HAPPY INTRODUCTION

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1935, Page 10

HAPPY INTRODUCTION

STOCK MARKET IN 1935 EXTENSIVE SELLING OF SHEEP. EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FIRM. Newton King Ltd.’s report states that the appreciation in prices of dairy produce, lamb, ox beef, and what*appears to be a healthier tone in wool sales, all recorded during the past few weeks, and also the excellent' warm rains that have been experienced, combine in making a happy introduction to 1935. At the moment there is every indication that the improvements mentioned will be maintained. It seems certain that a firm market will exist for all classes of sheep during the “fair” period, for auction and private treaty values at the present are on a par with those ruling at this period last year. The advance of a farthing for lamb, making it now has been a stimulant to trade in store and forward classes. Although few auction sales have been held during the week, extensive selling of sheep (mostly lambs) by private treaty has been done, and an average of almost 1000 per day have been put through. Ewes are also coming in for more inquiry, but with the more confident tone now existing the majority of holders have the fairs in view. Freezing companies schedule for wether and ewe mutton is unaltered, and supplies for local consumption are being secured at approximately 25s and 16s respectively. An advance of Is to 21s on' ox beef (560 to 880) will have the effect of assisting the cattle trade during the autumn sales, and much business could be done privately at present were the numbers available. Several lines of store bullocks have been sold during the week as follows: 24 at £5, 48 at £5 10s, 30 at £5 ss, 25 at £5 Ils, also 22 cows and calves at £3 15s. Butchers’ requirements of fats have been confined mostly to female cattle, and with no auction markets available over the holidays private selling has been resorted to, the better classes maintaining an average of about £5 10s. Dairy cattle trade (weaners particularly) will very soon come in for keen attention, and it is hard to forecast what will be the opening prices. They will largely be governed by the dairy produce market, which for butter is at present approximately 10s per cwt. better than at this period last year, with the market showing a further firming tendency. Whatever the outcome, the firm feels sure that weaner heifers will be sound buying, for it is doubtful whether they will realise their rearing value. The following is a summary of private sales of sheep during the week: 126 m.s. w.f. lambs, 17s 6d; 200 b.f. woolly lambs, 17s 6d; 250 good b.f. lambs, 17s; 200 good shorn w.f. lambs, 16s 6d; 280 m.s. w.f. lambs, 16s 6d; 200 shorn w.f. lambs, 16s; 300 shorn b.f. lambs, 15s 3d; 500 b.f. woolly lambs, 15s; 550 ditto, 15s; 300 ditto, 14s 9d; 300 medium ewe lambs, shorn, 13s; 500 medium b.f. lambs, 12s 6d; 150 ditto, 12s 6d; 400 medium m.s. w.f. lambs, 11s; 400 wether ditto, Ils; 500 m.s. ditto, Ils; 300 small b.f. shorn lambs, at 10s; 500 5-year ewes, 18s 3d; 600 ditto, 18s 6d. At the Inglewood sale several hundred lambs, mostly cully, made up the bulk of the entry, and they sold particularly well as follows: Shorn wether lambs, 10s to Ils 6d; shorn ewe lambs, 10s 8d to Ils 2d; woolly ditto, to 12s. In the cattle section light fat cows made up to £3 10s and dairy heifers in milk and springing brought from £2 13s 6d to £3. The yardings at the respective pig sale centres have been heavy since the holidays, and the market for all classes has been firm. No doubt the rain in freshening the milk supply has helped the sale of young pigs considerably, for they have not fallen off in price so much as usual. At the New Plymouth Haymarket on Friday a good entry- of 200 pigs of all classes came forward and an exceptionally good sale is reported. If anything a slight improvement on last week’s prices for young pigs was in evidence, this being due to the offering being slightly better for quality. Light and heavy porkers also showed improved values on last week. A complete clearance was effected as follows: Small weaners, 9s to 10s 6d; medium, Ils to 12s 6d; extra good, up to 15s 6d; medium to good slips, 13s to 15s; extra good up to 19s 6d; small stores, 16s 6d to 18s 6d; medium to good, up to 21s; light porkers, 23s 6d to 25s 6d; medium, 27s 6d to 28s 6d; extra heavy, of which there were 25 in the line, £2 3s.