FAT STOCK MARKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20968, 3 September 1931, Page 5

FAT STOCK MARKET.

WEEKLY WESTFI ELD SALE.

BEEF VALUES MAINTAINED.

SLIGHT ADVANCE IN SHEEP.

The beef market values at the weekly Westfield stock sale yesterday were on a level with late quotations. In the sheep .division rates showed a small increase on prices quoted last week. The yarding was' about average and showed a marked shrinkage on the offerings which had been heavily penned during the last three weeks. Good quality calves were again in short supply, arid buyers were in keen competition for what good sorts Were available. Hie pig market- was active, with an all-round advance in prices. The following is a summary of the prices realised for fat stock for the last two weeks afc the Westfield fat stock sales:—

Fin 3 Selection of Steers. The market for fat cattle was'supplied with an unusually fine selection of prime steers and competition for these was keen. The total entry in t.he ox and cow pens aggregated 547 head, as against 536 last week and 605 the week before. Top price for the day was secured by Mr. John Hanncn, of Hautapu, for an extra heavy primo steer, which realised £l2 17s 6d. This figure equalled the highest price recorded at Westfield for some months. One show heifer brought £9 10s, but the average was about £7 10s for good cow beef.

Ono truck of prime grade bullocks from Messrs. Taylor Bros., of Taupiri, made from £9 17s 6d to £lO. A draft of 16 extra choice young steers on account of Mf. W. W. McLaughlin, of Pukenui, returned from £8 12s 6d to £l2 12s 6d and two - trucks of extra well finished steers from Mr. B. Reed, of Wa'erenga, sold from £lO 2s 6d to £l2 10s. A similar consignment of Polled Angus cattle from Messrs. Ring Bros., of Hinuera, also sold well, the line making from £lO 10s to £l2 7s 6d. A draft of heavy prime cows from Mr. M. Wright, of Mauku, 1 realised up to £8 15s and 16 steers from Messrs. Reid Bros., Opotiki, averaged £lO Is 7d. Seventeen well finished calves from the Romerville Estate, Okoroire, averaged £3 15s top price being £4 4s. Better Bidding for Sheep.

There was a dull market for poor quality and • small calves, most of the "bobby" variety selling at disappointing prices. Any well finished runners and medium to heavy vealers were bought at slightly advanced rates as compared with the values on the previous Wednesday. As anticipated the entry of sheep this week showed a marked reduction on the offering which* had glutted the market at the last three sales. Hence the progressive easing tendency in prices was arrested and values firmed slightly for thei finest sorts, although still about 7s a head short of the rates touched three weeks ago, when heavy prime wethers made up to 28s. In contrast to the hesitant bidding of the last fortnight, competition was more lively, particularly for the choicest pons. Competition was also brisker at the fat pig pens, where butchers were looking for the best kinds and were ready to pay accordingly. Values therefore rose.

DETAILS OF SALES.

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS

Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report on the weekly Westfield fat stock Balo held yesterday as follows: Beef.—"Wo penned fat cattle to the number of 293 head as against 246 head at last week's market, comprising 223 steers and 70 cows and heifers. The offering included many lines of heavy prime cattle, and values for these were a trifle easier. Other classes were unchanged. Extra choice ox sold to £1 8s per 1001b.; choice and prime, £1 4a to £1 7s; secondary and plain, £1 2s to £1 33; prime young cow and Leifer beef, £1 4s to £1 lis; ordinary cow beef, 15s to £1 3s. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £l2 to £l2 17s fid for a steer from Mr. John Harmon, Hautapu. Sixteen extra well-finished steers from Messrs. Ring Brothers, Hinuera, averaged £ll 6s 9d, and 15 from Mr. B. Reed, Waerenga, £ll 7s 2d. Heavy prime steers sold from £lO 10s to £ll 17s 6d: lighter, £!> to £lO 7s 6d: light, £7 10s to £8 17s 6d; small and unfinished, £5 15s to £7 7s 6d;. extra heavy prime young cows and heifers. £7 5s to £S. One show heifer made £9 10s. Heavy prime cows and heifers sold from £6 to £7 2s 6d: lighter. £4 10s to £5 17s 6<i: other killable cows, i'2 to £4 7s 6d. ■%

Sheep.—An average yarding met with a firmer sale at slightly improved values (979 sheep were sold). Extra heavy prime wethers made from £1 Is to £1 _2s 3d. for wethers from Mr. J J P. Kidd, Karaka. Heavy prime wethers made from 19s to 20s 6d; medium to heavy. 17s to 18s 9d; light to medium. 15s 6d to lKs 9d; unfinished. 'l3s to 'lss; extra heavy prime young ewes, 18s to 19s 3d; heavy, 16s fd to 17s 9d; lighter, 15s to lfis 3d: other killable ewes, 12s 6d to 14s 6d; prime hoggets. 16s 6d to 18s 9d; lighter hoggets. 14s to 16s 3d; other hoggets, 12s to 13s 9d. The 37 spring lambs sold freely at from 13s to £1 5s 9d.

Calves.—We had a full yarding of fat and young calve*. Prime light vealers were in good request at improved prices, all other classes sold at late rates. Runners made from £2 15s to £5 17s fid for a heavy Shorthorn heifer from Pukekawa; heavy vealers. £3 12s to £4; medium. £2 17s to £3 6s; light. £2 6s to £2 12s: small, 16s to £1 8s; rough. 123 to 18a: bobbv calves, Is to 5s (337 calves were sold).

Pigs.—An increased entry of fat pigs canio forward. The quality generally was better nnd competition for _ heavy prime hnconers was more keen, prices showing a, slight improvement. Choppers made from .£•2 10s to £3 Us; heavy prime baqoners. £3 8s to £3 10s; medium, £2 14s to £3; light, £2 9s to £2 12s; heavy porkers, £2 4s to £2 7s: medium. £1 IBs to £2 Is; light, £1 12s to £1 16s : small and unfinished, £1 7s to £1 lis. There was a heavy supply of store pigs and buyers were well represented, a good sale resulting. Medium framed stores sold from £1 lis to £1 16s; good slips, £1 4s to £1 7s; best weaners. £1 to £1 2s; smaller. 15s to 18s; weedy. 83 to 12s. The advertised sows attracted animated bidding. Sows with litters made £3 10s to £6 17s 6d: sows due to farrow early. £5 to £& 2s 6d; more backward, £2 to £4 12s Gd; serviceable boars. £1 15s to £3 7s 6d (a total of 535 pigs was sold).

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan nnd' Mercantile Agency Company. Limited, report on the weekly Westfield fat stock sale, held yesterday, as follows: — Beef.—Scarcely average numbers were penned, with values very firm for choice and prime Quality. Other classes sold at late rates. Extra choice ox sold to 28s per' 1001b; .choice and prime, 253 to 27a; ordinary and plain, 22s to 245; prime young cow and heifer beef, 23s to 265; ordinary cow beef, 16s to 225; heavy prime steers. £9 15s to £lO 17s 6d; lighter. £8 10s to £9 10s; light, £7 to £8 7s 6d; unfinished and email. £5 10s to £6 17s 6d: heavy prime young cows and heifers, £7 to £8 153; lighter, £5 12s 6d to £6 15s; lisht, £4 10s to £5 10s; other cows, £3 to £4 ss.

Sheep.—Average numbers were yarded, many less than last week's large entry. There was a steady demand, with values Is to 2s better than last sale. Heavy prime wethers made from £1 to £1 Is 9d; medium, 18s 3d to 19s 9d; light, 16s to ISs Sd; small -and unfinished, 12s to 15s 9d; heavy prime ewes, ISs to 20s; medium, 15s to 17s 9d; light, 12s 6d to 14s 9d. Prime hoggets made

from 12a- to 18s 6d; smill anill unfinished hoggets, 9s to lis 9d. The 25 spring lambs penned sold readily at from 15s to £1 7s.

Pigs.—A Bmall yarding of fat pigs sold at improved values. Choppers sold from £"2 to £3 Ss; heavy attd medium baconers, £3 to £3 10s; light baconers and heavy porkers, £2 10s to £2 18s; medium porkers and light porkers, £2 to £2 8s; small and unfinished porkers, £1 12s to £1 18s, Store pigs were in keen demand and values finned on last week's quotations. Large stores made from £1 10a to £1 16s; slips, £1 to £1 9s; weaners, 10s to £1 6s; sows, in pi®. to £5; sows and litter, £8 7s 6d.

Calves,—Small numbers were penned, the yarding comprising mostly small calvers. Good vealers were in demand and values firmed on last week's quotation. Runners made £2 10s to £1 Gs; heavy vealers, £3 to £3 18s; medium. £2 10s to £2 18s; light, £'2 to £2 8s; smaller, £1 10s to £1 18s; small and fresh-dropped. 3s to £1 Ss; rough calves, 7s to 1-ls. DALGETY AND COMPANY. . Dalgety and Company, Limited, report on the weekly Weatfield fat stock sale held yesterday as follows: Beef.—Ox beef was offered in well up to usual numbers and the offering included a fair number of prime heavy cattle. A steady demand existed and vahie3 for all prime light and medium-weight cattle were fully on a par with late rates, while values for heavy cattle were a shade easier. Cow and heifer beef came forward in average numbers and ruled at late rates. Extra choice ox sold to 28s per 1001b; choice and prime, 25s to 275; just billable, 22s to 245; prime young cow and heifer beef, 24s to 2Gs: just killable, 15s to 235. Extra heavy prime steers made up to £ll 10s: heavy prime steers sold from £lO to-'£ll 7s Gd; lighter prime, £8 17s Gd to £9 17s Gd; light, £7 2s Gd to £8 15s; small and unfinished, £1 10s to £7; extra heavy prime yr.ung cows and heifers, £7 15u to £8 15s; heavy prime cows and heifers, £G 12s Gd to £7 12s 6d; lighter, £5 5s to £(i 10s; other killable cows, £2 12s Gd to £5 52a Gd.

Sheep Smaller numbers came forward than last week and the yarding was quite an average one. Competition was steady and values were fully on a par with la to rates, with a firming tendency for prime quality. Hoggetst vfrere penned in usual numbers and sold steadily at late rates. Heavy prime hoggets raade from 16s to 17s; medium, 14a 6d to 15s 9d; light, lis to 14s 3d. Extra heavy prime wethers realised from 20s to 2la 3d; heavy prime, 18s Gd to 19s 9d; medium, 16s 6d to 18s 3d; light and unfinished, 12a <sd to lGs 3d: heavy prim£ ewes, 16s Gd to 17s Gd; lighter, 3d to 16s 3d; other ewes, 13s to 15s. Calves.—Rather smaller numbers were penned and sold at lat£ rates. Runners brought from £2 10s to £4 4a; heavy vealers. £3 to £3 15s; medium, £2 9s to £2 18s; light. 28a to £1 18a; rough. 6a to 14s; small and fresh-dropped, 23 to Bs.

Pigs.—Average number 3 were offered and sold at advanced rates. Choppers brought from £2 to £3 ss; heavy baconers. £3 to £3 9s; medium, £2 l'U to £2 18s; light. £2 10s to £2 14s; heavy porkers £2 8s to ±- 16s; medium, £2 to £2 7s; light, £1 10s to £1 18s.

RATES AT ABDINGTON.

SJORE SHEEP IN nDEMAND.

EASIER PRICES FOR BEEF.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION".]

CHRISTCHUECH. "Wednesday

Entries at the Addington stock market to-day were of normal size for this period.

Store Sheep.—Some better lines of twotooth sheep camo forward and competition was keen. Values remained on a par with the last market. Good two-tooth halfbred ewes made 15s Cd to 17s; good sound mouth halfbred ewes, 13s 6d to 14s Id; sound mouth ewes, 9s to 12s lid; six and eighttooth threequarterbred ewes, to 14s - 9d: forward six-tooth wethers, to 13s lOd. Fat Sheep.—An entry of 4700. Tha Quality 6howed a decline, compared with recent markets. Values were on a par with late rates, but there was a dull sale--for heavy unfinished sorts. Extra prime heavy wethers made up to 22s 4d; prime, 16s to 17s 6d: medium, 13s to 15s Gd: light, 10s to 12s 6d; extra prime heavy ewes, to 19s 4d; prime heavy, 10s to 17s 6d; prime, 14s to 15a 6d; medium, to 14s 6d;, light, to 10s.

Fat Cattle,—An entry of 380 head was in excess of the requirements. There was one line of over 60 head from the North Island. Values eased by £1 a head. Values ranged to 32s lOOlb. for primest sorts; 28s to 30s for medium weight steer beef; 22s to _2os for heavy-weight beef; 31s for best heifer beef; to 26s for the best cow beef; 19s to 23s for medium cow beef. Extra prime heavy eteers realised up to £ls 2s 6d; prime heavy, £ll 10s to £l3; prima medium weight. £8 15s to £11; ordinary quality, to £8 10s; light, to £6; extra prime heifers, to £l2 12s 6d; prime, £9 to £11; medium. £6 10s to £8 10s; light, to £6; extra prime eowit, to £l2: prime. £8 10s to £lO 10s; medium, to £8; light, to £5 10s.. . . Fat Pigs.—A medium entry. Competition for pork was good, but bacon was slightly easier. Choppers made up to £8 lis: baconers, 52s 6d to 57s 6d; heavy baconers). £3 4s 6d to £3 14s 6d (average price per pound, 5d to sjd); porker 3. 38s to 425: heavy porkers. 44s to 49s 6d (average price p t er pound," 6}d to 7§d).

WAIKATO STOCK MARKET.

QUIET CONDITIONS CONTINUE

BETTER WEATHER AWAITED.

"What is perhaps one of the longest winters experienced in the "Waikato is be guanine to show signs of termination. Although little growth is yet apparent, the whole country seems ready to burst away and t\ week or so of genial weather would change the prospect vastly. . In the stock markets there is not u great deal of enthusiasm. Dairy cattle are in better demand, with the difficulty tabling suitable animal very acutely felt. Most of the large lines have been reduced, leaving only the remnants available and these are now selling at values equal to the first choice. , The collapse of the mutton market has caused great astonishment, a decline being most unusual at this period. The high level recently reached seems to have had the anticipated effect of increasing beef consumption as the market for the latter is once again buoyant. „ , , Conditions as they' affect the separate branches are:— BEEF. A full entry at the Central yards this week met with a brisk demand and all classes showed improvement. Quality on the average was good. Values are:—Prime ox, 25s to 265; ordinary, 235; prime heifer, 24s to 255; prime cow, 235; ordinary, 20s; plain, 16s. MUTTON. An average yarding at the Central sale suffered a further decline and brought v n considerable portion of the entry inside export limits. A few extra good sheep made fairly high values, but average heavyweight wethers ranged from 17s to 19s; medium, 14s Gd to 16s; light jind unfinished, from 13s; best ewes, 14s to 16s (a few to 17s); medium weights, 10s to 13s; best hoggets, 17s to 20s (a few extra heavy to 255); medium, 14s to 16s; light, from lis; sprint; lambs, to 255. STORE CATTLE. There is little alteration in this section. No inquiry exists and holders apparently consider it not worth while to quote or pen for sale. No doubt with the advance of spring a demand will set in, but the prospect at present is so clouded that few seem disposed to undertake any speculative risk. With the improvement in springers, yearling heifers will most likely correspondingly benefit. Values at present are:— Grown steers, £4 to £5; 3-year. £2 las to .£3 10s; 2-year, £1 15s to .£2 10s; yearlings, £1 to £1 7s Gd; young fresh cows. £2 to .£3: Jerseys, 25s to 32s Gd; store cows - (good colours), £1 5s to £1 15s; small, 15s to 20s; aged, from 10s; yearling Jersey heifers, best, £2 10s to £3 10s; medium, 27s Gel to 355; small, from 15s; Shorthorn yearling heifers, £1 5s to £2; medium, 15s to 20s. STORE SHEEP. The decline in mutton has naturally affected this branch and easier values prevail. A few lines "off shears" have been penned but without attracting unusual atten(ion. Not many ewes with lamb at foot have yet come forward, but i£ is expected that this will be the most popular item before long. Values fire:—Forward wethers, 12? to 13s; good stores. 10s to lis Gd; small Ps Gd to 9s Gd: shorn wetliers. 9s to 10s; forward ewes, 7s to S3 Gd; store lambs, best, to 8s Gd; medium, 6s to 7s 6d;• small, from DAIRY CATTLE.

There is a much improved demand for ihis class and a very earnest search for good animals is proceeding. Unfortunately few remain that are capable of being so classed, and, as a consequence, the remnants are proving more profitable than the earlier sold tops. Present values are:—Best cows, £lO to £l2: later culvers. £6 to £8; best heifers, £7 10s to £S 10s (truck lots, £6 103 to £7 10s); October calvers, £5 to £6 10s; backward and poor, £2 to £3 10s. TIGS. The sale at the Central yards this week was an average one and values were much 011 the basis of last week's standard. Best haconers sold to £2 18s: lighter, from £2 Bs.; heavy porkers. £2 to £2 6s; light, from 335; store pigs, 26s to 32a; slips, 18s to 245;

This week. Last week. BEEP (per 1001b.) — Extra choice ox 28/Choice and prime ox .... 25/- to 27/25/- to 27/Choice and prime cow- and heifer 22/- to 26/22/- to 26/Boner and rough 15/- to 23/15/- to 23/SHEEP (per head)— Prjme wethera . 20/- to 22/3 19/6 to 21/9 Unfin. wethers . 13/- to 15/8/6 to 14/Prime ewes 18/- to 20/15/- to 17/6 Unfinished ewes 12/G to 14/6 10/6 to 12/6 Hoggeta ,. 12/- to 18/9 14/6 to 20/Spring lambs '. . 13/- to 27/- — 16/6 Prime lambs — 11/6 to Unfinished lambs — 5/3 to 11/3 CALVES (per head)-*-Runners 50/- to 117/6 45/- to 100/Vealers 26/- to 80/30/- to 80/PIGS (per head)- - Baconer8 54/- to 70/48/- to 68/Porkers .. 32/- to 48/- ; 28/- to 47/Stores ,. 15/- to 36/10/- to 34/-