STOCK AND PRODUCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 7

STOCK AND PRODUCE.

OAMARU MARKETS. (From Orb Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, May 9. ' The rain reported in last week’s notes was followed by an additional fall, which was particularly heavy, on Monday night and early on Tuesday morning In town a couple of inches was registered in the four days, this being the biggest fall within the same space of time for over two years. Though rain was experienced very generally it was. not equally distributed over tho country, some places receiving only about an inch and a-half, while others recorded fullv an inch more. The rain has been followed by good growing weather—bright sunny days and clear cold nights, with an absence of frost of any moment, except well back in the country, whore some sharp snaps have occurred.. There has consequently been some movement in grass, with a promise of a good nibble being available for stock. The accession of *moistUTe has put the ground in better condition for breaking up, and some farmers have their teams at work ploughing in preparation for sowing winter wheat. But there is no indication that the area under this crop will be extended. Indeed, if a number of farmers adhere to their declared intention to go out of the business the area will show a further decline. The fall in the prices of wool and the possibility of a guaranteed price for wheat next season may cause them to revise their programme. It is quite evident t hat # the cereal season is nearing its end in this district, and that stocks of grain in the hands of growers have been reduced to modest emmpass. Though there is a general readiness on the part of farmers to accept the increased prices for wheat, and a fair number of sales are reported, the gross amount that has changed hands during the week does not reach imposing figures. As for oats, they have scarcely been seen on the market during the week, and the only sale reported is. a modest line of A grade Gartons, for which 4s net was given, with delivery in Oamaru. A sale of white clover seed, the first of the season, is reported at 9id. net, at a country station. A little business has been done in table potatoes at £3 15s and £4 net. on trucks. There has been a lack of activity in stock this week, though a ready market exists for good young ewes ./fit prices well sustained, notwithstanding the slump in wool. At tho weekly market the offering of sheep was comparatively small, this being probably duo to the heavy rain of the day before. There was also a small attendance of buyers, but prices shewed little decline in any direction, tho range being as follows:—Prime fat lambs, 38s to 39s 6d; medium lambs, 35s 6d to 37s Bd; light lambs, 25s 9d to 31s 6d; fat wethers, 31s to 37s 6d; prime fat ewes, 27s 3d to 28s 6d; medium ewes, 24s 6d to 26s 6d; light ewes, 21s 6d to 23s 6d: two-tooth crossbred wethers, 28s 9d; six and eight-tooth halfhred wethers, 265; mixed-sex lambs, 26s 6d to 30s 2d; small halfhred lambs, 25s 6d; aged ewes, 19s 6d to 25s 9d; inferior ewes, 16s to 18s 6d. Transactions by private treaty have been on a limited scale, and the greater part of it Eas been in breeding ewes, the sales including several lines of two-tooth ewes, being 41a, 435, 455, and 45s 6d, according to quality and location. Other sales have been as follows: —Mixed six and eight-tooth ewes of good quality, 41s; failing-mouthed ewes, from 17s to 21s, forward lambs. 28s; forward wethers, 345; failing-mouthed wethers, 19s; fat wethers, from 41s to 465, according to weight and quality; fat ewes, 28s. Before .the drop of a halfpenny a pound came on Thursday a good number of fat lambs were sold for freezing purposes on the per lb basis. Not a single animal appeared in the cattle pons at the weekly sale, and transactions by private treaty have been limited in numbers both ways. The prices reported are as follows: —Light-weight fat bullocks, £9: fat steers, £9 to £ll, according to weight and finish; station store steers ,in forward condition, £8 5a and £9; forward store heifers, £6; two-year-old £4 12s 6d; 18-month-old heifers. £1 IDs; store cows, £1 to £1 10s; calves, 10s. Tho only dairy stock for which there ia any demand are young cows just at the drop, and these have been sold at from £G to*£B. Other dairy cow» have changed hands at £4 10s, and aged cows at profit have been disposed of at from £1 10s to £2 10s.

SOUTHLAND MARKETS. (Fbom Oce Own Cobebspondent.) INVERCARGILL, May 9. The oats market still has a firm tendency, and forward business to September has transpired at 4s 7id, f.0.b., s.i., for A grade Gartens, B’g having been sold at 3d per bushel less. Prices to farmers are now on a parity with shipping values, 3s 8d to 3s 9d per bushel for A’s with 3d less for B’s, being the quotations. In a large measure the bulk of the oats grown are now in merchants’ hands, and none shows much anxiety to sell at present rates, preferring to wait for further increase in values, which it is anticipated will inevitably follow/ thus enabling them to get more near the equivalent of their earlier purchases. ChaS has been offering during the last fortnight greatly in excess of the demand. Deliveries which have come forward from growers have been pf a varied character much of it being on the light side. Through the approach of winter and the necessity of better feeding, merchants refuse to bid fox light quality, €5 per ton, on trucks, being to-day the best price going for really prime quality heavy oaten chaff. This price is decidedly higher than in northern centres, and precludes all possibility of shipping. A few samples of wheat are occasionally shown by growers, but without any business eventuating, as one and all are insistent in- obtaining 7 3 per bushel. This price is in excess of milling values, and with so much low-priced fowl wheat coming into the local auction markets from the north merchants naturally refrain from buying. Considerable shipments of ryegrass have been made lately for machine-dressed seed in execution of sales made earlier in the year, and this has considerably depleted the stocks in merchants’ hands. Little is now being offered bv growers, and for such the best price going is 4s per bushel for well-treated 231 b to 261 b seed As the spring more nearly approaches it is anticipated there will bo a further demand from northern centres. , The stock market for the past week aas varied little since the last report. 'Eat sheep have advanced slightly, with a hardening tendency, while fat cattle remain on a par with recent values. Fat Cattle.—Extra heavy prime bullocks, £l3 10s to £l6; medium, £ll to £l2 15s, lighter, down to £9; prime heifer, £7 to £9; lighter, £5 to £6 10s; heavy cow, £6 to £B, lighter, £4 10s to £5 ss; vealers, 23s to 335. Prime ox beef, 32s 6d to 35s per 1001 b; prime heifer, to 30s; cow, to 22s 6d. Fat Sheep.—Prime heavy wethers, 43 s to 48s 6d; medium, 40s to 42s 6d; lighter, 38s to 39s 6d; prime ewes, 32s to 35s 6d; medium, 29s to 31s 6d; lighter, down to 265. Fat Lambs. —Prime heavy lambs, 37s 6d tc 40s; medium, 35s to 36s 6d; lighter, 33s to 34s 6d. Price per lb, about 11-ld. Store Sheep.—Good rape lambs, 30s to 32s 6d- mixed-sex store lambs. 28? 6d to 30s; wether lambs, 25s 6d to 27a 6d: good twotooth Romney cross ewea, 42s 6d to 45s 6d; medium do., 38s 6d to 495; sound-mouthed ewes, guaranteed, 35s to 335; failing soundmouthed ewea, 25s 6i to 235; old ewes, 18s to 225. Store Cattle.—Three-year steers, £6 to £8; two-year steers, £1 to £4 15s; yearling steers, .£2 10a to £3 ss; old cows, £2 to £3. Good "dairy cows coming to profit are making £5 to £B.