WAIKATO YARDINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 7

WAIKATO YARDINGS

HOLIDAY INTERRUPTIONS STORE CATTLE QUIET BONER COWS IN DEMAND Owing to the Faster holidays, SlO sales were held in the Waikato until Wednesday. As a consequence, the entry at the Frankton sale was a comparatively small one. However, larger yardings have been penned at sales held later in the week, and business has almost returned to normal. Boner cows continue to come forward in large numbers and meet with a ready sale at very (inn rates, but market for store cattle is inclined to be quiet, hi spite of the fact that it is now late in the season, small lines of breeding ewes from the east coast and southern districts are still coming 011 to the market and usually meet with quite a good demand. Only small entries of store lambs are now penned at most centres and values show little alteration.

Conditions in the various sections are: —

Boot. —Values for fat cattle have shown little alteration at country sales, where only moderate yardings of first-class beef have been penned. At the central yards on Wednesday, a small entr.v of ox beef comprised mostly light weights. However, fewer buyers were operating, some butchers apparently having supplies on hand from last week, and, in spite of tiie small entry, prices were lower. Cows and heifers were also offered in smaller numbers, and although competition was steady values in this section were also a shade easier. Prime medium-weight steers made ill His to il'J ,s (Id; lighter, £lO l.">s to ,CU os; light, .CO 10s to CIO 10s; heavy prime young cows and heifers, I'S to £0; prime, £'<> ids to £7 10s; light and killable, to tO. Mutton.—The market for fat sheep has remained steady at all centres. Small entries at the country sales met with a good demand at very firm rates. Fat sheep were penned in fair numbers for an off day at the central yards oil Wednesday. On the whole, the quality of the wethers offered was not up to the standard of the previous sale and as a result quotations were a shade lower, but, ori a quality basis values showed little alteration.. The offerinc of fat ewes included n number of very prime pens and values for these remained firm. Competition for a smaller entry of fat lambs was steady at unchanged rates. Heavy prime wethers made ■_'7s to 'jss (id; prime, 'J.'is to 'Jfis fid; lighter, 2'Js (id to L'ls (id; heavy prime young and maiden ewes. -jOs to '2:Js :id; heavy fat ewes, 18k to IDs (id. Pigs.—Fat pigs arc coining forward in large numbers at practically all the main centres. Competition for baconers remains keen and recent quotations for this class have, been maintained. With the milk going down buttermilk feeders are not requiring as many pigs for replacements and as a result prices are inclined to ease. For the same reason light porkers arc coming on to the market in larger numbers and with less competition from farmers prices are also a shade lower. Stores and weaners meet with a variable sale and in most cases values show a downward trend. Baconers sell from ,Cfl 8s to £-1 l"2s; heavy porkers and buttermilk pigs, £i> lis to as; maiden porkers, £2 Ss to £2 r_'s; light, ,C2 to £2 os.

HIGHER PRODUCTION FEBRUARY IMPROVEMENT RETURNS FROM HERD TESTING [FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Friday The improved seasonal conditions this year are reflected in the increased butter-fat returns of cows tested in the Auckland Herd Improvement Association's territory for last month. There lias heon a bountiful supply of green feed throughout the summer and early autumn, and although there was a slight set-back due to a dry spell early this month, and in consequence production has since shown a definite drop, the returns for the 1939-40 season are considerably in advance of those for the two previous seasons. In February the association tested 79.823 cows, which gave an average vicld of 6341b. milk and 31.81b. butterfat. In February, 1939. 82.937 cows wore bandied, the production being 5781b. milk and 28.31b. butter-fat per cow. There were 99,045 cows tested in Februarv 1938. when an average of 5821b. in ilk and 28.91b. butter-fat was yielded. The best groups Were Matakana and Waerengu. The 1125 cows at JVlatakaiiß gave an average of 6641b. milk and 3Glb. butter-fat, while the 1348 cows in the Waerenga group returned an average of 6901 H. milk and "tlie same quantity of buttei"fat as at Matakana. The highest herd was one milked at Clevedon, the 34 cows averaging 521b. butter-fat.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE POVERTY BAY MARKETS [by telegraph —own connF.sroNnv.NT] GISBOBNE. Friday Produce markets in Gishorne remain firm without much alteration, the onb quotable change being in ryegrass seed. A steady demand has continued for perennial ryegrass seed ot good gel initiation and prices have firmed-by 6d a bushel. The demand so far is only for mother seed, lines with high germination and purity being quoted at 16s to 16s 6d a bushel, f.o.b. No quotations are announced for permanent pasture or commercial seed. White clover is also in good demapd at prices that show no change from the high levels of 2s to 2s 3d a bushel. So far little cape barley has been received in- Gishorne from country districts and the maize position remains unaltered with supplies scarce. CANTERBURY QUOTATIONS [jlY TKI-KGRAfH—mttSS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHUBCH, Friday Canterbury grain, seed and produce markets reopened on Wednesday after the Faster holidays. Prices since the resumption of business show little change on closing rates. Oats business is chiefly in Duns, for which merchants are ollering from Is 3d to -Is Pd. Offerings of Cartons have been very small, ihe sowing evidently having been light. Ryegrass and while clover markets e.re unchanged. Up to Is has been paid for choice heavy cocksfoot, but for lighter weight seed, ol which there is a good deal, merchants are diffident about making oilers. Only odd lines of new season's red clover have yet come to hand. Die official quotation for new season s seed is 9d to Is. Partridge peas have been coming forward fairlv freely, hut there has been some uncertainty in this market, because of the difficulty of securing freights to England. Merchants arc offering (>s 9d. Potatoes are unchanged at £3 to ">s, on trucks, and onions at £5. There is no North Island market for onions vet and reports from northein merchants make it fairly clear that potatoes will not be required there for some time. Apparently the North Island crop is a good one and it may lie the middle of May or later before Southern potatoes are required there in any quantity. Reports about the local crop vary considerably, according to Ihe* districts, but it seems certain that it will ho at the very least a good average one. Chaff is not very plentiful, but the demand is not keen and the quotation remains at £o for bandy stations.