SHEEP VALUES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 7

SHEEP VALUES

A FURTHER INCREASE

FAT CATTLE EASIER

Keen'interest was again displayed in the sale of fat sheep at yesterday’s Burnside market. The yarding, for the fourth week in succession, was a small one, and the prices secured were well above those ruling last week. The number entered was 1450, and with no supplies on hand, the sale was one of the keenest at Burnside for many years. In fact, it would be safe to 'say that at no time in the history of Burnside have fat sheep commanded such prices at this time of the year.

One truck of wethers offered on account of Mr E. S. Jeff, Clinton, realised from 71s down to 70s, and averaged over 70s for the truck. There were also a number of sales at 60S and over. Ewes also met with keen competition, best quality ewes realising from 44s to 50s. Fat cattle were forward in larger numbers there being over 400 penned. The quality in the main was again good, with a number of consignments of extra special quality. The market opened with poor competition and remained so for the early part of the sale, prices at this stage being

30s to 40s a head below last week’s average rates. An improvement, however, was shown during the progress of the sale, and in the concluding two races, there was little quotable alteration from last week’s values. Generally, howeve:i, medium quality and poorer , classes had a weak inquiry. Cows and heifers, of which there was also a fair offering, had fairlv even sale throughout, at prices in places a shade easier than last week s. The yarding of fat lambs numbered approximately 450, these again being mostly of average class. , More interest was shown in the sale of store cattle, and prices for these cou.d he quoted 10s to .’1 above recent sales. The offering was a small one, and jOC class of cattle only average. The yarding of runners and vealers was again ai fairl, good one, and for the better class, thprices were somewhat on a par with late Sa The offering of baconers and Porkers was again made up mostly pf mediurn quality There has been an increase of medium class pigs for a number of sale,, and these are not meeting with a gooa demand, too many coming to hand. Fo the hetter class baconers the sale was ,a good one and the values secured were well ud to anv recent sales. Porkers were also in P over supply and receded in values from late sales. Fat Cattle The entry of fat cattle was again a particularly pood one. and b }L tcl l?gL tlic the opportunity of being a^ le . to . selec i„,„ class most suitable to their trade. Competition in the early part ofthe sale was lifeless, but improved as the sale wore on. The best consignments were fiom Central Otago and there was one particularly good lot from the Taieri. It improbable at this period of the year that yardings may be fairly large for the next two to three weeks. Quotations -Extra prime heavy bullocks. to £27 17s 6d: prime heavy, £25 17c fid* nrime £22 17s 6d to £24 17s 6 . 17c fid* medium. £ll 17s 6d to £i»> <s o , light from £lO 17s 6d; extra prime cows to £l6 7s 6d; prime, £l2 7s 6d to £l4 7s 6d; medium, £lO 2s 6d to, £ll 2s 6d. light, from £8 2s Gd. Fat Sheep With another small offering in this section prices reached to a new level. Little judgment was shown as to , vn 'ne, for butchfrs were simply buying to get anything like their requirements. Ewes and wethers both showed an improvement of fully 2s to 3s a head above last W Quotations: Extra prime heavy wethers, frv 71c* nrime hCQVVt 65s to 68s, pilmc. £bs to'64?; n to 535; light, from 435. Extra prime heavy ewes, to 50s, prime heavy, 44s to 475; pnme 38s to 425; medium, 34s to 365; light, fiom 26,. Fat Lambs The entry of lambs was again a small one and the quality on, the whole was only fair. With the bidding of the tiade and export buyers, values of last sale were easily maintained to a shade better. Best quality lambs made from 40s to 455, medium, 34s to 375; light, from 28s. Store Cattle More interest was taken in the sale of store catle, and the prices showed an improvement on recent sales. There was a fairlv large number of buyers present, and it was quite ’evident that there is a good inquiry for this class of stock. Average three-year-old steers from from £l3 to £l4 ss; two and a-half-year-old, to £l2; yearling to one year and a-iiall-old ’ £6 iss to £7 ss; and small yearlings from £3 17s to £4 ss. Best quality runners were making from £9 to £11; b es t vealers, £5 15s to £6 15s; and small and medium, from £3 ss. Fat Pigs The number of good quality baconers to hand was again below requirements, and good values were secured for all the better class. Medium weights, oi which there was again an oversupply, were weak in demand. Prime heavy baconers realised up to £8 ss; prime, £7 12s to £8; medium, £6 to £-6 15s; light, from £5 10s. Best porkers, £4 10s to £5; light and medium, from £3 18s. Store pigs realised late rates, good stores making up to 355; well-grown weaners, 19s to 245; and small, from 14s.