Store Cattle Dearer At Northland Stock Sales

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1947, Page 5

Store Cattle Dearer At Northland Stock Sales

STORE cattle were dearer at stock sales held throughout Northland during the past week. At some sales, particularly in the Far North, vendors put a high reserve on their cattle and some lots were passed in. In the dairy sections late rates were fully maintained for choice cattle close to profit.

Store pigs, slips anß weaners continued to make high prices, and fat pigs also sold well. Cow and ox beef was keenly sought, prices remaining at last week’s level. Boners which were penned in smali numbers, made late rates. Few sneep were offering, with best wethers making to £2/10/-. With warmer weather conditions and signs that growth' was commencing to come away, considerably more interest was evident in the store cattle sections. This will be further increased next week when the big spring cattle lairs take place. Generally speaking, values for store cattle were high, but a note ot uncertainty was discernible in the market. The anticipated rise in schedule prices, hoped for in October, may have been an influencing factor and, contributing to this, was probably the fact that farmers do not yet know just how much they will be affected by the removal of subsidies on their fertiliser. Nevertheless buyers were active and prices were high. * Young steers sold well with 2-year-clds making more than £lO. while choice yearling steers realised as high as £B—a price which has not been eclipsed in Northland for a considerable time.

Forward-conditioned 3 and 4-year-old cattle also sold at advanced rates. Successful fairs from both a buyer’s and a vendor’s viewpoint are expected next week.

The dairy sections again claimed attention but the general quality of the offerings was not high. The top price for cows close to profit was £ls, while heifers sold proportionately well, but backward and inferior cattle were noi wanted.

There were signs that most dairymen had obtained their requirements for the season.

Yearling heifers were keenly sough! and prices were higher than recent weeks.

Offerings of beef cattle at various centres were not large and competition remained kepn with rates on r par with last week. x Prime ox beef was quoted at £k 13/- to £2/15/- per 1001 b., best heifer beef at £2/8/-, and best cow beet at about £2/5/-.

In the pig sections large entries ov stores, slips and weaners sold well under strong competition. Best baconerr made £B/117-, with porkers realising proportionate rates, large stores to £4 10/-, and best weaners reaching the £3 mark. Sows to farrow, and sows with litters met a keen inquiry and sold tc £l2/11/-.