BURNSIDE STOCK SALE

Southland Times, Issue 24353, 6 February 1941, Page 2

BURNSIDE STOCK SALE

DECLINE IN STORE CATTLE PRICES POOR QUALITY OF FAT SHEEP (United Press Association) ; DUNEDIN, February 5. The entry of 1535 fat sheep at the i Burnside stock sale was one of the j poorest as regards quality seen in the i yards lor some time. Old ewes were I in the majority with a proportion of ; prime ewes suitable for butchers’ re- : quirements. Wethers were in short supply although a few forward included some extra good quality. Prime ewes and wethers met with a fair inquiry selling at late rates and freezing ewes met with a firmer demand, Extra prime heavy wethers made to 30/6, prime wethers 24/- to 36/6, extra prime ewes to 20/3, prime ewes 15/- to 17/-, medium ewes 13/6 to 14/6, light and inferior from 10/-. The entry of 1413 fat lambs included ' some prime heavy sorts, the rest being > medium weights with a proportion of I light and unfinished. Competition was I keen and extra heavy lambs made to : 30/9, prime 25/6 to 27/6, prime medium ; 22/6 to 24/6 and light from 18/6. j A large yarding of 301 head of fat ’ cattle came forward. The entry contain- ’ ed a smaller proportion of prime heavy | bullocks than usual, the bulk being j made up of medium weights. Cows and ■: heifers were plentiful but only a few 1 could be classed as young and prime. | Prime quality bullocks met with good I competition, prices being 10/- firmer, j Light and unfinished were not wanted j in the fat pens. POOR DEMAND FOR COWS Heifers and cows met with a poorer | demand, values being back particularly I for cows which sold at from 10/- to ’ 15/- lower. Extra prime heavy bullocks made from £l6/7/6 to £l7/7/6, prime bullocks £l3/17/6 to £l4/17/6. medium bullocks fell/7/6 to £l2/17/6. light and unfinished from £9/7/6, extra prime heifers and cows to £ll/12/6, prime heifers and cows £B/7/6 to £lO 2/6. medium heifers and cows £6/12/6 to £7/12/6 and light from £5/2/6. A medium entry of store cattle including one or two good pens of three and four-year-old bullocks was entered. The market showed a sharp decline and can be quoted at from 10'to 15/- lower. Best three and four-year-old bullocks to £lO/7/6 and two and a-half-year-old to £6/12/6. In the dairy cattle section 25 head were penned and good young cows close to profit made up to £lO. Inferior sorts were difficult to quit. A large yarding of 275 fat pigs was forward the bigger proportion being baconers. Prices for baconers were on a par with late rates but porkers showed a decline of 5/- to 6/-. baconers from £3/5/- to £4/10/- and porkers from £2/7,'- to £3/3/-. Of the large yarding of 175 store pigs forward the biggest proportion was weaners. Prices were on a par with late rates.

GOOD SALE FOR FAT LAMBS ADDINGTON STOCK SALE (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, February 4. Normal entries were the rule at today’s weekly market at Addington, the only exception being that store lambs were 5000 fewer and store sheep were I about 1500 more. Lambs recovered last | week’s easing of 1/- to 1/6 a head and adult sheep sold freely. Three thousand fat lambs were I penned and there was a good sale at up to schedule rates, top pens making from' 35/- to 37/- in a few cases. Four thousand five hundred fat sheep were penned and the market was generally less active. There was a heavy supply of light ewes and these were a shade below export schedule rates. There was a slight easing for butchers’ sheep and best wethers made from 26/- to 31/-. tops to 33/6, medium to good 23/- to 25/-, best ewes 19/- to 22/-, a few tops to 26/-, ordinary 15/- to 17/-, and light 11/- to 13/6. Four hundred and sixty-nine fat cattle were penned of average quality. Bodies of from 650 to 8001 b eased only slightly, but all other classes were down, inferior sorts particularly. Best steers made from £l5 to £lB, medium to good £l2 to £l4, light down to £8 10/-, best heifers £lO to £ll/15/-, medium £B/10/- to £9/15/-, best cows £9/10/- to £ll/5/-, good average £5/8/- to £9/5/-, and light and rough down to £4/15/-.

The porker market -was oversupplied with light pigs and the sale was weaker. Porker prices ranged from 39/6 to 57/6. The average price a lb' was 6Jd to 7{d. Baconers sold keenly, prices ranging from £3/1/6 to £4/7/6, The average price a lb was GJd to 7d.