WAIKATO VALUES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22984, 11 March 1938, Page 5

WAIKATO VALUES

STEADINESS IN BEEP

SHEEP LOSE BUOYANCY STRONG PIG* COMPETITION • After a month of great activity the sheep section has suddenly lost buoyancy and seems unlikely to recover. Fortunately for sellers, most of their surplus has been marketed and generally with good results. In fact, values during February were all to their advantage and much beyond what good judgment would have assessed as their true worth. Morrinsville, which enjoys supremacy as a distributing centre, was the first to feel the collapse. This evidenced itself without uncertainty on Friday last and marks, it is felt, the end of interest in sheep for this season. Aged sheep greatly miss the customary assistance of exporters. Last year, almost any old ewe was worth from 8s t,o 10s, but the canning rate this year is barely .'ls, so that a descent to this level may be expected. Store cattle, especially those in forward condition, continue to attract attention, but it looks as if supplies immediately in sight will prove sufficient to exhaust the demand. The good entry at Frankton on Tuesday, although drawing competition, did so from a very small assemblage of buyers. Dairy cattle still create most interest, but it appears too active to be maintained unbroken until the season opens. Forward buying an this branch, as in sheep, has developed greatly in recent years and there can be no doubt that this speculative method tends to introduce a more sanguine spirit into spot operations than is justified. Conditions in the separate sections are: BEEF Very steady conditions govern this section and well-finished lines are invariably easy to trade. Entries at Frankton continue light and in marked contrast to previous years at this period. For ox beef dn Tuesday competition was again willing "and values were slightly improved. Cow beef also fully sustained the standards of the previous week. Prime ox sold from 38a to 41s; ordinary, 34s to 375; prime heifer, 3os to 375; young cow, 29s to 31s; Jersey cows, young, 20s to 255; rough cows, 17s to 21s.

MUTTON The advanced rates of a week ago drew a better entry to Frankton on Tuesday, and, although a decline was anticipated,, it <lid not occur. The proportion of (rood butchers' sheep, was limited and competition for these carried values to close on the previous week's levels. Some of the plainer lots were lower. Best wethers, sold to 34s Gd; average lots, 28s to 31 s; light, from 2Gs; Southdown cross. -Is 6d to 26s 6d; best ewes. '2os to 23s Gd; medium, 17s Od to 19s 6d; light and unfinished, 12s to lGs; iat Jambs, ISs to '27s ' , STORE CATTLE The demand for cattle continues steady, but at Frankton on Tuesday some of the earlier eagerness- was absent. Very forward steers sold up to £lO IGs, with fair conditioned animals from £9 to .C 9 15s, Young cattle were not so keenly sought. Big autumn fairs are being held in outlying districts thitf week and these will fully satisfy the demand for a period. Dairy classes, both in calf and empty, are of great- local interest and the tendency is upward. There .arc many arguments to support the expectation of a good winter demand, but why it should exceed that of last ] year is not apparent. Much will depend on the number tot hetds to be dispersed. Should this prove smaller, as many predict, heifers ; will be more freely drawn Upon, but there is unquestionably a larger supply to draw ; from and this cannot be disregarded. STORE SHEEP I ASv earlier stated, the season seems to ; be nearing an end and what looked at first j unpromising is better than was anticipated. Sales for all classes have been excellent, and for breeding ewes February levels were not greatly under the standards of a year ago. j At the same (into, the setback may be only temporary. Last season witnessed good markets right to the end of March and even beyond, but the tone at present is not a hopeful omen for repetition. Lambs' have also fallen in favour, especially the smaller varieties. The prevalence of eczema has also no doubt had a restraining influence. Signs of , it has been disclosed in many flocks and in some the consequences are costly.

PIGS' 1 Fat pigs are reaching the yards in great volume and meeting with strong competiI tion. At. Frankton on Tuesday top weights , advanced is to £4 ss. with porsers also strong. Store pigs generally were much I easier RANGIRIRI ENTRIES The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, reports that before a representative bench of buyers over the advertised entry of cattle came forward at Kangiriri, the yards being filled to capacity. A general clearance was effected under good competition. All classes were sought after. Beef cows and boner cows sold at rates equal to recent markets, while-.,potter bulls realised late rates. The inquiry' tor forward-, conditioned and store steers was, well sup-* ported, although the inquiry for 18 months steers was a little irregular, vendors', met the market, all being sold by auctiqn or private treaty. Yearling steers and heifers sold at late rates, keen interest being shown in the entry of Shorthorn yearling- heifers.' Jersey heifers, which had teen running with bull, represented a big part of a heavy yarding, creating interest from outside districts, the whole yarding • changing hands under the hammer at satisfactory prices to vendors. Medium fat cows,made £G 10s to ■t'H; lighter, £5 to £G 2s Gd; second quality cow beef, £4 ."is to £5 ,2s ed;"-. boner and canner cows, £'2 5s to £4 Ss; cows with calves at foot, ,£4 7s (3d to £3 8s; runners; £3 l»s to £:V. 17s; 3 to 3Va-year-old forw'ard-conditioned Polled Angus steers, A'i> 14s to £lO 10s; Polled Angus store conditioned, £8 10s to £9 8s; two and a-half to three-year-old Polled Angus steers, £7 -15s to £8 ,l!.)s; 18 months to two-year-old Polled, Angus steers. .£<> 5s to £7 is; 18 months to two-year-old Hereford steers, £5 lis to £(!; IS months to three-year-old mixedcoloured steers, £4 5s to £7 12s; 18 monthsold Shorthorn steers, £5 5s to £5 14s; 18-months-old Polled Angus heifers, £4 17s to •Co; heavy potter bulls, .£(> lOs to £8; lighter, £1 12s Gd to £6 Gs; small and poorconditioned, £2 'AOs; two and a-half-year Jersey heifers, r.w.b., AG 7s lid to £7 ss; medium quality, £5 12s 6d to £0 2s 6d; 18-months-old Jersey heifers, r.w.b., £5 7s Gd to £G 7s (id; mixed-coloured Shorthorn and Shorthorn-cross heifers, r.w.b., £5 123 Gd to £0; Fricsian-cross heifers, r.w.b., £5 12s to £5 17s fid; small and inferior quality. £4 to £4 ss; Shorthorn yearling steers. £3 7s Gd to £14.; mixed-colour yearling steers, £2 5s to £2 15s; well-bred yearling Shorthorn heifers, £3 13s to £3 18s; small Jersey and Jersey-cross yearllnjr heifers, £2 to £2 12s Gd. MOEREWA PRICES STEADY ' [by telegraph—cvrx correspondent]! WHANGAREI, Thursday The North Auckland Farmers' Co-operative Company, Limited, reports a medium yarding at its Moerewa sale. There was not a large attendance of buyers, but competition was fair for all lines that had been yarded. Two-tooth store wethers made 22s 2d; aged ewes. 7s Gd; cows with calves at foot, from £4 to £5 12s Gd; coloured, two and a-half-year-old steers. £4 10s: coloured yearling steers. £2 ss; good quality steer calves, £2 Us; in-calf Jersey heifers, £3 ss; boner bulls, £4 10s to -£G 128 Gd; liouer cows, £2 12s to £3 ss; two-yenr-old Hereford-Shorthorn-cross heifers, £3 15s to £4 Is.

Dalgety and Company, Limited, reports:— There was a good yarding with an average attendance of buyers. Light fat cows made from £1 Is- to £1 1!»s; Shorthorn heifer calves, £'2 5s to £3 1">s; Jersey heifers, £'-> His to £'3 <*>s; cows with calves at foot, £'4 its to £.*> 1 lis (id; boner cows, medium, £3 •Js; boner bulls, medium, i t to £.*•: one lied Poll bull mailo 8 guineas. FRANKTON QUOTATIONS The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, reports having held its sheep sale at Frankton, where prices for store lambs were «i shndc cusicr thnn recent Quotations, but practically u total clearance was effected. Medium store wether lambs, shorn, made t'-'s to lis 8d; others, up to iOs (id; fat wethers, 'its 9d to -Jos Id; prime fat ewes, 31s to 325; tillable ewes, 13s lid to His'(id; cull owes, 7s to Ss^3d.

' MAUNGAKARAMEA PRICES \BY TKLKCUA.rH—OWN CORRESPONDENTV . VVIIANGAREI, Thursday There was a full yarding of cattle of all classes at the Maungakanunea sale held by Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited. There was steady competition for all lines. Dairv heifers, close to profit, made from £5 10s to £7; backward sorts, £4 12s <sd to £3 ss; fat. cows, £4 10s to £6 30s; boner cows, £1 70s' to £3 iris; pottiir bulls, £3 lOs to £7 *;;s (kl, according to weight; rough steers, to £3 18s; steer calves, £2 17s; heifer calves, £2 14«.