TARANAKI STOCK SALES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 February 1930, Page 10

TARANAKI STOCK SALES.

PAST WEEK'S PRICES j NEWTON KING'S REVIEW Reviewing the Taranaki stock market during tihe week, Newton King, Ltd., state: — ■Beef. —Firm prices are still the order for good ox beef, of which there are only limited supplies offering, requirements being fulfilled at up to £ls for heavy prime cattle, while lighter sorts are being purchased at from £l3 to £l4. Good numbers of cojwi beef are being submitted at the various centres, and a. decline in the prices ruling has boon in evidence during the week. At Urenui on Monday a good entry came forward, but for the most part the prices expected by vendors were ini advance of those offered by butchers, resulting in a fair proportion of the. entry being passed. The offereing o'f these cattle included a good number of good coloured lightweight cows and heifers, and o'f these that were sold the prices ranged as follows: Best quality up to £9 10s, lighter sorts £8 10. s, second i quality from £6 10s to £7. Eat sheep. —Good! supplies .of both ewe and wether mutton are in evidence and works buyers arc how operating freely on botli classes, the prices offering for ewe mutton ranging in the vicinity of l'Os, while those offering for wethers range from 25s to 26s 1 6d. No difficulty is being experienced in fulfilling butdheTs' requirements at prices a little in advance of those offering 'by the works. Fair numbers of fat laimbs are still being purchased -by works buyers, but the majority of the business in this class has been completed, no alteration in the price having been effected sin'ce the opening figure was 'announced.

Store sheep.—The market in this section has now found its level, and buyers are_ operating freely at the I various fairs. During tlhe week a number of central Taranaki fairs were held and the prices throughout were on a par with those ruling at the opening series. G'ood entries came forward to both Douglas and To Wcra fairs and were submitted to strong benches of buyers, resulting in practically! full clearances being effected under the hammer. The prices obtained at these two fixtures ranged as follows: Good tjmo-tooth Owes up to 295; medium sorts 26g 6(1;: small 21s 6d fro 24s 4cl; mixed age ewes (2,4, and 6-tooth small) 255; 4 and! 5-year-old ewes up to 20s; sound mouthed ewes 14s to 15s; aged owes 9s 6d to I3s; cull ewes os to 7s; 2-tOoth wethers in forward condition 23's Id; others 20s 6d to 21s 6d'; good shorn mixed sex lambs up to- 14s Id; medium sorts 12s 9d to 18s; culls 6s 6d! to 7's 9d; wo.ol'ly mixed sex lambs up to 15s. 'Apart from our fairs there l have been fair entries at the fortI nightly s'ales. For the niost .part these : have been small lots and have been I operated upon freely by dairy farmers. Small lines of lambs scorn to bo in good dem'and by dairymen, and where suitable lines are put under the hammer prices are a. little in adyance of those ruling at the earlier fairs. Old ewes for fattening purposes, when submitted in small lots, are also meeting with a ready dem'and by dairy farmers, and prices are in advance of those mentioned in connection with the first series of fairs.

Store cattle.—'Owing to the sheep fairs being in full swing during the week the offerings of this class at the j various centres have been reduced considerably. However, there still exists la good demand, for all classes and the market remains firm. Male cattle are ,in good demand, but as few of this class are coming forward to the open | markets the. majority of the sales arc effected through the medium of private treaty. The demand for weaner steers ha's had an increa'sing tendency during the last fortnight, resulting in ready sales being effected of the limited numbers offering. Grown cattle of this class arc by no means plentiful and difficulty is experienced 1 in fulfilling requirements to satisfaction, but owing to the attention of the majority of the farmers at present being towards sheep, comparatively few sales in store cattle of any consequence are being effected.

Weaner heifer's. —Fair numbers of this class are hqui being submitted to auction, but, few lines of quality are included in the offerings. A marked decline in the prices offering is in evidence, resulting in good numbers being pas'sed. However, with t'hc greater numbers that have been reared this season vendor's must realise that the prices will be below those that were ruling at this period la'st year. Fast seasons have seen strong contingents of buyers from other centres operating on this class, but unless vendors are prepared to fall in line with the prices ruling in other centres little business on these lines will be effected. At this period last ye'ar good numbers of sales to outside buyers were effected, but to date the m'ajority of the sales have been local.

Dairy cattle. —A few further inquiries from outside centres 'Concerning this class have been received during the week and a few small lines have been put together, the prices for the best cattle ranging from £lO 10s t.o £ll. Our private sale register reveals that there are many hundreds of this class offering. In fact, the numbers appear to be in advance of 'these that .were available last year, and with this fact in evidence requirements will be more easily filled and will perhaps result in prices not firming to the extent anticipated. To those who are holding good quality cattle a firm market is practically assured. •Pigs.—Good .offerings of wearners are being submitted at the various centres, and’ with the shortage of large stores that is in evidence, together with the strong demand ruling for the larger classes, well done weanors are meeting with a ready sale, and genea’lly the prices ruling arc in advance of those anticipated.