MUTTON VALUES UP 4/- A HEAD AT STORTFORD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23316, 27 July 1950, Page 10

MUTTON VALUES UP 4/- A HEAD AT STORTFORD

(P.A.) HASTINGS, July 27. i For the first time this season, the ■ market for ewes with lambs at foot 1 was tested at Stortford Lodge yester- ■ clay. An offering of 44 aged ewes which were a bit low in the mouth , with a similar number cf lambs at foot aroused keen interest. Bidding started ■ at 23s and ran to 30s (all counted) be- ! fore the sheep were knocked down. The market for shorn wether hoggets was 2s to 3s dearer han last week, buyers bidding with renewed animation. Woolly hoggets were little better buying by comparison. In-lamb ewes continued to meet with sticky inquiry. Only one pen of wethers came forward among the main lines in a yarding of 3800 head. These sold reasonably well judged on recent buying standards. Good shorn wether hoggets realised 45s 8d to 47s lOd and medium sorts 42s 6d to 445. Woolly wether hogget prices ranged from 49s 9d to 54s XOd. Twotooth wethers sold at 59s 9d. The best price for in-lamb ewes was 75s 6d. Bidding for this line of two-tooths, in lamb to Southdown, started at 60s. Good-mouthed five-year ewes brought 53s to 555. Those of this age with lower mouths sold at 35s to 45s 3d. Sixyear- ewes made 50s 3d. mixed aged 56s and five and six-year in-lamb to Romney 47s 6d. Fat Sheep Rate Firm Wether mutton, which was in short supply hi a yarding of 800 head was dearer by up to 4s a head. Other classes of fat sheep were firm. Butchers paid 75s lOd to 79s lOd for prime wethers, 71s lOd to 72s lOd for medium sorts and 49s lOd to 58s 10c! for unfinished. Extra prime young ewes were traded at up to GBs lOd, lighter at 52s lOd to 57s lOd, prime older ewes at up to 58s lOd, handy-weights at 49s 10c! to 50s Id and unfinished at 44s 7d to 47s 4d. Heavy lambs made 66s 10d, medium 51s 4cl to 56s 4cl and light 46s lOd. The improvement in the strength of the inquiry for store cattle noted recently was maintained. A good gathering of buyers was offered some quality, genuine station-bred cattle for which the bidding was steady. There was a yarding of 583 head with empty cows again well represented. Top prices of the season were obtained for in-calf cows and for weaner steers. Cows showing up well in calf realised £ls 7s 6d and quality weaner A.A. steers reached a new peak at £ll 17s. Good weaner steers made £lO 14s to £ll 17s, smaller at £9 4s, empty cows at £9 Is to £lO 17s, in-calf cows. £ls 7s Gd. rising three-year heifers £lO 10s and weaner heifers £7 Bs. Beef Rates Improve Prime ox, which is not in plentiful supply, improved on the beef market. Female beef, on the other hand, again met with a quiet market and early in the sale 51 head of cows were passed in as a line. The overall yarding of 256 proved an over-supply and butchers were in a position to become selective. Prime ox was traded at £24 18s 6d to £26 6s, medium at £2l 11s to £23 13s 6d and unfinished £ls 13s 6d to £2O 18s 6d. Prime heavy heifers made £lB Is, prime £lse3s 6d io £l6 18s 6d. medium £l3 8s 6d to £l4 8s Gd and light £ll 18s Gd to £l2 13s 6d. Prime heavy cows changed hands at £l6 Is to £l6 8s 6d. medium at £l2 11s to £l4 13s and unfinished and inferior £7 16s to £ll Is. Runners ranged from £7 2s Gd to £l2 | and vealers from £4 15s to £6 Gs.