ADDINGTON MARKET

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 February 1940, Page 12

ADDINGTON MARKET

FAT LAMBS IN KEEN DEMAND. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.! CHRISTCHURCH, February 22. As the result of keen competition from the export buyers, fat lambs showed a rise of about 1/ -a head on late sales at the Addington market yesterday. A heavy entry of fat sheep met with a good demand, ewes particularly selling well. Fat cattle were in over-supply, and in consequence prices for them were easier. In the store sheep section, the yarding of ewes was the heaviest of the season, but, mainly, they were of poor quality, and they met with a dull sale at values fu,lly 1/- a head below last week’s. There was also'an easing in the demand for store lambs, though good sorts sold well. Store Sheep.—The entry of adult sheep numbered between 12,000 and 13,000 head, compared with 8000 last week, but the offering of lambs showed a decrease from 8000 to 7000. Old ewes of poor quality formed the bulk of the adult sheep entry, and these met with a sticky and dull market throughout, with values fully a shilling a head, and in many cases 2/- a head 1 , below those for similar sheep last week, except where exceptional quality showed, when values were about on a par to slightly better. Twotooth halfbreds sold well at fully last week’s rates. There was a solid demand for Romney and crossbred sheep throughout the sale, and some good lines were entered from the Chatham Islands and the south. Where the best of the-, half bred two-tooths made to 30/-, the best of the Romneys made to 43/-. Lambs were also easier by fully 1/- a head in spite of the shorter yarding. There was still a good demand for the best, with values .up to 21/-, but medium lambs, of which most of the yarding was composed, were worth only 12/- to 14/-. The best sale of the day was of a truck of Chatham Island Romney wether lambs sold shorn, which made 21/6. Fat Lambs: A keen demand from the export buyers resulted in most of the drop of 1/- a head recorded last week being recovered. The quality of the yarding, which totalled: 3500 head as against' 400 a week ago, was mixed. With the exporters paying tl|e full schedule price, 8 5-8 d per lb butchers were unable to buy at much under 9d per lb, and even then they did not get many lambs. A line of 41 West Coast lambs, forwarded by W. Neame, made 19/1 to 22/10. Top price of the sale was 39/7 for five.

Fat Sheep:. The entry numbered 7000 head, and the quality generally was better than at the previous sale. The best butchers’ wethers were firm to slightly easier, and lighter sorts were definitely easier. Ewes of all sorts met an excellent sale. Heavy ewes were fully firm, and medium and lightei’ weights, under strong export competition, were u,p to .1/,- a head dearer. Values were: —Extra prime heavy wethers to 34/4; prime heavy wethers, 28/6 to 31/-; prime mediumweight wethers, 25/- to 28/-; ordinary wethers, 20/6 to 22/6; light wethers, to 20/-; extra prime heavy ewes to 27/1; prime heavy ewes, 23/6 to 26/-; prime medium-weight ewes, 19/- to 23/-; ordinary ewes, 13/6 to 18/6; light ewes to 13/-. Fat Cattle: The entry. (583 head, compared with 440 last week) was. in excess of requirements. Quality was better"than -of-'tate;- -but - all round values were easier even for the best cattle. Plain sorts were not wanted, j and all others sold at. from 25/- to 30/- a head cheaper in a most erratic. sale. The large yarding was unfor-_ tunate for vendors; because ’ Lent and J the hot weather have already weak-* ened the cattle market, Values were:*

Extra prime heavy steers to £l9/17/6; prime heavy steers, £l5 to £l6/10/-; prime medium-weight steers, £l3 to £l4/15/-; ordinary steers, £9/5/- to steers, £l2/10/-; light steers to £9; extra prime heavy heifers to £ 15/2/6; prime heifers, £9/5/- to £lO/5/'-; medium . heifers, £ 8 to £9; light heifers to £7/15/-; extra prime cows to £ll/7/6; prime cows, £7/10/- to £9/5/-; medium cows, £5/15/- to £7/5/-; light cows to £5/10/-.

West Coast sales were: On account of M. Ryder (Inchbonnie), cow at £7 2/6: Keeney Bros. (Cobden), 7 cows at. £5/2/6 to £6/12/6; V. H. Wall (Koiterangi), 3 cows at £5/17/6 to £B/7/6; 5 cows at £B/2/6 to £8 12/6; S. T. Havill (Koiterangi), 2 cows at £5/2/6 to £6/7/6. Vealers: The entry of 300 head was the largest for a considerable time. The quality of the offering was average, there being a number of station lines of runners forward. The market opened easier than late rates, and declined steadily as the sale progressed, and finished with a decline of up to 30/- a head on some lines of good sorts. Values were: —Best runners to £7/1/-; medium runners, 45/- to £3 10/-; extra good vealers, 40/- to £3 3/-; good vealers, 30/- to 50/-; large calves, 25/- to 38/-; small calves, 7/to 25/-.

Store The entry was again small, with very few quotable lines. There was a large entry .of bulls which sold well at up to £l3. A line of attractive two-year station steers made up to £9. Dairy Cows: There was an entry of about 60 head. A good demand set in for good quality cattle from local dairymen, up to £l4 being paid in several instances. Although there was not the same demand for inferior sorts, they appreciated proportionately to the rise of £2 a head on good quality. Few good heifers were included, the best making up to £l3. Fat Pigs: The entry of porkers was the largest for some time, but competition was keen and values maintained last week’s rates until the last two races, when there was an easing of 2/- to ,4/- a head. Choppers were in much heavier supply, and although the sale was a good one, prices were hardly up to those ruling at recent sales. Baconers were forward in the largest numbers so far this and considering the entry, the sale was excellent. Although a little erratic at times, values were practically the same as they were last week. Values were: —Choppers, £2/18/6 to£s/11/-; light porkers, 39/6 to 44/6; 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 £3/7/6; medium baconers, £3/9/6

to £3/14/6; heavy baconers, £3/18/6 to £4/6/6; extra heavy baconers, £4 7/6 to £4/19/6; average price per lb, 6Jd to 7d. i Store Pigs: The entry was a good deal larger than that of last week., Prices from the outset showed a de-1 cided drop, and as the sale progressed. values eased still further. Weaners; showed the greatest decline, and were down by at least 5/- to 7/- a head. Large stores were also easier by 5/-. At the conclusion of the sale many pens were passed. Five purebred Tamworth boars made to £5/5/-. Values were: —Small weaners, 6/- to 9/-; medium weaners, 10/- to 14/-; large weaners, 15/- to 19/-; clips, 17/■to 22/-; small stores, 24/- to 28/-; medium stores, 29/- to 33/-; large stores, 34/- to 38/-. ■ 'stud SHEEP SALE INVERCARGILL, February 21. The. Waitoru Romney Marsh sheep stud a,t Dacre owned by the late Sir Villiam Hunt and his son, Mr. W. E. lunt, was completely dispersed tony. The sale attracted the largest ttendance of Romney breeders from t

all parts of New Zealand ever seen in Southland. A large offering of more than 1,200 stud and flock sheep realised more than 9000 guineas, a fair percentage being bought by North Island, .Canterbury, ■ and Otago breeders. The top price was 220 guineas secured for each of two stud rams, both bought by Southland' breeders. Others realised up to 200 guineas. Stud ewes brought up to 40 guineas and flock rams averaged 5£ guineas.