40,000 STORE SHEEP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21977, 22 March 1946, Page 4

40,000 STORE SHEEP

LARGEST YARDING

STORTFORD LODGE SALE (S.R.) HASTINGS, March 21

Tiie store sheep offering at the Storcl'ord Lodge sale yesterday was the largest! of this season. Except for an 'odd pen, the quality was only average.

Breeding ewes made up a large portion of the offering. Buyers were presented with a good sample of lullcountry wethers, the top line of grown sheep 'requiring little finishing on the right class of country. They made 33s 6d. The best of five-year breeding owes made from 17s to 19s in the first hour of the sale, and low-mouthed and store-conditioned pens made about 19s lid. Opening bids of 10s a head were recorded in some instances. No top lines of young breeding ewes came forward. Good pens made from 27s to 295, and others to 225. A keen demand was again shown for a moderate yarding of fat sheep. A feature of this section was the offering of threequarter-bred Corriedale wethers, which made from 34s 7d to 35s Id. Other heavy wethers sold at 34s lOd. Light wethers made 29s 7d. Extra heavy prime ewes were passed in at 25s 3d; others made 23s lOd. Plain sheep brought from 17s 7d to tils Id. Maiden sheep brought 28s Id. Good iambs realised from 25s 7d to 29s 4d, and medium sorts to 23s Id. In a small entry of fewer than 300 head, values for some of the steers forward were from 25s to 30s dearer than late rates. A pen of 39 lightconditioned 30-month Hereford steers sold well at £8 10s, with 18-month steers off the same property making 05 17s 6d. A line of 49 three-off A.A. steers offered on account of Mr. M. G. M. Williams, off property near Waikaremoana, sold in two lots at £!) 17s and £9 12s. Rising two and three-year A.A. heifers made a good sale at .EG 16s.

An improvement in quality was shown by the 130 head of beef cattle yarded. A good sprinkling of ox beef was forward, with weighty animals fetching up to £2l 3s (id, with others at £lB 8s fid. Some of the cattle were carrying excessive fat and were sold at a discount. Best cow beef made from ,E 9 Is Id to £ll Is, with lowerconditioned lots making from £7 18s (id. to £8 13s fid. Heifer beef was in short supply. The best price obtained in this section was £l2 18s 6d.