SHEEP VALUES FLUCTUATE

Southland Times, Issue 24602, 26 November 1941, Page 8

SHEEP VALUES FLUCTUATE

Lorneville Market

Varies

Values for fat ewes fluctuated at Lorneville yesterday. At the start of the sale they were about 2/- a head lower than last week, but later there was a general improvement. Towards the finish prices dropped back to what they had been at the beginning. Values for wethers remained firm throughout. Prime quality woolly wethers brought up to 34/6, shorn to 27/9, woolly ewes to 24/-, shorn to 20/-. The fat lambs yarded included many of excellent quality, but the market was over-sup-plied and values were down about 1/6, the best bringing 30/-. The fat cattle were not of good quality for the most part. The demand was keen for any of good quality. Bullocks were fully £1 more than last week and cows in some cases were as much as £2 more. Good quality mediumweight bullocks made up to £l6/10/-. Yardings at yesterday’s and last week’s sales were as follows: — Nov. 25 Nov. 18

FAT SHEEP.— There was a smaller yarding than last week. The majority of the sheep were only of medium quality. At the beginning of the sale ewes were about 2/- a head cheaper than last week, but over the middle stages there was a general improvement, while towards the end there was an easing and prices came down to what they had been at the beginning. Wethers remained firm throughout. Prime quality woolly wethers brought up to 34/6, medium 31/- to 32/6, light and unfinished 24/6 to 27/-; prime shorn wethers to 27/9, good quality 25/- to 26/-, medium 23/6 to 24/6, light and unfinished 21/- to 22/-; prime young woolly ewes to 24/-, good quality 21/6 to 23/-, medium 19/- to 20/-, aged and inferior 14/- to 16/-; prime young shorn ewes to 20/-, prime quality 16/- to 17/6, medium 14/- to 15/-, aged and inferior 97- to 11/6.

Most of the fat lambs offered were of excellent quality, but the supply was in excess of tlie demand. The result was that values were about 1/6 a head cheaper than last week. Extra prime lambs brought up to 30/-, prime quality 26/6 to 28/—, good quality mediumweights 24/- to 25/-, lightweights 22/6 to 23/3. small 19/- to 20/-.

STORE SHEEP: The yarding was more than twice as large as last week’s A line of ewe hoggets realized 38/1, wether hoggets making from'2o/- to 22/-. A pen of young ewes with lambs at foot brought 17/-, all counted. Best full and failing-mouthed ewes made up to 15/-, others selling from .il/- to 13/-, culls down to 8/-.

FAT CATTLE: There was a smaller yarding. Half the cattle comprised only medium to inferior beasts. Bullocks brought fully £1 more than last week. Cows in many cases brought as much as £2 more.

Good quality mediumweight bullocks made from £l5 to £l6/10/-, handyweights £l4 to £l4/15/-, lightweights £l2/10/- to £l3/10/-, small £lO to £11; extra good heifers to £l5/5/-, handyweights £ll to £l2, lightweights £lO to £lO/15/-, small £B/10/to £9/10/-; good quality cows to £l3, handyweights £lO/10/- to £ll/10/-, average quality £B/10/- to £9/10/-, aged and inferior £5/10/- to £6/10/-. STORE CATTLE: There was a larger yarding in this section, some well bred lines coming forward. There was a good demand for all classes of steers. Forward-conditioned empty cows sold well, but aged and lighter sorts were easier. Three-year-old bullocks made from £B/10/- to £lO. A pen of good conditioned two-year-olds made £lO/10/-. Other two-year-olds brought from £6/10/- to £B. A line of Black Poll—Hereford cross

yearling steers realized £6/6- and the heifers out of this line brought £5/5/-. Other yearling steers made from £3/10/- to £4/10/-, yearling heifers £2/10/- to £4, selected dairy cows to £5, best empty cows £6, average sorts £3/15/- to £4/10/-, aged and culls down to £2.

There was a fair entry of dairy cows, the best selling from £7/10/- to £9. average £5/10/- to £6. The yarding of bulls was a mixed one. Good young bulls with butterfat backing made from £6 to £9, others £3 to £4/10/-, aged down to £l.

Fat cattle 116 156 Store cattle 221 156 Dairy cows 23 38 Bulls 21 9 Fat sheep 703 781 Fat lambs 82 140 Store sheep 1028 445 Vealers 5 6