STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 14

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

HEAVY FAT SHEEP YARDING NORTHERN COMPETITION AT LORNEVILLE The yarding of fat sheep at the weekly Lorneville stock sale on Tuesday was almost treble the size of the entry the previous week and, but for .northern competition, mutton values would probably have eased considerably. Each week from 250 to 300 head of prime wethers are being sent to the Burnham training camp, the contract for which has been secured by a leading butcher in Christchurch. As the camp becomes bigger the amount will probably increase and for the next three months the number of wethers sent from Southland will be nearer the 300 mark. In ordinary circumstances the entry of, fat sheep this week would have been too much for local butchers’ requirements, but as it was prices for wethers eased only slightly, while ewes were firm at last week’s rates. Included in the fat-sheep entry was a large number of prime heavy wethers and several trucks of outstanding ewes. The first fat lambs of the season were offered and these were keenly competed for, realizing from 28/- to 33/-. At Burnside on Wednesday the fat-sheep yarding was about double ’ the entry the previous sale. Wethers were in over-supply and the sale was slack from the start, prices receding to last month’s level. Good prices were realized for best wethers at Addington, but ewe values eased slightly on last week’s rates. The following is a range of prices at Lorneville: —Extra prime heavy wethers made to 49/9, prime heavy 40/- to 42/6, prime mediumweights 35/— to 37/-, lighter 30/- to 32/-, smaller 26/- to 27/6; extra prime heavy ewes to 40/-, prime l heavy maiden ewes 32/- to 35/-, prime heavy 32/- to 34/-, medium 28/- to 30/-, lighter 24/- to 26/-. FAT CATTLE VALUES Values for fat cattle showed a slight increase at the Lorneville sale, but at the other main South Island markets prices eased. The yarding at Burnside totalled 300 head, compared with 196 a week ago. Although the quality was well up to standard, the market opened quietly and prices were back. The Addington fat-cattle market was erratic, prices declining by about 15/a head for the bulk of the entry. A smaller yarding was forward at Lorneville. The entry included several trucks of prime heavy bullocks, heifers and cows, and there were fewer pens than usual of out-of-condition sorts. Values ranged as follows: —Extra prime heavy bullocks made to £2l, prime heavy £l6 to £lB, prime mediumweights £l3 to £l5, lighter £lO to £l2; extra prime heavy heifers, £l2/10/- to £l4. prime £lO/10/- to £ll/15/-, lighter' £9 to £10; extra prime heavy cows up to £l6/15/-, prime heavy £l2 to £l4, medium £9 to £lO, lighter £7 to £,B.