North Stock Markets Quieter This Week

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1947, Page 2

North Stock Markets Quieter This Week

CONTINUED dry weather conditions resulted in a quieter j market for stock in Northland during the past week. Slight easings were reported in some sections and the store ■cattle market was dull.

Best dairy cows made to £l2/10/- - for god sorts close to profit, while : heifers due to calve soon realised to £‘ll/7/6. Cows in milk sold to £ll. | but although these realisations were i comparable with recent rates, a slight j easing in the dairy section • was re- | ported at some sales, j Beef values were firm with a continued steady demand for well finished j cattle. This week’s offering was not • large. Prices for prime cows ranged I to £l2/15/- while prime heifers sold to j £l2/12/6. { Store cattle were hard to quit at ! most sales. This applied more particu- ! larly to areas where the dry spell has 1 had a pronounced effect. ! Forward conditioned three and a j half year Shorthorn steers were I quoted at £ll/5/-, with two and a half ! year olds making to £B/10/-. [ Good 18-month old cattle realised to I £6/18/-. Young steers and anything j in only store condition were hard to i sell, although well-grown cattle changj ed hands at moderate rates. I Boner cattle were penned in good j numbers, meeting slightly less compe-

-1 tition than recently. Heavy cows 3 made to £B/8/- with bulls selling to 1 £ll/10/- according to weight. Real- , isations were generally easier than last ; week. t i MARKET FOR PIGS The market for fat pigs remained firm with heavy baconers reaching a high level at £6/10/-. Good porkers j made £4/15/- with slips realising to (- * £l/12/- and weaners selling to £l/2/j j Choppers were quoted at prices rang- , ing to £7/7/-. While a good number of fat pigs I were offered, their weights in the t main, were lower, reflecting the taper- ' ing off of dairy production. 3 Few sheep were offered, quotations indicating a firm market with killable i lambs selling at £l/1/6 and store 3 wethers realising to £l/9/-. C Generally speaking the week was a dull one with no significant fluctua- ) lions apart from those caused solely ; by the lack of rain. ) All sections of the' stock markets - have been affected by the dry spell and a substantial fall of rain is need1‘ ed to arrest the worsening situation - on Northland's farmlands.