LIVE STOCK MARKET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 January 1939, Page 6

LIVE STOCK MARKET

THIS WEEK’S BLENHEIM SALE ! POOR SALE FOR FAT SHEEP The promise of an improvement in prices for fat sheep following an allround increase in rates at last week’s ! auction did not materialise at this week's sale at the Blenheim yards, when a yarding of 2010 sheep met with a disappointing demand and fat ewes declined by about Is 6d per head. In the case of fat wethers prices remained fairly steady on last week’s rates, while for store sheep there was the usual absence of speculation among buyers (reports the "Express”). From the time the first pen was offered it became apparent that difficulty would be experienced in maintaining last week’s rates Throughout the sale was dull and lifeless and butchers seemed apathetic as to whether they were in the bidding or not. For this reason the auctioneers were set a difficult task, for the butchers appeared to have a very restricted limit, beyond which it was almost impossible to get a bid. A number of quite attractive pens were included in the 512 fat ewes offered, and although prices were on a lower scale than last week, every sheep was disposed of at auction. Round about 9s 4d appeared to be the limit for butchers and only on a few occasions was that figure bettered. The top price was 12s 7d, which was paid for 12 very attractive ewes offered on accqunt of Mr J. W. Leslie, of the Wither. The next best price was 10s lOd, which bought a further pen offered by Mr Leslie and a pen owned by Mr F. Fis- | senden, of the Awatere. Two other j well-finished lots made 10s 4d and a ! further pen fetched 10s Id Round about 7s lOd and up to 8s 4d was a popular range. Wethers did not receive a promising start, for the first two pens were passed in at disappointingly low prices and it was anticipated that difficulty would be experienced in disposing of the 347 that came forward. Fortunately, however, there were a few buyers present who were prepared to bid up to last week’s rates, and the remainder of the entry was knocked down under the hammer. A line of 22 attractive sorts offered on behalf of Mrs A. H. Davis, Kaituna, fetched 18s 4d, and two other offerings by the same vendor each realised 16* 7d. Three well-finished sorts attracted keen competition and were finally quitted at 18s 7d. A two-tooth wether and a maiden ewe offered on account of Mr R. T. Laidlaw found a buyer at 19s 4d. From 15s Id to 16s Id was a popular figure. I Lambs did not meet with such keen competition as was expected, there being only one buyer who was really eager to be in the bidding. The 16 lambs that came forward were 'disposed of at prices ranging from 16s 7d to 17s 7d. THE STORE SECTION There was again a large offering of lambs in the store section, and owing to the general lack of speculation on the part of buyers the greater portion of the 808 lambs that came forward were passed in at very low prices. A line of 95 tliree-quarter-bred wether lambs offered on account of Messrs Wifiin Bros, found a buyer at 11s lOd. and 90 well-grown halfbreds owned by the same vendor changed hands at 9s 6d. Two pens containing 85 and 80 well-woollen halfbreds, offered on behalf of Mr A. Davidson, of Ward, fetched 5s 7d and 7s 2d, respectively. A line of 239 Corriedales from Meadowbank was passed in at the shockingly low price of 3s. but at the conclusion of the sale the line was disposed of at 4s. Several pens of good two-tooth halfbred ewes came forward and they were sold very cheaply at 9s Bd. 9s sd, 9s 2d, 9s, and 5s Id.