. Four or five trucks of prime heavy bullocks were included. Prime bullocks sold firmly at the start, but as the sale progressed they eased from 15s to 20s a head. Cows and heifers were steady till the end of the sale. The bulk of the fat sheep entry consisted of medium grades. Competition was sound at the start, though values were down by Is to Is 6d a head, and there was a further drop of 2s before the end of the sale. Several pens of extra heavy lambs were forward. Full export prices were obtained, with butchers' sorts slightly dearer. Baconers were not in demand, and were easier by 3s to 4s. Porkers sold at late rates.

ADDINGTON PRICES FIRM.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, February 7. With the exception of fat cattle and store lambs, all classes of stock at the Addington market today were firm. There was an outstandingly, keen sale for fat lambs at well above schedule rates.

' The entry of store sheep was about the same as last week, at 3000 head, but there was an increase in the lambs penned to 15,000. The best price for lambs was about 20s, a few lines selling at near this figure. ' Medium lamb sorts made from 12s 6d to 16s, while culls were down to Bs.

Exporters dominated the market in the fat lamb sale, and values were the best for the season. Few pens sold «t less than 8 3-8 d a lb, and prices frequently exceeded 9d or 2s a head more than the schedule rate. The entry was 3000, compared with 2500 last week, but the supply was avfdly absorbed by exporters and the trade. The fat sheep entry was 5500, compared with 4750 last week. The quality was good, some excellent lines coming forward from the Peninsula. The yarding again included a fair proportion of station wethers of secondary quality, which were from Is to Is 6d a head down. There was little demand for them, but good sheep, both ewes and wethers, met a steady demand at fully last week's rates. Lighter ewes continued to meet a steady demand from exporters at up to about 16s. The top price for wethers was 36s 4d, and for ewes 27s lOd. Values were: Prime heavy wethers, 29s to 31s; ordinary, 21s to 255; light, to 20s 6d; prime heavy ewes, 23s 6d to 25s 6d; ordinary, 14s to 17s 6d; light, to 14s.

The yarding of fat cattle totalled 460, as against 375 last week. The quality of the offering was not up to the standard of last week, there being very few extra prime steers on offer. Values were: Prime heavy steers, £16 10s to £18; ordinary, £10 10s to £14; light, to £10; prime heifers, £10 10s to £11 15s; light, to £8-10s; prime cows, £8 10s to £10 10s; medium, £6.10s to £8 ss; light, to £6 ss.

There was a medium yarding of porkers, mostly of good quality, and the sale from the outset was keen, with values from 2s to 3s a head aboye those of last week. Choppers were in very limited supply, and values were up 10s to 15s a head.. Baconers were in better supply than they were- last week, but the sale was the best of the season. Values were: Choppers, £3 8s 6d to £6 18s 6d; light porkers, 39s 6d to 46s 6d; medium, 47s 6d to 51s 6d; heavy, 52s 6d to 56s 6d; average price a lb, 6£d to 7£d; light baconers, 58s 6d to £3 6s 6d; medium, £3 9s 6d to £3 14s 6d; heavy, £3 18s 6d to £4 6s 6d; extra heavy, £4 7s 6d to £4 14s 6d; average price a lb, 6£d to 7d.