FOR FARMERS West Coast Lambs Sell Well

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1947, Page 4

FOR FARMERS West Coast Lambs Sell Well

Fat Cattle Values Again Lower Once again the store lamb entry at Addington showed an increase, 16,754 being forward yesterday against 15,147 last week. The quality was poorer, however, and prices showed an easing tendency. Fat lambs improved about 2/- a head, some good West Coast lines being forward. Fat cattle again declined, in some classes as much as £3 a head. Shorter fat pig entries caused an appreciation in most sections. Store Sheep.—Top price was 28/J for a pen of Lincoln-Merino ewe lambs. The best lambs ranged in price from 24/7 to 28/9, good from 21/7 to 24/1, medium 18/7 to 21/1, and small and backward from 12/7 to 18/1. Two-tooth ewes made to 38/- and station wethers to 27/6. Fat Lambs.—The entry included some excellent lambs from the West Coast. The quality throughout was good and prices were up about 2/-. Values were: Extra prime fat lambs to 38/1; prime fat lambs, 34/- to 37/6; good fat lambs, 30/- to 33/6; medium and light fat lambs, 21/6 to 29/6. Among the best sales were 80 lambs from D. Gallagher (Mawheraiti) at 28/1 to 33/7. Fat Sheep.—Prices eased in all sections. Values were: Extra prime heavy wethers, to 45/1. Prime heavy wethers 34/6 to 38/6. Prime mediumweight wethers, 30/- to 33/6. Ordinary and light wethers, 24/- to 28/-. Extra prime ewes, to 28/-. Prime medium-weight ewes, 20/- to 24/-. Extra heavy ewes, 18/- to 21/-. Medium ewes, 16/- to 18/-. Unfinished ewes, 10/- to 15/6. Fat Cattle.—At no stage was the sale animated and prices again eased. During the last month heavy steers have receded about £B, with corresponding casings in other classes. Best beef made to 52/6 per 1001 b. with some sales at 55/-; good beef, 40/- to 45/-; medium beef, 30/- to 37/6; best cow beef, to 35/-; secondary cow beef, to 30/-. Values were: Extra prime heavy " steers, to £23 12/6. Prime heavy steers, £lB to £2O/10/-. Prime medium-weight steers, £l6 to £l7/10/-. Ordinary and light steers, £l2 to £l5/10/-. Extra prime heifers, to £l6/17/6. Prime heifers, £l2 to £l4. Medium and light heifers, £9/10/- to £ll 10/-. Extra prime cows, to £l4/17/6. Prime cows, £ 8 to £ 11. Ordinary and light cows, £6/15/- to £7/15/-. Vealers. —The entry was larger and the sale was easier in sympathy with lower beef prices. Values were: Large vealers, £7/18/6 to £lO/6/-; others, £5/8/6 to £7/8/6: prime suckers, £4/18/6 to £6/16/-; medium suckers, £3/11/- to large calves, 50- to 65/-; medium calves, 30/- to 48/-: small and rough down to 15/-.

Dairy Cattle.—The largest entry of the season came forward in the dairy cattle section. From the outset values receded from the high levels of last week by up to £4 a head, and the lower rates ruled until the end. Best second, third, and fourth calvers made £l5/10/- to £2O/10/-, good average sorts £lO 10/- to £l5, aged and unattractive £5 to £9/10/-. Best heifers made £2O to £26; good £l4 to £l9; and small and medium quality £lO to £l3/10/-. Fat Pigs.—All porker classes rose 5/- to 10/- above last week’s rates. Choppers were also forward in smaller numbers and values rose £2 to £3 a head. Values were:—Light porkers, £3/12/6 to £3/19/6. Medium porkers, £4/7/6 to £4/19/6. Heavy porkers, £5/1/6 to £5/9/6. Choppers, £9/18/6 to £l6/18/6. Light baconers £5/4/6 to £5/10/6. Medium baconers, £5/14/6 to £5 18/6. Heavy baconers, £6/2/6 to £6/9/6. Extra heavy baconers, £6 17/6. to £7/3/6. Average price per lb. 9Jd to lOgd. Store Pigs.—Large stores improved but all classes of weaners eased by 10/- to 15/- a head. A line of sows with litters made from £lO/10/- to £l6/16/-. Values were: Small weaners, 8/- to 14/-. Best weaners, 18/- to 24/-. Slips, 25/- to 30/-. Small stores, 34/1 to 40/-. Medium stores, 42/- to 48/-. Large stores, 52/to £3.

AUSTRALIAN FLY DAMAGES OPOTIKI CROPS (P.A.) OPOTIKI, Feb. 12. Concern is felt among farmers about the spread of Australian, fly in most parts of the Opotiki district, where maize crops and pastures are being attacked. Mr J. D. Clark has carried out extensive investigations during the last few days, collecting information from farmers, and Dr. D. Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, has visited Opotiki to investigate the pest. In some parts of the district where the soil is lighter the trouble has reached serious proportions. Unless the land is ploughed in the autumn and fallowed during the winter maize crops in certain areas fail. The Australian fly (metoponia rubriceps macquart) was investigated in 1944 in Opotiki pastures by Mr J. R. Murray, instructor of agriculture, but as far as is known it is not. in any other district. In some parts of the district ryegrass pastures have become seriously depleted, while maize has been attacked. The loss to farmers is estimated at thousands of pounds. . Wherever the pasture is seriously depleted great numbers of larvae are found within two or three inches of the ground. The maize plants wilt when they are three to six inches high. .