FOR FARMERS Store Sheep Prices Are Easier At Addington Market

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 October 1948, Page 9

FOR FARMERS Store Sheep Prices Are Easier At Addington Market

Unusually large entries in the store sheep and spring lamb sections were offered at the Addington market yesterday. and there was a slight easing in prices in both these classes. The fat cattle yarding was smaller than at the previous sale, and there was an improvement in prices of up to 20s early in the sale. Quality in the dairy cattle section was mediocre and prices showed a further weakening. The fat pig sale was again a good one, particularly in the bacon section, where there was extremely keen competition. STORE SHEEP.—At no stage was there much life in the market. Prices all round were Is to 2s lower. An excellent pen of Romney ewe hoggets in the wool sold at 53s 6d, and a similar truck lot changed hands at 50s 6d. The best of the shorn ewe hoggets sold at 33s to 35s 9d, medium 27s 6d to 31s 6d, and others down to 245. A small lot of 'Romney weth'er hoggets in the wool sold at 455. Best shorn wether hoggets sold at 39s 6d to 42s 9d, medium 32s 6d to 365, and others down to 26s 9d. Several lines of hoggets were passed. The top price for pwes and lajnbs was 31s for a good lot of Romney ewes with well-grown down cross lambs at foot, and other good lots made from 26s 6d to 295. Medium lots sold at 21s to 25s 6d, apd inferior down to 13s 6d The wethers were an even lot and met a steady sale. Prices ranged from 31s 6d to 355. SPRING LAMBS—The supply was much too great for the demand. Bidding was never spirited, but it improved as the sale proceeded, and the over-all drop in rates was only 5s or 6s. Values were:—Extra prime spring lambs to 47s 7d, prime spring lambs 41s to 455, good spring lambs 37s to 365, light spring lambs 30s to 325. FAT HOGGETS—The large entry resulted in an early easing in rates of about 2s or 3s a head, but later in the sale a firming tendency was apparent. Values were: —Extra prime fat hoggets, to 68s Id; prime fat hoggets, 47s to 51s; good fat hoggets, 41s to 455; medium fat hoggets, 35s to 40s; light fat hoggets, 30s to 345.

FAT SHEEP—The demand for good wethers was strong throughout at prices which .showed little variation. Values were: —Extra prime heavy wethers, to 70s Id; prime heavy wethers, 64s to 675; prime medium-weight wethers, 56s to 635; ordinary wethers, 48s to 545; plain and unfinished wethei’s, 40s to 465; prime heavy ewes, to 49s Id; pi-ime ewes, 40s to 445; medium ewes, 30s to 355; ordinary ewes, 26s to 295; plain and unfinished ewes, 22s to 255. FAT CATTLE. —The demand was keen at the start of the sale .prices improving by as much as 20s for the better sorts on those of last week. The over-all prices for steers and heifers were about 15s to 20s higher than last week, and cows remained firm. Best beef made to 75s per 1001 b; good beef, 55s to 62s 6d; medium beef, 45s to 50s; best cow beef, to 57s 6d; secondary cowbeef, to 42s 6d. Values were:—Extra prime heavy steers, to £36 7s 6d; prime heavy steers, £25 to £27; prime mediumweight steers, £2O 10s to £24; ordinary and light steers, £l6 to £l9 10s; extra prime heifers, to £27 17s 6d; prime heifers, to £l5 to £l9; ordinary and light heifers, £lO 10s to £l4; extra prime cows, to £24 2s 6d; prime cows, £l3 to £l7; ordinary and light cows. £8 to £l2. West Coast' sales included: —Sullivan Bros (Fox Glacier), 1 steer at £35 2s 6d, 7 heifers at £26 2s 6d to £27 17s 6d; R. F. Famment (Wataroa), 8 steers at £27 12s 6d to £32 2s 6d; L. J. Williams (Fox Glacier). 7 steers at £2B 7s 6d to £29 17s 6d, 1 heifer at £23 17s 6d; F. D. Wall (Hari'Hari), 8 steers at £25 7s 6d to £2B 7s 6d; J. Minehan (Hari Hari), 4 steers at £27 17s 6d, 4 heifers at £25 2s 6dl

VEALERS.—The supply was barely sufficient for the demand, and prices all round were 10s to 20s above the depressed prices of a week ago. Values were:—Prime large vealers, £ll 8s 6d to £l3 18s 6d; good wealers, £8 18s 6d to £lO 16s; medium vealers, £7 18s d to £B6 13s 6d; best suckers, £6 13s 6d to £8 8s 6d; medium suckers, £4 18s 6d to £6 3s 6d; large calves, 60s to 80s; medium calves, 44s to 58s; small -and rough calves, down to 20s. STORE CATTLE. —There was again a big entry. Among the quotable lines were 11 three-year Aberdeen Angus steers in forward condition at £lB Is; 18 two-year Aberdeen Angus steers at £l4 12s <)6d; 10 two-year Aberdeen Angus sieers at £l2 Is; 17 two-year Hereford steers at £l3 3s 6d; 16 twoyear Hereford steers at £l2 18s 6d; 18 two-year Hereford steers at £ll 18s 6d; 12 three-year Aberdeen Angus steers at £l6 3s 6d,

DAIRY CATTLE.—Considering the quality, prices were even lower than the depressed rate of last week. The best of the cows sold at £l4 to £lB 10s, with the remainder down to £5. The inquiry for heifers was even slacker than that for cows, with prices fully 20s below last week. Top price was £l6, with other reasonable sorts making from £l3 10s. Medium heifers made £9 to £ll, with backward sorts down to £6.

FAT PlGS.—Values opened on a par with the good rates of the previous sale, but eased 2s to 3s a head, only to recover again over the last two races. Values were: —Light porkers, £4 13s 6d to £5 0s 6d; medium porkers, £5 2s 6d to £5 12s 6d; heavy porkers, £5 17s 6d to £6 9s 6d; choppers; £5 Is to £l3 Is; light baconers. £6 14s 6d to £6 19s 6d; medium baconers, £7 2s 6d to £7 9s 6d; heavy baconers, £7 Ils 6d to £7 17s 6d; extra heavy baconers, £7 18s 6d to £8 9s 6d. Average price per lb, lOid to lid. STORE PlGS.—Medium and large stores again met spirited competition, but medium and small weaners were 2s to 3s a head easier. Best weaners fully maintained the good rates, ruling last week. Values were:—Small weaners, 38s to 425; best weaners, 45s to 555; slips, 58s to 655; small stores, 68s to 745; medium stores, 78s to 84s; large stores. 85s to 945.