FAT STOCK

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 3302, 12 May 1931, Page 5

FAT STOCK

BETTER PRICES. OX BEEF ON UP GRADE. During the last few weeks there has been a marked advance in the price of beef, especially in ox beef, stated a representative of a wellknown auctioneering company to a Waikato Times’ representative. This had been mainly due to short yardings. During the autumn the prices of all classes of beef got to a very low level and it was a number of years since quotations were so low. The export companies had bought a quantity at prices equal to 20s. per 1001 b. on the hooks and no doubt this had had a steadying influence. Graziers who had held their cattle for long periods contended that by holding further into the winter they would probably get increased prices, therefore the offerings coming forward were very small for this time of the year. Although cow beef had not shown such a marked advance as ox the quality had not been so good. Mutton up to a week ago was rising' steadily. This was no doubt due to the exceptionally heavy local consumption. A few months ago most of the local butchers were buying fat sheep at ridiculously low prices. They in turn had retailed the mutton at a cheap figure. Naturally the consumption jumped up, for housewives could buy a forequarter of mutton for round about Is. The heavy killings had the effect of clearing- out any surplus held. Fat sheep became scarce and prices started tb advance. The farmer, who has had a bad spin, would materially benefit by these rises in price, concluded the informant, and it looked from his (the farmer’s) point of view that during the winter he would be able to receive satisfactory prices for his fat stock.