VALUES IN WAIKATO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22941, 20 January 1938, Page 7

VALUES IN WAIKATO

SHEEP SEASON OPENS ' : ■ . . . • ' SERIOUS VIEW OF DROUGHT KEEN -DEMAND FOR PIGS a • : An exceptionally dry spring pro- . moted the anticipation of a rainy summer to counteract iii, but instead each week intensifies the dry conditions and ' farmers are beginning to view it seriously. . < i -v.. . ... { P In a normal year, or under the improving prospects of a year ago, this misfortune would have been ignored, but now at the opening - of a sheep season when sheep products are on the down grade this additional adversity is liable to press with greater weight than its presence justifies. What the attitude toward breeding ewes will bs has yet to be determined." It is, however, idle to pretend that there is no abatement of confidence. The general tone is weaker and the de- ~ cline in lamb this week to 7|d must , accentuate the tendency. The Ka,uroaV fair to-day will mark the opening for the season. For the last two years this has proved the briskest of the series and in the expectation no -doubt of similar success, a larger entry is.being assembled. A It is certain that- business *6hroug& : out the Waikato will again be extensiveovhatever the price, but it is difficult to estimate whether, the proportion of forward'huying has been greater or less. At any rate (from reports vast consignments of sheep are being sent to this locality and these, it would seem, constitute the greatest menace to the market stability. Conditions in the separate sections are:—

• BEEP' _ ,_ • The good lead set at Frankton a week ago has been followed in the adjacent districts. Competition everywhere has been exceedingly keen and this week at Frankton the enthusiasm was repeated. It would be folly to talk of a shortage, but it is undeniable.-that the season has been unfavourable and it seems reasonable to regard the Bhorter yarding* as a consequence. The quality of-the entry this week was inferior. Very few prime lots were displayed. Rates generally were a little in advance of last quptations. Prime medium - ox sold from 37s to 395; ordinary, 33s to 355; prime heifer, 34s to 375; young cow, 29s to 325; Jersey cows, young, 22s to 265: plain cows, ISs to 20s, : ! MUTTON This section remains more or less in the doldrums. As a rule at this season more life is to he observed, but this year it proves a most uninteresting section and the absence of competition from exporters made this week's operations even more dull. "Wethers were lower all round but the demand for ewes came from a wider circle with benefit to values. Lambs, in accordance with the schedule drop, also declined. Prime wethers sold to 28s; medium, 25a 6d to 20s Gd; small wethers, 23s 6d to 25s t heavy ewes, 17s Gd to 18s Gd; medium, 15s to 10s Gd; unfinished, from 13s Gd; best lambs reached 23s Gd, with lighter-weights from 19s. STORE CATTLE , ' Although the demand is not as keen as prior to the holidays it was disclosed 'at Morrinsville on Friday that steers are still popular. Classes suitable for chilling were briskly competed for, but younger cattle did not offer the same attraction. A fairly large entry of two-year empty heifers, station bred, did not attract the compeition expected and a fair proportion was passed. Prices approaching £G were realised for. those sold. Boners continue to occupy their customary share of the yard accommodation and at present are meeting with a much keener demand. Bulls also are wanted. In-calf heifers are being watched for and whenever they are available competition is inyariably. keen. Values are advancing. *_ STORE SHEEP .

The market for lambs has weakened since last reporting and with the export schedule descending a similar trend in stores seems, probable. Waingaro' fair, whjch is generally brisk, proved disappointing to most sellers, but may yet prove one of the season's .best. Although an offering of two-tooth ewes wan made at Morrinsville on Friday, with fairly good results, no opportunity of judging the general attitnde has yet betn possible. That prices will bo lower,,there is no- room to doubt and it seems likely that inferior classes will receive scant support. There-will, however, be the usual demand and good sound ewes are sure to make their -value, thongh what this really is will be,the cause of argument. At Morrinsville two-tooth ewe# sold under the hammer as' high as. 38s 4d for fairly good sheep, but competition was restricted and it was necessary to resort to private treaty for part of the entry. £<ambs -■ at Waingaro were about 2s a head belnw last year's rates, medium and Inferior classes being chiefly affected. Best.«shorn lots, sold from 17s Gd to 19s; medium, 15s to 16s; small, from 12s to 13s Gd; cnlls,fram 8«. PIGS So keen is the demand for fat pigs that it is now customary to bid out to the limit of the schedule in the opening bid, similarly to the method adopted by wool buyers when the demand is good. At Frankton this week lot after lot was knocked down at the open ing bid of £3 18s, in fact so keen was one buyer that he tendered his bid to the auctioneer privately before the pen' was offered or even approached. Certainly: the eagerness displayed in this section is refreshing to watch after the delay and' weariness that is visible elsewhere. . ,

USE OF BUTTERMILK LARGE MODERN PIG FARM PROPOSAL FOR TUAKAU [from our own correspondent] TUAKATT, -Wednesday With a view to obtaining for tho suppliers of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Limited, the full profits from the utilisation of the buttermilk from the company's Tuakau factory for pig-raising, the directors have taken an option for the purchase of an area of approximately 130 acres near the factory. The area extends from the creek below the factory to the Tuakau-Pukelfohe Road, and the intention is to convert it into a large modern pig farm, to which the buttermilk will probably be supplied by pipe line. In this way it -is expected that several hundred pounds a year will be carried for suppliers in lieu of selling the buttermilk for a price of under £IOO per annum as at present. As a sideline to the Franklin Co-ciperative Dairy Company's butter factory on the bank of the Waikato River at Tuakau, a large pig farm is operated.

export! of cheese

DOMINION'S INCREASE- " % i * # FIGURES FOR FIVE MONTHS' Total exports of cheese from New Zealand in December were 9897 tons, a decrease of 1356 tons compared with the shipments in December, 1936. For the first five inontlw of the current season, however, Ntnv Zealand shipments increased by 520 tons from 32,990 tons to 33,510 tor.s. British imports of cheese for the year recently closed and for the two "preceding years, were, in tons: — 11)37 1938 1035 New Zealand.. 80,023 84,159 * 88,524 Australia .. 5,980 4,5-18 >6.721 Canada .. 30,144 • 30,208 23,525 Other British,. V 5lB . .1,534 1,544 Empire .. 130,365 120,449 120,314 Netherlands .. 10.854 8,086 0,903 * Italy .. 3,085 ' 700 8,714 ' Switzerland 873 - 855 1,030 Other foreign.. 1,773 2,925- 1.128 ■— Foreign .. 16,615 13,566 15,83 ft; Total .. 146,980 134.015 130.149 Estimated stocks of all cheese in r Great Britain, as nt January 1, getlier with New Zealand export stock* in the Dominion and afloat. 42,350 tons, compared \vitli 41.6-V> tnW« I in 1937, and 40,502 tons in 1» •' 1

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