LAMBS IN DEMAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27078, 12 May 1949, Page 9

LAMBS IN DEMAND

ADDINGTON SALE PA CHRISTCHURCH, May 11. The yarding of store sheep at Addington to-day was 1004 lambs, 887 ewes and 1996 wethers —a total of 3887. It was a typical early-winter yarding. With the exception of one or two pens, lambs were of medium to poor quality, but the demand for all sorts was excellent, with prices up fully Is. Best made to 35s 6d; good, 26s 9d to 325; medium and culls, down to 20s 9d. Some useful lots were included among the. ewes, with several attractive lines of two-tooths forward. The demand for young sheep was keen and for older ewes steady at about recent rates. Two-tooths made 34s to 445; best aged, 32s to 38s 6d; good, 25s to 295; others, down to 13s. The selection of wethers was the best and largest of the Some good lots of Chatham Island Romneys and several big lines of high-country halfbreds were included, and the demand for wethers was very keen and sustained, with prices fully 3s up. The best of the offering made 42s to 47s 3d; good, 34s to 39s 6d; others, 28s to 325. The fat lambs, which totalled 1881, were of fair quality, with one or two good lines. The demand was brisk, and prices were firm. Values:—Extra prime made up to 60s Id; prime, 48s to 51s 7d; good, 41s to 47s 6d; medium to light, down to 30s. The fat sheep entry was 5000. all being of good quality. In the earlier stages ewes and wethers were considerably dearer, but ewes came back a little as the sale advanced, though wethers remained dear. The average price for ewes was is a head up, but for wethers, of which there was a scarcity, the rise was 2s 6d. Values: —Extra prime heavy wethers sold to 69s Id; prime heavy, 55s 6d to 60s; prime medium-weight, 48s to 54s 6d; ordinary and light-weight, to 475; extra prime ewes, to 48s Id; prime ewes, 36s to 41s; medium ewes, 31s to 355; light and plain, 23s to 80s. The fat cattle yarding of 470 was the poorest quality for a long time aikl apart from a handful of good steers and heifers (lie yarding comprised plain and unfinished cows. The demand for best beef was good with prices at par, but there was no demand for other types which were hard to quit at most modest rates. Values:—Extra prime heavy steers made to £33 7s Gd; prime heavy steers, £22 to £27 10s; prime medium-weight steers, £l6 10s to £2l; ordinary and light-weight, £l2 to £ls; extra prime heifers, to £2l 12s 6d; prime, £l3 to £ls; ordinary and light, £8 to £l2; extra prime cows, to £lB 17s 6d; prime, £lO to £l4; ordinary and light cows, £6 to £8 10s; • Tlie yarding of pork was much smaller and the competition was consequently keen. Values were up 5s to 6s. Choppers were yarded in fairly large numbers but the competition was restricted and prices eased by 20s to 30s. For a medium entry of bacon, competition was less keen and prices were down 4s to ss. Values;— Light porkers made from £3 14s 6d to £3 19s 6d; medium porkers, £5 2s 6d to £5 9g 6d: heavy porkers. £5 10s 6d to £5 14s Gd; choppers made £3 8s 6d to £ll Is; light baeoners, £5 17s Gd to £6 4s 6d: medium baeoners, £6 7s Gd to £6 14s Gd; heavy baeoners, £6 19s Gd to £7 12s Gd.