SMALL YARDINGS FOR WET SALE AT STORTFORD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23021, 11 August 1949, Page 8

SMALL YARDINGS FOR WET SALE AT STORTFORD

(P.A.)

HASTINGS, Aug. 11

Flood conditions prevailing in Hawke’s Bay over the past four days had their effect on the livestock entries at Stortford Lodge sale yesterday when the yarding was the smallest seen for 50 years. The store sheep pens contained only eight head and a small attendance of store cattle buyers were offered an entry of 26 fat cattle. The fat sheep yarding was only about one-third of its normal size. Four and six-tooth in-lamb ewes which sold at 49s and four wethers, which brought 46s made up the full yarding of store sheep. Expecting a negligible entry in the fat cattle market, butchers had made arrangements for a private supply and consequently there was no keenness about the inquiry for 109 head that appeared for sale. It was thought that values would show a sharp rise but, instead, they eased to be slightly be- 1 low par. Quality was generally light in a yarding which included a few pens of medium-weight, ' well-finished Hereford bullocks. These were consid-j ered cheap at up to £23 18s Cd. Prime' medium-weight ox was traded at £22 3s 6cl to £23 18s Gd and light at £l7 13s 6d to £lB 18s 6d. Prime heifers sold at £ls 3s 6d to £ls 13s 6d, medium quality bringing £l3 16s to £l4 8s 6d and light and unfinished £ll- - Gd to £l2 3s 6cl.

For medium quality cows, buyers paid £l2 13s 6d to £l3 3s Gd; light selling at £ll Is to £l2 Is. A similar situation to the beef sale prevailed in the fat sheep market but here values were kept to par levels by the attention of store buyers- Good average quality wethers predominated in a yarding of 522 head. Prime wethers changed hands at 53s 7d to 62s lOd. Medium-weight wethers sold at 54s 4d to 55s 7d and light and unfinished at 46s 7d. Extra prime aged ewes were traded at 44s lOd, handyweights going at 33s Id and light at; 30s 4d. Extra prime young ewes were quoted at 54 4d and prime at 46s Id to 48s 4d.