ADDINGTON MARKET

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1940, Page 11

ADDINGTON MARKET

FAT LAMBS IN KEEN DEMAND.

[PEE PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH, February 8.

Fat lambs met with a keen demand at the Addington market yesterday, prices in many cases being 2/- a head above schedule. The export buyers secured the bulk of the offering. A line of 70 from Captain F. N. Whitmore (Rotomanu) topped the market, making 34/1. The entry of store lambs was in excess of requirements, and prices showed a further easing. Fat sheep sold steadily at late rates, but fat cattle were down by 10/- a head. Store Sheep: The entry included about 3000 adult sheep and 15,000 lambs. The number of lambs forward was more than the market could absorb, and all but the best forward rape lambs were down by fully 1/- a head. The best price was about 20/-, a few lines selling at near this figure, including one line of. Romney cross wethers. Medium sorts made from 12/6 to 16/-, with culls down to 8/-. Ewes were included in the store sheep entry, and for anything good there was a keen demand. A line from the Chatham Islands with fair mouths made 24/6 for the 240. The twotooths from the same line made 41/6, the best price so far this season. The quality of the yarding in the main good, and everything sold readily even aged and shabby fine wool ewes more suitable for potting than anything . else, making 8/- or so. Fat*Lambs: The entry totalled 5000 head, compared with 2500 last week. The freezing buyers dominated the market, and to secure their requirements butchers had to pay high prices. Few pens sold at less than 8 5-8 d per lb and prices frequently exceeded 9d, or 2/,- a head more than the schedule ra,te. The yarding was of fair quality, some particularly fine lines being forward from the West Coast. Tdp price was secured for the best of a line of 70 from Captain F. N. Whitmore (Rotomanu), which averaged 29/- and made up to 34/1. Other West Coast sales were:—On account of W. Thomson (Ross), 57 at 23/4 to 32/4; E. Lyes (Ross), 18 at 23/4 to 27/1: J. Ryan (Rotomanu), 80 at 23/4 to 27/1. Fat Sheep: The entry, numbering 5500 head, compared with 4750 last week, was generally of good quality, though there was a fair proportion of medium quality station wethers forward. There was little demand for them and they were cheaper by 1/- to 1/6 a head, but good sheep, hoth 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 16/-. Values were:—Extra prime heavy wethers to 36/4; prime heavy wethers, 29/- to 31/-; piime medium-weight wethers, 26/- to 28/6; ordinary wethers, 21/6 to 25/-; light wethers, to 20/6; extra prime heavy ewes to 27/10; prime heavy ewes, 23/6 to 25/6; prime medium-weight ewes 18/- to 22/6; ordinary ewes, 14/- to 17/6; light ewes to 14/-. West Coast sales were: —On account of Te Kinga Land and Timber Company, 60 wethers at 20/10 to 25/4; E. Lyes (Ross), 24 wethers at 11/10 to 21/4. Fat Cattle: The entry totalled 400 head compared with 375 last week but quality was not up to last week’s standard, there being few extra prime steers forward. In the early part of the sale, values were about on a par with those ruling for the short entry of last week, but as the sale progressed prices eased, and on an average were fully 10/- a head down.- The sale for cows was erratic throughout, but the hot weather and the approach of Easter curtailed the demand for all types. Top price for heifers was £l3 12/6, which was paid for the tops of a line of nine from the estate of F. Diedrichs (Lower Kokatahi). Values were: Extra prime heavy steers, to £2O/17/6; prime heavy steers, £l6 10/- to £18; prime medium-weight steers, £l4/10/- to £l6/10/-;,--'ordin-ary steers, £lO/10/- to £l4;. light steers to £10; extra prime heifers to £l3/12/6; prime heifers, £lO/10/- to £ll/15/-; medium heifers, £9 tc £lO/5/-; light heifers, to £B/10/-; extra prime cows,.to £l2/17/6; prime cows, £B/10/- to £lO/10/-; medium cows, £6/10/- to £B/5/-; light cows to £6/5/-. West Coast sales were: On account of estate of F. Diedrichs (Lower Kokatahi), 9 heifers at £l2/12/6 to £l3 12/6; G. I. Northcroft (Wataroa) 1 cow at £ll/17/6; 8 heifers at £9/7/6 to £ll/17/6. Vealers: The entry, 160 head, was made up mostly of poor quality soits with few good lines of runners. Good quality met a. keen demand, though at a slight easing in price, and others, which showed a more marked decline, were fairly well cleared. Values were: —Best runners, to £7/lu/b; medium runners, £3/3/- t° * 4 ; extra good vealers, £3/5/- to £4/o/-, good vealers., 40/- to £3; large calves, 30/- to 45/-; small calves, 9/- to 05/-. Store Cattle: the entry was the largest for some weeks, and all except poor quality met a good free sale. Eighteen-months steers of goou colours* made up to £6, and yearling heifers to £4. Old cows made to £4 13/6, and bulls to £9. Dairy Cows: There was a heavy yarding, with all except the best grades over-supplied. There was a steady demand for the best, but others were hard to sell at values about, 10/a head back on those of last week. Top price was £l4/10/- for a three and a-half-year pureberd' Friesian heifer.

Fat Pigs: Porkers met with a keen demand!, with values from 2/- to 3/a head above those of last week. Choppers were in very limited supply, and values were up 10/- to 15/~ a head. Baconers were in better supply than they were last week, but the sale was the*best of the season. Values were: Choppers, £3/8/6 to £6/18/6; light porkers, 39/6 to 46/6; medium porkers 47/6 to 51/6; heavy porkers, 52/6 to 56/6; average price per lb, 6Jd to 7Jd; light baconers, 58/6 to £3/6/6; medium baconers, £3/9/6 to £ 3/14/6, heavy baconers, £3/18/6 to £4/6/6, extra heavy baconers, £A/ r l/§ to £4 14/6; average price per lb, 6£d to 7d.

Store Pigs: The ■entry was the smallest for some time, and the sale was good throughout except for weaners, which were most erratic. Prices for weaners over the first halfrace were fully 4/- a head above those of last week, but later they slipped hack- to 2/- or 3/- below last week’s figures. Large stores were forward m small numbers and met an exceptionally keen demand at prices up to 38/-. Values were:—Small weaners, 9/- to 13/-; medium weaners, 13/6 to 16/-; large weaners, 16/6 to 20/-; extra large weaners, 20/6 to 23/6; slips, 22/- to 25/-; small stores, 26/- to 29/-; medium stores, 30/- to .34/-; large stores, 34/6 to 38/-.