CATTLE MARKET FIRM

Southland Times, Issue 24524, 27 August 1941, Page 2

CATTLE MARKET FIRM

Sheep Drop 2/- At Lorneville

The fat cattle market at the Lorneville stock sale yesterday remained firm at much the same as last week’s rates. There was a larger proportion than usual of good quality bullocks. The top price was £l9/17/6, which was paid for a particularly well-finished four-year-old Shorthorn entered by Mr T. M. Forsyth (Mabel Bush). The supply was in excess of the local demand in the fat sheep market with the result that all classes sold fully 2/- a head lower than last week. Extra prime wethers brought to 34/6 and prime heavy ewes to 20/6. The yardings at yesterday’s and last week’s sales were as follows:—

FAT CATTLE.— The entry included a much larger percentage of good quality bullocks than usual. The market remained firm from beginning to end and prices were much the same as those ruling last week. Extra prime quality bullocks made to £l9/17/6; prime quality £l6 to £l7; good quality mediumweights £l4/10/- to £l5/10/-; handyweights £l2/15/- to £l3/10/-; lightweights £lO/10/- to £ll/10/-; prime quality heifers up to £l3; prime handyweights £lO/5/- to £ll/10/-; fightweights £9 to £9/15/-; small £8 to £8 10/-; prime quality cows £lO/10/- to £ll/15/-; good quality £9/5/- to £10; medium £7/10/- to £B/10-; inferior £5 to £6.

FAT SHEEP.— A large yarding included some excellent quality ewes and wethers. The supply exceeded the local demand and in the absence of outside competition the market for all classes was fully 2/- lower than last week. Extra prime wethers brought from 33/6 to 34/6, prime quality 31/- to 32/6, medium 29/- to 30/-, light unfinished 25/6 to 27/6, prime heavy ewes 19/6 to 20/6, prime quality 18/- to 19/-, medium 16/6 to 17/6; lighter 14/- to 15/6. STORE CATTLE.— There was again a fairly large entry, the bulk of the yarding consisting of empty cows. Two-year-old steers made up to £6/17/-, yearlings £4 to £5/10/-, calves £1 10/- to £3/10/-. Best empty cows made up to £5/10/-, wethers £3/10/to £4/10/-, culls down to £l. There was a large entry of dairy cows, but little interest was taken in the sale. Particularly good sorts made from £8 to £lO. The bulk of the yarding sold from £4 to £5/10/- with culls down to £2/10/-. STORE SHEEP.— There was again a big entry. Young sheep sold at late rates, but aged ewes were hard to sell, no doubt because late frosts have delayed early growth and made the feed position difficult. A good line of ewe hoggets made 35/2, others selling from 30/- to 33/- and smaller sorts from 25/- to 27/-. Wether hoggets made up to 19/6. A pen of store wethers realized 22/10. Sound-mouthed ewes made from 21/- to 23/-, full-mouthed ewes 18/- to 21/-. Best f. and f. ewes brought up to 20/-, others making from 13/- to 16/-, with culls down to 5/-. GORE STOCK SALE PRICES WELL MAINTAINED Prices generally were well maintained at yesterday’s fortnightly stock sale at Gore, although in the sheep section old sorts were scarcely up to the rates ruling at recent markets. The entry at the sale was a mixed one. The quality of the fat sheep was uniformly good. The top price was 31/— for a pen of 16 wethers and other prices ranged from 29/9 to 30/-. Fat ewes were sold at from 21/- to 22/-. Three pens of ewe hoggets that were offered brought from 17/1 to 29/3. Full and failing-mouthed ewes, which constituted a fair proportion of the entry, ranged in value up to 22/8. The fat cattle entry met with a keen inquiry. A line of bullocks offered by Mr R. Home, of Mataura, was disposed of at up to £l6. Other values obtained were £l5/2/6, £l5, £l4/15/- and £l4 10/-. A line of six fat heifers realized £ll/15/- and two daily heifers £6 and £4.

Aug. 26. Aug. 19. Fat cattle 150 216 Store cattle 142 180 Dairy cows 75 80 Fat sheep 963 731 Store sheep 1364 1206 Vealers 5 1