GROWTH OF FEED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23470, 6 October 1939, Page 12

GROWTH OF FEED

GOOD WATKATO OUTLOOK STORE CATTLE IN DEMAND FAT STEER REALISES £2O/15/Feed is now plentiful in all parts of the district and the seasonal demand for store cattle is strong. The first large consignment of East Coast store cattle to come over this spring was offered at tin.' Morrinsville market last Friday and proved a most opportune time for vendors. An indication of the strong inquiry for this class of cattle was the largo and representative bench of buyers in attendance. The offering comprised three-year Foiled Angus and Hereford steers. Well-grown, good-con* ditioncd pens sold from £!) to £lO. and smaller from £7 10s to £8 10s. As this is practically the first spring cattle fair in this district, these values will probably set a standard for future sales. With more feed available, the demand for yearling Jersey heifers has also shown a further firming, and during the current week some attractive lines of yearlings have been submitted, with good-quality pens selling from £5 to £6.

The grade bull, sales are now in full swing. Good-conditioned two and threeyear herd bulls sell readily, as do wellgrown yearlings, but small yearlings and low-conditioned grown bulls are not so keenly sought. In the storo sheep section hoggets form the bulk of the entries, and prices for this class have been well maintained. Conditions in the separate sections are;— BEEF Values for fat cattle have remained very steady at nil centres during tlio past tlireo weeks. Supplies coming forward are usually only just sufficient for requirements, and indications are that present prices may hold for some little time yet. Outside butchers continue to operate at most of the main sales in this district, and this additional competition tends to keep the market firm. A keen sale was experienced at the central yards on Tuesday. The entry in tiie ox beef set-ion again included some extra heavy steers, one show beast realising £2O 15s. the best price realised at Frankton for 12 years. After the slightly lower values ruling at the previous sale, prices firmed about Is per 100lb. Cows and heifers were also keenly sought and here again prices advanced. Heavy prime steers made £lO 10s to £l7 10s; prime, £M to £ls 10s: lighter priino. £l2 to £l3 10.4: extra prime young cows and heifers, £l2 ids to .CM 2s . Od; prime, £l.O 103 lo £l2; lighter, £8 15s to £lO. M U'tTON Yardings or fat sheep at country sales have on the whole been only sufficient for the local requirements and as a result prices at these centres have been well sustained. At the Frankton market last week prices for both wethers and ewes showed a sharp drop, lint most of (he loss was recovered on Tuesday. A smaller yarding did not. Include a large, proportion of prime heavy wethers, and prices for this class improved by up to 2s a head.

Fat ewes were again in fair supply, and the improvement for this class was in somo cases greater than for wethers. Spring lambs were penned in increased numbers and sold under steady competition up to 355. Prime heavy wethers made from Mils to 30s Od; prune. 27s Od to 325; prime shorn wethers, 23s to 27s Od; heavy prime woolly ewes, ,22s lo 21s 3d; lighter, 17s od to 21s; shorn owes, la. In 17, 3,1. pIOS

Fat pigs arc now coming forward in larger numbers and included a fair proportion of baconers, for which values show only minor fluctuations. I'orkers suitable for finishing purposes are readily absorbed by butter-milk feeders, and prices for this class have been n shade firmer. In many cases the supply of stores and weaners is Insufficient for requirements, with the result thai values have hardened. Baconers make £3 5s to .CM; heavy porkers and butter-milk pigs, £2 10s to £3 Ms; medium porkers, £2 10s to £2 15s; light, £2 2s to £2 fis; stores, 35s to £2 8s; slips, 28s to 31s; weaners, £1 to £1 10s.