FINANCE AND COMMERCE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1932, Page 11

FINANCE AND COMMERCE

TARANAKI STOCK MARKET firmer tone SEEMS GENERAL. SHORTAGE OF BEEF EXPECTED. A further hardening of prices for fat sheep has occurred lately, the. Loan, and Mercantile Agency.. Company reports, and fat ewes are now worth Ils for prime sorts. The South Taranaki supply is exhausted and butchers arc compelled to go farther afield for .their requirements. Fat" webhers are also difficult to obtain, and very few are held in Taranaki. Prime sorts are worth 15s. Prices for fat cattle remain on a par with those of last week, with supplies diminishing rapidly. Quotations are only nominal. It is anticipated that a rise will occur shortly owing to a shortage. Beef is not held in any considerable quantity in ■ outside districts as exporters have been operating freely. ... The market for -store- cattle is stagnant. - Practically no business is being done, and thoa state of affair* appears likely to continue for some time. Forweaner heifers-a. very good demand has been experienced during the week, and it is safe to say that South Taranaki is practically cleaned out of weaners. Several lots have been trucked -to other districts. Prices are from £2 10s to £3 10s for tops. ■ The . demand for dairy heifers from outside has not been keen during the week, but considerable numbers have been sold locally. Good sorts arc hard to obtain in any -number, and are realising up to £8 10s to £9 for tops, medium sorts from £6 to £7, and late calvers £4 to £5. There is still a good demand for young ■ ty pey dairy cows that are close to profit, and during the week up to £lO has 'been ’.paid at yard sales. A shortage of feed is preventing many farmers from ■ buying, and there is no doubt that once the feed comes away the dairy cow will be in keen demand. A keen: demand exists for pigs, and good prices are being obtained by vendors. At the Hawera sale on Thursday a large’ entry came forward, and prices were a shade lower than those obtained at the pig fair. It appears that pigs will be in short supply during the season. A good demand still exists for good sorts of milk-carters. ‘ Prices realised at the agency's sales during the week are:—Douglas sale: Ewe hoggets, 7s 6d to 10s 6d; forward cows, to £2 10s; empty heifers, to £2; dairy cows, from £5 to £8; dairy heifers, to £6. ■Stratford sale: Empty heifers, to £2 8s; dairy cows, to £6. Eltham sale: Calved heifers-, to £6 10s; dairy cows,‘to £9 os. Hawera sale: -Store pigs, to 2ls; weaners, to Ids; slips, to 10s; dairy heifers, to: £7 10s; dairy cows, £6 to £9 ss. Private sales have included fat ewes to 10s 6d, forward lambs to 9s, in-lamb ewes to Ils fid. <

ENCOURAGING IMPROVEMENT. FEED THE PRESENT PROBLEM. With the more buoyant tone in the stock market, it is possible to believe that the bottom of the depression has been reached, elates Newton King Ltd. in a review of Taranaki stock 'markets. Although recovery to any 'degree _ is destined to prove slow, Newton King Ltd. says it is encouraging to be able to record that the improvement hasbeen reasonably sustained over a period sufficient to permit of more confidence in operations. Feed is tha main problem at the moment and the severity of the weather • during the week has - taken such a heavy toil on 'the pastures that nourishment in many quarters is now confined to artificial feed. Supplies of the latter aro becoming low and concern as to the welfare of stock is being occasioned. As a result the yardings at fortnightly 'sales have swelled considerably, especially in the dairy section. Dairy cattle and such classes account for the greater percentage of trade, and the demand for cattle of quality is good, with prices hardening. Uncertainty ae to the future of both the beef and the mutton markets continues to be voiced. There is, however, a slight improvement in values for beef. Competition for oddments is keen and realisations show an advance. Prime young Jersey cross cows and heifers made up to- £4; lighter, £3 to £3 10s; light and unfinished, -£2 10s; well-bred cattle, £4 10s to £5. One hundred prime fat Hereford and Polled Angus cows and heifers have been sold on account of Nukuhakerc station ,at £5 per head. Mutton values are unchanged with supplies just sufficient to meet local demand. Values, are; Best wethers, 15s; lighter wethers, 13s to 14s; best young ewes, 10s fid; aged ewes, 8s to 9s. Although the inquiry for in-lamb ewes is good, business in the store sheep section is of little account, mainly because the lambing' season is at hand. Hoggets are in good demand but few quotations of any. consequence arc-of-fering, and present indications point to a shortage. Recent sales have been: Four and five-year-old ewes in-lamb to Southdown ram, 10s 6d to l'2s; older sheep, 9s fid; two-tooth ewes in-lamb to Southdown ram, 13s fid; 6-tooth to four-year-old ewes, 12s to 14s; good mixed-age hoggets, 9s fid; wether hoggets, Be. Business in the store cattle section is confined to oddments. Although no advance in the schedule rate for boners has been announced an improvement in realisations is noticeable, and from 15s to 20s has been the order during the week. Two-year empty .heifers and sound empty cows are yarded in fair numbers in small lots and are meeting bettor competition, sales of good quality heifers being recorded at up to £2 10s, with sound empty cows from £1 5s to £2. paddock cows are in bettor demand at £1 5s to £1 15s.

Yearling Jersey heifers continue to meet a good demand and the> shortage is not as serious as was thought sonic weeks ago, the advance in price having brought good numbers on the market. Quotations of good cattle are scattered. Tops realise from £3 5s to £3 10s, medium £1 los to £2 10s, and small lag to 30s. Inquiry from outside districts for this class continues, and sales during the week include a line of 100 at an average of £3 2(5 0d per head.. Large entries of dairy cattle are coining forward io all centres and good competition is the order for bot-fi-cows and heifers doge to profit. Good numbers of aged cows and late calver# are. included in the offerings, but these meet liitlo regard. Young cows at profit where sold with guarantee as to roundness find most favour and realise from £8 10s to £lO 10s, while older and crossbred sorts of medium quality sell at £5 to £G 10s, with aged and backward culvers at £2 to £l. Heifers of size and quality, well forward, aliro eel* well at £0 (Os to £7 10is with occasional outstanding animals making more. Backward, *mall and inferior-bred sorts meet little demand at £3 10s to £1 10s.

At Douglas on Monday the yarding comprised principally dairy cows and heifers and a good sale resulted. Competition was -keen for cows and heifers of quality close to profit and practically a full clearance was effected under the hammer. Quotations are: Fat cows, £3 15s; paddock cows, £1 10s to. £1 15s; yearling heifers; £2; good dairy cows, £6- 10s to £8 os- medium, £4 10s to £5 10s; late calvers, £2 2s fid to £3 10s; calved, £4 5s to £7; springing heifers, £6 5s to £7 10s; calved heifers, £6 2s 6d to £B.

The Stony River sale on Tuesday drew a capacity yarding of oddments. Competition was keen and a total clearance under the hammer was effected. Good quality yearling Jersey heifers made to £3, smaller cattle of medium quality £1 17s to £2 Os; hold-over heifers, 17s 6d to 21s; two-year empty heifers, £2 3s to £2 ss; fat. young Jer-sey-cross cows, £3 16s; .lighter, £2 18s to £3 Is; unfinished, 35s to 455; sound empty cows, 30s; paddock cows, £l Ils to £1 13s; boners, 10s to 20s; good quality dairy 'heifers at profit, £7 15s to £8; medium, £6 to £6 17s 6d; small crossbred and later calvers, £4 2s 6d to £5 7s fid; dairy cows, £3 to £7 10s. The Hawera sale on Thursday drew a good entry of all classes and a spirited sale resulted, realisations being: -Good mixed-sex hoggets, 9s 6d; fat hoggets, 13s to 13s fid;, fat and forward wethers, 12s fid; yearling Jersey heifers, 30s to £2 13s 6d; fat Polled Angus cows, £4 12s to £4 13s; fat cows (Jersey sorts), £2 15s to £3 15s; -good quality young dairy cows £8 10. to £10; medium, £6 to £7 ss;- good quality dairy heifers, £8 ss; others, £4 5s -to £6 10s; sound, empty cows, £1 Is to £1 12s; boners, 15s; weaner pigs, 9s 6d; stores. 12s 6d; light porkers, 20s. At the Waiwakaiho sale on Thursday there was a good yarding of dairy cattle supplemented .by a fair entry .of sheep and oddments in the store cattle section. There was a bright tone and a satisfactory clearance was made. Prices were; Two and four-tooth ewes with lambs at. foot, 15s 3d to 16s; sixtooth to four-year-old ewes in lamb to Southdown, ram, 12s; two-tooth ewes in lamb to.-Southdown ram, 13s fid; fat wethers, 14s; fat cows (Jersey cross sorts), £3 'ss to £3 10s; lighter, £2 5s to £2 9s; paddock cows, 22s 6d to 255; two-year empty Jersey and Jersey-cross heifers,. £2 6s; sound empty cows, 22s fid to 30s; good quality springing Jersey heifers, £7; medium, £6 to £6 ss; smaller sorts of quality, £4 12s fid to £5 17s 6d; good quality dairy cows, £8; medium, £5 He 6d to £6 10s; old and later calvers, £3 to £4. . All classes of pigs arc in good demand, and prices throughout the district are firm with an advancing tendency. The New Plymouth- haymarket sale yesterday drew a good number of all classes. Competition for largo stores was better than it has been for some weeks and realisations showed an advance on late rates. Quotations are: Small weaners-, fis fid; medium, Ils; good-, 13s to 15s; slips, 14s 6d to 17s 6d; large stores in good condition, 23s 6d; lighter conditioned stores, 19s Cd to 20s; unfinished porkers, 255.

BETTER DEMAND FOR STOCK. FAT COWS; YEARLING HEIFERS. The increased inquiry "for fat stock has continued during the past week, more particularly with regard to fat cows, fat bullocks being quite neglected, the Farmers’ Co-op. Society reports. A good line of Hereford cows, killing about 600, realised £5 ss. The fat sheep sales have been mostly confined to ewes, which have changed hands at from 10s to Ils 6d. Wethers seem to be in short supply and an improvement in price can be expected in this connection. Little business has been done in the store sheep-section, and the. y firm Report an UpsatisfieJ demand) for’ In'Jamb to •Soiithdd’wb '/finis, and" <ewe; hoggets, prices offering not being high' enough to tempt vendors to sell/ Several'small lines of the first mentioned have been sold at from 10s 6d to 12s fid 'and ewe hoggets are still being quoted at about 11& fid. The dairy market is still firm,, with the local demand to a large extent urn satisfied. It is anticipated, there will bo keen competition for good quality sorts at the 'first sign of the spring grass. This should not now be long in coming as a’few days mild weather recently made a small growth quite evident.' Good yearling heifers have occupied most of the buyers’ attention, and large business has been done at advanced prices, which for good sorts nave been from £2 10s to £3 ss, condition playing a largo part in...the prices obtained. Dairy heifers of good-quality are being eagerly sought. . The - best at auction have, made up to-£9, but the average would.. bo about £7 ss. Dairy cows guaranteed sound are realising from £6 to £». The market for horses remains firm, good half to three-quarter. draughts making from £3O to £4O. At the. Wavcrley sale a few pens of lambs came forward and there was a full yarding in the dairy pens. Two good lines of springers came forward on. account , of Messrs- Johnston /Bros, and Messrs. Scott Bros., and sold readily under' the hammer at the following: £5 os, £5 10s, £6, £0 15s, £7, £7 ss, £8 ss, Dairy cows, mostly old and in poor condition, were very dull of sale. B.F. hoggets made 9s 7d to Ils Id. A fair yarding of store ana dairy cattle came forward at Auroa and a total clearance was made. Yearling heifers made £2 to £2 'is 6d, dairy heifers £6 15s, £7, £7 ss, £B, weaher pigs 6s, slips 10s. At the Stratford sale theie was a good yarding. Very choice in-calf heifer# met good competition, the best sorts making £7, £7 15 s, and £B, backward heifers £4 10s, £5 to £6. Yearling heifers made £2 11 s -and small holdover yearlings 25s to 325. A good yarding of all classes of stock camo forward at Inglewood and met fair competition. Yearling heifers were in demand and a .few choice lines changed hands at £2 18s, £3, £3 fits, and £3 9s. Dairy cattle sold readily at prices slightly in advance of 'last week’s, dairy hojfors making £6 to £B, and cows £5, £7 and £8 10s.

At th© Opunake horse fair on Wedaesday there was a small yarding and anything showing promise sold well. A very good three-ycar-old filly on account of Mr. J. S. Hickey was sold at £44, and an cight-year-old mare (all work) on account of Mr. G. Grantham, realised £35. RETAIL PRICES OF EGGS. ■ Prices... for eggs at. New Plymouth during the past week ranged as follows;—First jgrado hen e-ggs Is 4Jd to Is ajd; seepnd grade, Is 4<l to Is mixed,. Is 4d to Is 5<J, duck eggs, Is 4d to Is 5tJ.