THE BEEF MARKET.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 2064, 8 January 1925, Page 5

THE BEEF MARKET.

STRONG DEMAND. RISING PRICES. A strong demand existed al the opening sale for lhe New Year at the To Kuiti sale yesterday, and if the equivalent prices rule throughout the year 1925 the people of this district may well look forward with a most optimistic feeling for the future. We have become more or less accustomed to good values for sheep during the past few months, but it is indeed gratifying that cattle values have advanced. Sheep we recognise to be a payable proposition with high values for wool and good prices for fat lamb and mutton, but we must also appreciate that this country cannot be kept clean for sheep without cattle, and the difficulty facing the farmer recently has been to obtain a payable return for his cattle after employment in keeping down fern and other growth. At yesterday’s sale sheep maintained their high values, while cattle in general, particularly steers of all ages, were very eagerly sought after. There appears an unlimited demand for grown cattle from the Waikato and even further north for fattening purposes, evidence that graziers think the prospects for beef much brighter than of late. Beef is selling particularly well, and this naturally reflects on the unfinished product, further influencing the price of the younger cattle. Given a steady beef price, as indications above, the King Country may we!! look forward to a prosperous year. For some lime past, many seitlers have been grazing cattle soiely to keep their land clean, and in a sense they have been part of the machinery of the farm, showing no profit. If the prices of yesterday are maintained, and t here is good reason to believe they will be, cattle wii! now be a payable proposition a fact that is of equal importance to this district, if not more, than the higher prices for wool, The increased confidence of the farming community and the strong after Christmas demand by butchers also helped to make the Te Kuiti sale yesterday something approaching a record so far as prices were concerned. Over 3000 sheep were yarded and though the attendance was not large the keenness of the bidding clearly reflected the anxiety of fanners to get stock with which to take advantage of the abnormal flush of feed. The yarding of cattle was comparatively small, but some excellent quality lines fetched high values. It is expected that the next two sales will be even better. PRICES REALISED. Following are some of the prices obtained yesterday: Sheep.—Fat lambs 295, woolly rape lambs 28s (id, b.f. woolly lambs 21s to 225, good shorn lambs 225, stores 15s to 17s 6d, cull lambs 9s 6d, fat wethers 39s to 41s, 4 and 6-tooth stores 365, good 2 and 4-tooth wethers 34s 6d, small 2-tooths 28s 9d, aged ewes 23s to 295, young ewes to 325, fat ewes 27s 6d.

Cattle.—Fat bullocks £lO 10s, store steers to £8 10s, 2-year steers to £5 10s, 2-year steers to £5, fat cows £5 to £6 10s, store cows £3 Is to £4 10s, small fat heifers £3 12s, cows £3 to £4, 18-month heifers 31s to 355.