REVIEW OF MARKETS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 11

REVIEW OF MARKETS

TARANAKI LIVESTOCK MOST VALUES MAINTAINED. WORKS SCHEDULE FOR MUTTON. ' The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’s market report states: Values in fat ewes are now stabilised by the works having fixed . their schedule. Comparatively few ewes have been forwarded to the works yet, and it will be some time before the main lines are ready. Drafting of fat lambs is now getting into swing, and increasing numbers will go forward from now on. Prices for ewe and wether mutton at the yards, also at private sales, have not declined during the week, several lots of ewes having been sold at from 13s 6d to 14s 6d and fat wethers to 235. Fat cattle prices have remained steady since last week. Supplies, especially of good .Jersey, and Jersey cross beef, are becoming more plentiful, and butchers generally seem to prefer ‘ these to' the regulation beef animal, in some cases giving as much for them as would buy good beef-bred animals. This is probably accounted for by the fact that the Weather has been very sultry, and the heavier animals are not wanted on that account.

A very good demand is evident for all classes of store sheep, particularly for two-tooth wethers and mixed sex whiteface lambs. Quotations of both are hard to obtain, and any decent lines offering are soon snapped up. From what can be ascertained very few sales of breeding ewes for forward delivery have been made in . comparison with other years. Most farmers evidently are adopting . a cautious policy- Vendors are not inclined to reduce their quotes to any great extent, and this fact is retarding business considerably. The recent beneficial rains have caused b renewed demand for store cattle to enable graziers to cope with the superabundance of feed. Several lots of wellbred station cattle have been sold during the week, but most farmers are going for young empty cows from the dairy herds, and these are selling really Well. ‘This class of animal is being used in increasing numbers for scrubbing and cleaning up rough country in Taranaki, the main reason, of course, being that it is Very much cheaper than the stationbred animal, and consequently when losses occur through deaths, etc., the amount involved is inconsiderable. Dairy cows and heifers are dribbling Into the yards in very small numbers now, and prices realised are very low. Large . numbers of pigs continue to come forward to the yards, and a good demand continues.

A good demand is still existent; for jgood half to three-quarter draught horses for the hay- and ensilage-making season, but the supply is very low, and few sales are being made. Prices' for stock sold during the week have been as follows? Fat P.A. and Hereford cows £5 to £5 10s; fat lambs (small lots) 23s to 245, weaner pigs to IBs, slips to 225, stores to 275, sow £4, grade boars fb £2, store two-tooth wethers to 20s 9d, fat ewes to 14s, dairy heifers to £4, fat Jersey cows to £4 las, store bulls 30s to £2 ss.