FAT STOCK PRICES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1026, 17 July 1930, Page 13

FAT STOCK PRICES

BRISK BEEF INQUIRY AT WESTFIELD SALE RUNNERS AND VEALERS DOWN By R.W.C. The sharp rise in the prices for beef was the most important feature of the stock sales at Westfield yesterday. First-class stock was yarded in numbers below average and good prices were secured under a keen inquiry. For choice and prime quality cattle, values were considerably firmer.

A price reaching 4.0 s a hundred pounds was obtained for extra choice ox beef, revealing an advance of 3s on the rate last week. This abrupt rise did not take place at the Adding-, ton market, where prime quality was cleared at late rates and some beef lines were distinctly easier. At Johnsonvile, too, bidding/ was far from keen.

Tho spirited inquiry for ox beef apparent recently at Westfield was fully shown yesterday, and choice lots were snapped up eagerly under satisfying competition. Good, medium-weight steers were prominent in the fat cattle section. Cow and heifer beef was not as plentiful as usual, either, and strong competition resulted in prices above those of last week.

There was an average yarding of sheep, and, under a steady inquiry, good lots of wethers returned late rates. Ewes improved slightly in price, and lambs showed no important variation in value. The demand for sheep was sound throughout.

Runner and vealer calves both declined in price, though the inquiry was good, and pigs were cleared on an easier market. There was a large offering.

Range of Prices General prices were:—Beef (1001 b): Extra choice ox, 40s; choice and prime ox, 36s to 395; choice and prime cow and heifer, 32s to 375. Calves (a head): Runners. 100 sto 127 s 6d; vealers, 58s to 1245. Sheep (a head): Prime wethers, 24s 6d to 31s 6d; unfinished, 19s to 25s 6d; prime ewes, 16s to 245; prime lambs, 17s to 24s 9d; unfinished, 12s to 16s 6d. Pigs (a head): Baconers, 58s to 71s; porkers, 35s to 58s; largo stores, 38s to 445; slips, 28s to 355; weaners, 16s to 295. Prime heavy bullocks brought £ls 2s 6d to £l6; medium prime, £l4 to £ls; light and unfinished and light prime, £l2 2s 6d to £l3 17s 6d. Prices from £l6 5s to £l7 12s 6d were brought by extra heavy prime steers; heavy prime realised £ls to £l6 3 ss; lighter prime, £l3 to £ls 12s Gd; light prime and unfinished and small. £8 15s to £l3 17s 6d. Extra heav> prime young cows and heifers made from £lO 5s to £l2 12s Cd; heavy prime ranged from £9; lighter, from £8; and others, from_£s. Runner calves made from £5 to £lO 12s; heavy and medium vealers, £ 3 10s to £6 4s. Prime Mutton Firmer

All prime mutton was slightly firmer. Extra heavy prime wethers made from £1 10s to £1 11s Gd; heavy prime and medium, £1 6s Gd to £1 10s; lighter lines and unfinished, 19s to £1 Cs; extra heavy prime young ewes, £1 2s to £1 4s; heavy and lighter prime. 18s 9d to £1 2s 6d; others, from 10s Gd. Prime lambs brought from 17s to £1 4s 9d; others, from 12s.

In an average penning of pigs, choppers realised £3 to £7 3s; heavy and medium baconers, £3 to £3 12s; light baconers and heavy porkers, £2 8s to £2 18s; medium and light porkers, from £2 2s; small and unfinished, from £1 15s; large stores, £1 18s to £2 4s; slips. £1 8s to £1 16s; weaners, 16s to £1 ss. Heavy porkers were affected most by the decline in pig values.

In Hawke’s Bay At the weekly sale at Stortford Lodge, there was a good yarding of fat cattle. Sheep were penned in small numbers. The prices were: Prime fat bullocks, £l3 to £l4 7s: light fat bullocks, £lO 6s to £l2; prime fat cows, £9 5s to £lO 17s; light fat cows, £ 5 to £7; prime fat ewes, 22s 9d to 255; prime fat wethers, 335; fat wethers, 21s 9d to 25s 4d; two and four-tooth wethers, 16s 5d to 20s; woolly ewe hoggets, 12s to 15s 6d; good shorn wether hoggets, 14s to 14s Gd; m.a. ewes, in lamb, S.B. rams, 9s 6d to 19s; f. and f. ewes, 6s to 7s 3d. Johnsonville Prices

Sheep and cattle were penned in average numbers before a small attendance of buyers at Johnsonville sale yesterday. The bidding was not keen, and there was a drop of 10s a head on heavy bullocks, other lots maintaining late rates. Heavy-weight wethers were yarded principally in the sheep offering and, with a few pens of medium-weights, sold at recent values. Heavy-weight ewes declined 2s a head, at least, and medium-weight and light sorts were cleared at lower prices, too. Lambs declined 2s a head, though the quality was good. The priced were: Heavy bullocks, £l4 10s to £ls 10s; medium bullocks, £l3 15s to £l4 7s 6d; light and unfinished, £ll 2s 6*l to £l2 ss; cows and dairy sorts, £4 10s to £5 ss; vealers, small, 15s to 30s; heavy wethers, 26s 2d to 28s 7d; medium wethers, 23s 9d to 25s lOd; light and unfinished, 20s 6d to 235; D.8.1f. two-tooths, 18s 9d to 225: medium and heavy ewes, 16s 7d ot 18s; plain and unfinished ewes, 12s 6d to 15s 3d; lambs, medium, 18s 6d to 19s sd; light, 12s to 15s. Values at Addington

A big line of North Island steers came forward at the Addington market. The sale was somewhat Irregular. with easier rates for plain beef. Tho inquiry for prime lots was quite good, but no important change took place in prices. The yarding of store sheep was the smallest this winter, and late rates were maintained. Competition was keen for fat lambs, but the sale for fat sheep was not steady. Of the entry of 5,200, with a large proportion of wethers, the clearance was not brisk and an easier tone was apparent. There was a keen sale for vealers, but poor quality lots of dairy cattle sold at easier rates. Porkers declined in value, store pigs kept their rates and choppers and baconers were on a firm market. The principal prices were: —- Prime heavy steers, £l6 10s to £lB 12s 6d; prime medium-weight steers, £l2 15s to £l6; medium quality steers £9 15s to £l2 ss; light steers, £7 to £9 10s; extra prime heifers. to £ls 7s 6d: prime heifers, £lO 5s to £l2 15s; medium heifers, to £9 15s; light heifers, £6 to £7 10s; extra prime cows, to £l4 17s 6d; prime cows, £9 15s to £l2 ss; medium cows, £ 7 as to £ 9 ss. Extra prime wethers, to 33s 4d: prime wethers, 25s 6d to 28s 6d; medium wethers. 22s to 255; extra prime ewes, to 26s 7d; prime ewes, 19s to 225; medium ewes, 15s to 18s; light ewes, 12s to 14s. Medium ewe hoggets, to 15s 2d; ordinary wether hoggets, 7s to 10s 4d; good sound-mouth crossbred ewes, to 19s 6d; ordinary four and six-tooth halfbred ewes, to 17s 3d; aged ewes, to 4s. Porkers, £2 10s to £ 3 14s 6d (average price a lb., 9d to lOd); choppers. £4 3s Gd to £9 18s 6d; baconers. £3 15s 6d to £5 9s Cd; large stores, 32s to 41s; medium, 23s to 30s; small, 22s to 24s Cd: slips, 18s to 295; best weaners, 16s to 18s 6d; others, 8s to 14s- Gd.

LONDON TALLOW SALES Reed. 10.33 a.m. LONDON, Wed. At the tallow sales, 075 casks were offered, and 363 were sold. Prices were unchanged.