DAIRY HEIFERS FIRM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23162, 7 October 1938, Page 7

DAIRY HEIFERS FIRM

DEMAND IN WAIKATO

STEERS MAKE TO £l6/15/* MORE SHORN SHEEP FORWARD Values in all sections of the fat stock market have eased just a shade since our last report. The demand for grown steers is still firm, but prices for yearlings and two-year-olds are much easier than those ruling early last month. Further large offerings of store steers will bo submitted in the Waikato during tho next week and buyers should then be able to fill their requirements. Tho grade bull sales are now in full swing and following the successful pedigree fixtures recently conducted, prices have been most satisfactory. Last autumn, when values for potter bulls were high, large numbers came forward at every sale and as these have to be replaced for service purposes, tho inquiry at every centre is stronger than last year. Yearling Jersey heifers still create spirited competition and high prices are obtained for good quality cattle of this class. A ready demand exists for well-grown dairy heifers close to profit, while good quality cows also meet with a good sale. At the Morrinsville sale on Friday a large yarding of dairy cattle sold under keen competition, best quality heifers making from £l3 2s 6d to £l4 12s 6d and other choice sorts from £lO 10s to £l2 10s. Conditions in the various sections are as follows: — BEEF Larger yardings of bed have been forward at the throe main Waikato centres during the past week. At the To Awamutu sale, tho entry of beef included several pens of good quality fat steers and heifers, which met with a ready sale, prime Shorthorn steers making to £ls. One of the largest pennings of beef this season was offered to a full bench of buyers at the Morrinsville auction, when heavyweight cattle sold at slightly easier rates, but light steers and second quality beef fully maintained late quotations. Another good yarding of ox beef was penned at the central yards on Tuesday. Although a number of outside butchers were operating, the market was not so free, and prices for heavy cattle were down 15s to £1 a head on last week's rates. This is the first occasion for six weeks that a fall in values has been recorded at this centre. Heavy prime steers made £ls to £l6 15s; medium, £l3 to £l4 10s; light, £lO 10s to £l2 10s; extra choice light-weight ox made to £2, per 1001b.; prime heavy-weight, to 37s tJd' per 1001b MUTTON

The fat sheep market which declined sharply three weeks ago has shown no sign of recovering and with a larger proportion of shorn sheep coming forward each week it does not now appear likely that prices will improve. At the central yards on Tuesday the entry was the lightest for three weeks, but in spite of this fact, woolly wethers showed a further drop of approximately Is 6d a head. Shorn wethers just maintained recent quotations, while prime fat ewes were in some cases a shade better. No heavy prime hoggets were yarded, and the entry in this section was mostly absorbed by graziers. Prime woolly wethers made 27s 6d to 29s 3d; lighter, 25s to 275; prime shorn wethers, 25s to 26s 3d; lighter, 22s to 24s 6d; young woolly ewes, 23s 3d to 265; heavy fat ewes. 21s to 22s 9d; shorn ewes, 16s 6d to 2ls 6d. BIGS 1

Owing to the late spring, yardings of fat pigs are smaller than usual for this time of the year. In anticipation of a drop in schedule buyers have been operating rather quietly and prices, except in isoteted cases, have shown a downward trend. This season tho market for baconers has not been as buoyant as was anticipated, but should prices settle around present rates, there would still be a good profit for the fattener. - A noticeable featuro this year is that with the present grading regulations, buyers are more discriminating and while nicely finished, lenethv pigs are at a premium, short fat pigs sell at considerably reduced rates. With a little more milk available stores and weaners have improved in value at most saleyards. Best baconers make, £3 12s to £3 15S; medium, £3 5s to £3 10s; light, £2lB sto £3 4s; heavy porkers and buttermilk P'KS, £2 10s to £2 17s; medium porkers, £- 5s to £2 9s; light, 38s to £2 3s; unfinished porkers and large stores, 32s to 375; good slips, 30s to 355; best weaners, 20s to 245; medium. 15s to 18s; smalL to 12s.

STEERS REALISE £ll/2/The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, reports an . J ie ® , 7 y entry of all classes of cattle at Matamata. The'entry of beef was a large one, consisting of heavy fat second quality cows and fat Jersev cows and heifers. Prices dropped considerably on recent rates. Boner cows were yarded in large numbers and sold at schedule rates. A good entry of empty twoyear Jersey heifers sold at recent prices, while a heavy yarding of good quahty yearline Jersey ncifers failed to attract and vendors' reserves could not be reached. Bulls sold at recent rates. Ihe largest yarding of fat pig£ penned so far this season was offered to a dull bench of buyers. Competition was steady, and late Frankton rates fully maintained. A medium entry of stores and' weancrs met with spirited competition andi prices advanced 10s to los a head. Cattle: Light Polled Angus steers, to ill 4, s- killable steers, to £7 Os; heavy second quality cows, .C 8 7s (id to £9; heavy prime Jersey heifers, £~ to £9 10s; medium second quality cpws. .€0 10s to kt I<s bd; prime fat light Jersey cows, __ La to £0; prime light Jersey heifers, i*o os to £o i-.s (id; killable cows, £;1 5s to £4 15s; empty two-year ' Jorsey heifers, £3 10s to £4 ,s (id; empty two-year slip hoiferc, £- 10s *.o £3 ss; pedigree yearling Jersey bulls, l»gns to 20gns; potter bulls, £4 15s to £7 10s; rough two-year bulls, £5 5s to «£7; heavy boners, £3 os to £4 2s; light, £- to £3; cull cows, Ids to 30s. Pigs: Best baconers, £3 10s to £3 15s; medium. £3 os to £3 t)s- light, £"2 18s to £3 4s; heavy porkers and butter-milk pigs £'J 10s to £2 17s: medium porkers, £2 4 s to £- 8s; light, 3Ss to £2 2s; unfinished, 34s to 3<s; large stores, 3Ss to £2 2s; medium, 32s to 375; best weaners, 30s to 33s 6d.

RECORD BUTTER OUTPUT UNITED STATES PRODUCTION NEED FOR IMPORTS UNLIKELY Normally the United States of America imports substantial quantities of butter, mostly direct from Europe, but it is improbable that any imports of tho product will be required this year, according to reports made to the London office of tho Australian Dairy Produce Board. Production in America has been favourable, and consumption below normal. Stocks ot all dairy products, such as condensed milk, and cream, are heavy, and, as the summer has not been very warm, much milk that ordinarily is made into ice cream has been going into cheese, condensed milk and butter. Creamery butter production in .Tune was estimated at 204,393,0001b., the largest output evpr recorded for any month in tho history of tho industry in the United States, being 2,500,0001b. more than the provious record established in June, 1933. Chccso production for June, at 65,590,0001b., was also tho highest fot any month on record. Total production oft* cheese for tho first six months of 1938 is estimated nt 278,578,0001b., an increase of 15 per cent over the same period of 1937. and 32 per cent over tho eight years' average, 1929-1936 STAPLE FIBRE PRODUCTION INCREASE IN GERMANY .; Germany's output of staple fibre during 1938 will total between 150,000 and 160,000 tons, compared with 102,000 tons in 1937 and 40,000 tons in 1936. Tho Financial Times says that exports estimate that in the spring of 1939 Germany's annual staple fibre production will be at the rate of 200,000 tons. Particular attention is being given to improving the quality of tho fibre anc. varying its texture in accordance with the' ultimate use to which it 18 to be put. ' PROPERTY AUCTIONS T Mandeno Jackson will offer at public auction at its rooms, 3 Swanson Street, Auckland at 11 o'clock this morning, residential properties In Hamilton Road, Heme Bay, and Michael's Avenue, Ellersli#.