FAT SHEEP VALUES'FIRM

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

FAT SHEEP VALUES'FIRM

FAT CATTLE MARKET HARDENING. VERY ACTIVE WEEK OF TRADING. The Farmers’ Co-operative Organisation Society of New Zealand, Ltd., in its weekly review states that an extremely active week of trading has taken place. Very heavy frosts were experienced in the early part of the week, with heavy rain and milder conditions setting in during the latter part. Pastures everywhere are looking extremely well for this lime of the year, and most herds have shown a satisfactory start, production being well maintained. Values of butter and cheese have remained on a par with those ruling at this time last year, the outlook for both commodities differing little in aspect from that of this time last year. However, it is difficult to forecast what the future holds in store from one week to another.

Values of both lamb and mutton remain unchanged with a confident tone existing. Values of all classes of fat sheep remain firm, with perhaps the peak in prices past and small numbers of fat ewes starting to come out from the flocks. Sales of fat sheep include a truck of quality 4 and 6-tooth wethers at 27s 6d, with trucks of fat ewes at from 24s to 25s 6d. Sales of fat hoggets have been effected at from 21s to 24s 6d. Values of all classes of fat cattle remain firm with a hardening tendency apparent. A very big inquiry has existed over the past week for fat cattle, sales including a line of 80 prime fat Shorthorn heifers at £7, 20 prime fat Hereford heifers at £7, 20 fat P.A. heifers at £6 10s, 45 fat P.A. heifers at £6 ss, 50 fat P.A. heifers at £6, 50 fat P.A. heifers and young cows at £5 10s, with odd trucks of fat heifers and cows at from £5 10s to £6 15s. A slightly better inquiry exists for ox beef, sales including a line of 30 extra prime cattle at £B. A keen inquiry has existed during the week in the store sheep section for both owe and wether hoggets, sales including two lines of ewe hoggets at 235, with odd lines of wether hoggets at 19s to 20s 6d. The demand for ewes has naturally eased for a few weeks with lambing in full swing everywhere. Store cattle have excited interest during the week, sales including a line of 120 forward P.A. cows and heifers at £3 3s, a further line of 100 two and three-year P.A. heifers at £3 10s, and 65 forward P.A. cows and heifers at £3 3s. Young cattle are in demand, difficulty of quotation being the main feature of the market.

The demand for dairy heifers, although keen, has practically confined itself to yard sales, where large numbers have met keen competition everywhere. Sales of odd lots of two and three-year heifers close to profit have been effected at from £3 5s to £6 6s in the paddock. For weaner heifers a spasmodic inquiry exists, only “top” cattle commanding attention at fc'om £2 5s to £2 15s. Yard salps at all centres have been well supported, large yardings of dairy stock constituting the bulk of trade. At the Waverley sale on Friday last a large yarding of fat cattle, together with an extra large yarding of dairy cattle, was submitted for auction, a keen sale resulting. A line of 50 P.A. heifers realised £5 10s. One of the best sales of dairy stock held in Waverley for some years was the result of a yarding of 140 head being, submitted for auction, 110 changing hands at satisfactory prices to vendors. A line of 30 extra choice twoyear heifers offered on account of Mr. Roy Verry, Waitotara, excited keen competition up to £9, the whole line averaging £6. Other prices for good heifers were £7 15s, £7, £5 10s down to £3 15s. Dairy cows (close to s profit) were in demand from £4 to £6 ss, more backward sorts changing hands at £2 10s to £4. ' . . At the Okaiawa sale on Monday a fair yarding of store and dairy cattle was submitted for auction, a clearance being effected. Dairy heifers realised from £5 to £6 2s 6d, store cows 10s, 15s to £l, sound empty cows 30s to 375, paddock cows £2 10s, better sorts £3 to £3 ss. At the Stratford sale there was a good yarding of dairy cattle. There was keen competition for the good class dairy heifers, smaller sorts not being readily sought after. Realisations were: Good quality dairy heifers £5 to £5 10s, medium to small £3 10s to £4, dairy cows (close to profit)' £4 to £4 10s, calved cows £3 5s to £3 15s, later sorts £2 5s to £2 15s. In the store cattle section a line of fair conditioned P.A. heifers was sold at £4 10s each. Fat cows realised £4 ss, sound empty holdover cows £1 ss, store pigs 19s to £l. Mr. Hugh McCann’s annual sale of dairy heifers at Opunake was a most successful sale. There was keen competition from a large tench of buyers, and practically a total clearance resulted. The top price of the sale, for heifers close to profit, was £7 10s, other prices being £5, £5 15s, £6 5s to £6 10s. JERSEY BULL FOR OAMARU. ANIMAL FROM TARANAKI HERD. A yearling Jersey bull of some merit was landed at Oamaru last week by the Opihi. He is registered as “Pul-.atea Rescue,” bred by Mr. G. R. Bell, Waipuku, Taranaki, and was personally selectee! by his new owner, Mr. C. P. Carrington, Boughtrig Jersey Stud, Peebles.

A glance at “Puketea Rescue’s” pedigree shows substantial butter-fat backing, seven dams in the first four generations having certificates of record averaging 5701 b of fat. “Rescue” was sired by “Pinewood’s Silver Lad,” and his dam is “Puketea Zona,” C.O.R. 4551 b fat at two years., His three-quarter sister, Pukatea Dolly, is last year’s junior two-year-old bronze medallist, with 6601 b fat and winner of the fourth Stratford Futurity Stakes, in addition to having gained three first prizes at Stratford at her initial show appearance. Another sister, Lady Daphne, was first, second and v.h.c. at Stratford as a yearling (O.H.T. 4511 b at two years), while a third sister “Pukatea Pride,” now on C.O.R. test, has 5101 b of fat to her credit, with 59 days still to complete. “Pukatea Rescue’s” paternal grandsire is “Golden Fern’s Volunteer” (imp.), who will shortly qualify as a champion butter-fat bull.