STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1935, Page 11

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

TARANAKI OPERATIONS DECIDED UPWARD TENDENCY. GENERAL . FEELING OF OPTIMISM. The Farmers’ Co-operative Organisation Society of New Zealand Ltd. in its weekly review reports that most markets have shown a decided upward tendency during the week, creating a feeling of optimism in most sections of the stock business. Weather, however, has been against trading privately to any great extent, and business has been confined mainly to the saleyards, where especially large entries of dairy cattle have met a ready sale. Really top heifers, which, at all sales are in the minority, meet very ready competition, with an improvement being shown for the smaller and more backward sorts from those who are in a position to hold them for a while.

Dairy produce values continue to rise, creating a stimulant to the new season’s operations, which are now in full swing as far as South Taranaki is concerned. Latest reports of 94s for butter on an active market show a decided improvement on values ruling at the same period last year, with a favourable stock position compared with that of last year, creating grounds for optimism as far as the new season is concerned. Cheese values also show firmness at 45s and 45s 6d, a rise of Is on last week’s rates. Wool values continue to display firmness with a feeling, of optimism prevailing as far as the future is concerned. Latest cables with regard to both lamb and mutton indicate a distinct firming. Values over the past few weeks .have, shown a steady improvement, with the outlook for the future distinctly bright All classes of fat sheep remain firm oh those ruling in the last report Sales by private treaty include 240 extra prime ewes at 18s, with odd trucks at from 17s to 18s. Fat wethers have changed hands at from 22s 6d to 24s for extra prime sheep. Fat cattle continue to display a hardening tendency, with extra prime heifers making '£7 10s. Sales include two trucks at this figure, prime fat heifers at £6 10s to £7, and prime fat cows at £6 to £6 10s. Every appearance of values improving is indicated, with a shortage Of prime cattle in sight. Business in the store stock section is hampered by lack of quotations. All classes of store sheep remain in keen demand and where quoted are quickly absorbed. Sales of five-year ewes mated to S.D. rams include a line of 300 at 27s 6d. Values of ewe hoggets show a hardening locally to 25s for top. sheep, with wether hoggets at 15s 6d to 16s 6d. Store cattle are keenly sought after, with quotations very limited, sales including a line of 30 5-year Holstein bullocks at £5 ss. A firm market exists for all classes of dairy stock, with business mainly confined to the yards. Sales by private treaty include 26s 2-year Jersey heifers at £5, odd trucks at £4 10s to £5 10s. Top heifers at auction range from £6 to £7, and more backward and inferior sorts at from £3 10s to £4 10s. The last week has seen a lull in business as far as Jersey .weaixer heifers, are concerned, values remaining on a par with last Week’s. A very firm tone exists in the pig section of the business, with . a keen demand existing for all classes. Best porkers realise £2 10s, light porkers to £2, stores to 30s, weaners 12s- 6d to 17s, sows to farrow £4 10s to-£7. . '

At the Wavertey sale and supplementary heifer fair On July 26 a good yarding of dairy cattle was submitted for auction and a very satisfactory sale resulted. Dairy heifers changed hands at £4 10s, £4 15s, £5, £5 5s to £5 10s, dairy cows £4, £4 10s, £5, £5 10s, £6 to £6 ss, a line of mixed age wethers 18s 10d, and weaner pigs Ils to 16s. A clearing sale for Mr. S. Adlam, Hurleyville, was held on Monday. An offering of 27 empty cows was submitted for auctioh," with' about 150 sheep, dairy heifers, cows and horses. Sixty mixed sex hoggets averaged 15s 6d, 81 ewes r.w. S.D. rams 13s 6d, 6-year bay gelding £3O 10s, 27 sound empty cows 245, 30s to 345, fat cows £2 15s to. £3, bulls £2 to £3, dairy-cows £6 to £6 10s and dairy heifers £3 to £4.At the Auroa fixture on Monday a good yarding of dairy and store cows and heifers came forward to the annual dairy sale. The dairy heifers submitted were a very good lot and realised £5, £5 5s to £5 15s, dairy cows close to profit realised £6 15s, store cows to £2 ss, boners 15s to £l, works cows 295, 30s, 37s to £2, fat cows £3 17s to £4. At Tuesday’s Manaia sale, which is now being held weekly, a medium yarding of store cows and dairies came forward and a very satisfactory sale resulted. In the dairy section Mr. Fred Reardon yarded some 1 attractive springing and calved heifers which changed hands at £4 15s, £5 5s to £6 5s for the former and £3 5s to £4 5s for the calved lots. Other realisations were: Springing dairy cows £4, £5 to £6, calved cows £3 10s, £4 5s to £5, store cattle and pigs selling at late rates. The Stony River sale on Tuesday drew an average yarding of cattle, all of which were showing the' effects of the recent cold snap.' With bidding a tittle quieter than late , rates a total clearance, under the hammer was effected. Realisations were: Weighty cows to £3 10s, lighter sorts to £3, paddock cows to £2 6s, works cows 25s to 30s, boners to 16s. At the Inglewood sale on Wednesday a large entry of all classes of cattle came forward, dairy cattle being yarded in large numbers. The cattle all showed the effect of the cold weather and bidding was rather slower than usual, with the exception of cows close to calving, which excited spirited competition, making up to £6 10s. Practically a total clearance under the hammer was effected vendors in most cases meeting the market. Realisations were: Mixed sex hoggets- to 16s 6d, wether hoggets to Ils 7d, in lamb ewes to 14s 3d, yearling heifers to 395, empty Shorthorn heifers to £2 14s 6d, others to £1 17s 6d, tat cows to £4 2s 6d, lighter sorts to £3, paddock cows to £2, works cows £1 2s to £1 ss, boners to 15s, dairy cows to £6 10s, dairy heifers to £4.

FAT SHEEP PRICES RISE

STRONG IN-LAMB EWE DEMAND. FAT STOCK MARKET FIRM. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd reports a brisk week of trading. The weather, although cold, has improved considerably and during the latter part of the week frosts were experienced followed by nice sunny days. The wet conditions prevailing . on the average dairy farm are fast disappearing and pastures will now have a chance to go ahead and improve. Cabled advice from London reports that New Zealand butter has risen a further Is to 2s per cwt and cheese Is per cwt, on last week’s quotations. New Zealand choicest salted butter is quoted at 93s to 94s and New Zealand cheese 44s 6d to 45s 6d. Both markets are firm. Yesterday the London office cabled a good report on the last of the series of London wool sales as under: “The sales closed with a fairly firm tone to-day,

competition from both home and foreign buyers being fairly active. As compared with last sales’ closing rates, prices are higher a further Id to lid per lb for super and medium greasy Merino and fine greasy crossbred; Id per lb for inferior greasy Merino and medium greasy crossbred; Id to Id per lb for coarse greasy crossbred; id per lb for scoured Merino; par to {d per lb for crossbred slipe and scoured crossbred; prices are about the same for lambs, Merino and crossbred.”

Fat ewes and wethers made an appreciable rise during the week and the firm has disposed of lines of fat ewes at 17s and heavy prime fat ewes at 18s to 19s. At the last Feilding sale fat wethers were sold up to as high as 24s 7d. All classes of fat cattle are very firm and quotations are difficult to procure. Outside districts, as well as Taranaki, have been well combed for fat cattle and, it is quite apparent, there is a decided shortage. This position is amply reflected in the advanced prices butchers are paying for fat cows ex the dairy in the weekly sales, namely anything up to close on £6 for good cattle and from £4 to £5 for lighter sorts. Good paddock cows are meeting with keen competition at the sales, but yardings of this class are not plentiful. A. good inquiry exists for station bred cattle and all classes of store cattle with a scarcity of quotations. During the week a line of Holstein paddock cows made £2 8s and few good meaty cows £2 6s.

There is a strong demand for in-lamb ewes but, as the lambing season is in full swing, quotations are few. The firm has disposed of a line of 4 and 5-year in-lamb ewes at 255. At the last Feilding sale 4-year and 6-tooth in-lamb ewes topped the market at 35s 6d. At the end of the lambing season, good prices should be realised for all store ewes, as present prospects indicate there will be a good inquiry. All other classes of store sheep are selling well, although both yardings and quotations are small. The recent rough weather considerably reduced the sales of in-calf heifers in the paddock but from now on, with a reasonable growth of grass, the demand will be greatly increased. Lines of 2-year in-calf heifers have been sold in the paddock at £5 10s to £6 and smaller, heifers £4 to £4 10s. Yearling heifers, are selling well, but good quality heifers are hard to find.

Pigs have made a good rise and large entries are coming forward to the weekly yard sales. At the Douglas sale on Monday there was a good yarding of all classes. Bid-, ding was brisk and there was a splendid attendance of buyers. Forty-one 4-year-old ewes, in lamb to Romney rams, sold for 26s lOd; 66 2-tooth medium sized ewes, in lamb to Romney rams, made 27s 2d; 28 small mixed sex hoggets realised 12s 9d; fat cows sold up to £5 6s; meaty cows £3 Is; paddock cows £2 to £2 12s; store cows 245; medium sized yearling Jersey heifers 325; young back country dairy cows sold from £4 5s to £4 10s; mature early calvers £3 10s to £3 15s; good springing Jersey heifers made £4 to £5 15s; smaller sorts £3 15s. The Stratford sale on Tuesday saw an average yarding of cattle of all classes, but in the dairy section back country cows and heifers were not forward enough and this made the sale rather dull. In the store pens a line of well grown empty 2-year Jersey heifers realised £2 ss; forward cows £2 10s; and boners 17s to £l.

A clearing sale of 28 Jersey and Ayrshire crops dairy cows, on account of the Native Trustee, was held at the Kararamea yards on Tuesday, before a good, bench of buyers. Good young early calvers and good quality mature August calvers sold fairly well. Young Jersey early calvers made £4 to £5; good mature August calvers £3 15s to £5 10s;, aged cows and backward sorts £1 10s to £2 15s. An outside entry, on account of Mr. Chas. Richards, met with very keen competition and exceptionally . good prices were realised.. Two Jersey second calvers, just calved, sold for £7 5s each; two 2-year springing heifers £5 5s each and a calved 2-year Jersey heifer £4 155.. At the Hawera sale on Thursday, there was a record yarding of pigs and all classes of cattle, together with a fair entry of sheep. A large number of buyers attended and competition was very keen in all sections, The day commenced with a frost and was followed by bright sunshine. There was a special entry of 80 porker, store and weaner pigs, on account of Mr. C. Bodge, Hurleyville, and this entry was supplemented by several pens of pigs of all classes, on account of other vendors. Most of the pigs were yarded in splendid order and every pen of pigs was sold, prices being in advance of those of the previous sale. Prime porkers made 35s to £2, small porkers 27s to 30s, small stores 18s 6d to. 21s 6d, slips 17s to 18s, inferior slips 14s, good weaners, just weaned off the sow,' 17s 6d, medium weaners 14s 6d, inferior weaners 8s 6d, two weaner Tamworthsows sold for 23s 6d each. The dairy, pens were filled to full capacity and a, very satisfactory sale resulted. A consignment of 2 and 3-year springing and calved Jersey heifers was offered on account of Mr. Jerry Kerrisk. One 3-year-old in-calf heifer was sold privately for, £7, before the sale commenced. Of the others, his 3-year-old springing heifers made £5 10s to £6 10s, 3-year calved heifers £4 10s to £5, 2-year springing heifers £4 5s to £5. A back country herd of 30 springing and calved Jerseycross dairy cows, on account of Mr. Lance Goodyer, were. all sold under the hammer at keen competitive prices. Young, early calvers sold for £5 5s to £5 15s, mature early calvers £4 5s to £4 10s, good young calved cows made £4 to £5 10s, mature calved cows £3 15s to £4-

10s, young later calvers realised £3 to £3 12s 6d. Among the oddments, young early Jersey calvers sold for £4 7s 6d to £4 12s 6d, older early calvers £3 to £3 17s 6d, backward heifers £3 7s 6d. Over in the store pens there was a big yarding of cattle and bidding was very spirited. Paddock Holstein empty cows realised £2 Bs, meaty cows £2 7s 6d to £3 3s, boner cows 15s to 20s. A fat Holstein cow ex the dairy made £5 19s and fat Jersey cows ex the dairy £4 5s to £4 10s, medium quality yearling Jersey heifers sold fox - 27s to 35s and hold-over yearling heifers 20s to 245, inferior sorts 15s, good forward b.f. hoggets sold for 17s, store hoggets 15s, wether lambs 16s Bd, fat lambs and 2-tooth wethers, good, to 26s sd, aged in-lamb ewes made £l. EFFECT OF BAD WEATHER QUALITY OF SALE ENTRIES. BEEF CATTLE PRICES HARDEN. Newton King Ltd. reports that, while the advent of the month of August was marked by more pleasant weather conditions, stock generally reflect the effects of the severe weather that ruled earlier, especially dairy cattle, and until more favourable weather is experienced, through which bloom will be regained, there seems little likelihood of any great improvement in values. Reviewing the stock market activities generally, since the last survey no alteration of consequence has been noticeable. Yardings in all branches have been reasonably well maintained, despite the inclemency of weathex* conditions, . but dairy cattle have predominated, a disappointing feature of most sales being the absence of well cared for cattle. _ It is many years since such a predominance of light-conditioned sorts have faced the markets, and possibly in this regard it may be said that the failure of turnip crops is responsible to a large deThe outstanding feature of activities during the past 10 days has been the increased changing of beef, and during the week new high levels for the season were recorded, when a line of extra prime Polled Angus heifers changed hands at £B. In all some 300 head have been sold by private treaty during the period stated, but on account of food shortage a spread delivery has been necessary where any quantity has been bought. There is a distinct hardening tendency in prices in this branch, and the limited nature of supplies suggests a further early appreciation. Sales since the last report include four trucks of p.A. cows at £6 15s, one truck of extra prime P.A. cows £B, one truck of prime P.A. cows £7 ss, one truck of fat Hereford heifers £6 12s 6d, 24 light P.A. heifers £5 18s 6d, 33 fat and forward P.A. cows at £5. • While the fat sheep, market displays, anything but a firm tone, it is not possible to declare that any receding in prices has taken effect over the past few weeks. The cautious atmosphere that reigns, however, limits changing to small numbers, only immediate requiremerits being purchased. Fat wethers sell at from 22s 6d to 24s 6d, while ewes are saleable at from 16s 6d to 17s 6d. Store sheep section business is limited on account of insufficient quotations being available at prices in keeping with buyers’ ideas. Holders of breeding ewes obviously anticipate an early rise and, if favoured with good weather condi-ti-ns, this may materialise, but at the moment few buyers are prepared to pay in advance of 28s for genuine 4 and 5year sheep, while sound-mouth sorts are saleable at from 24s to 265, sales during the week including a line of 280 4 and 5-year ewes at 28s, while a small line of 2-tooths was sold at 30s. Hoggets of both sexes also enjoy free inquiry, but here again requirements have to be satisfied from the small lots that are available, medium to good wether lambs being saleable at from 15s 6d to 16s 6d, one line of extra good sheep having changed hands during the week at 18s. _ Ewe hoggets are conspicuous by their absence, and the actual strength of the market for this class is difficult to assess, as no sales of any consequence have been effected over a period. The store-cattle section is perhaps a little more buoyant than is generally the order at this period, a noticeable feature of the inquiry being the decided, preference that is displayed for cattle of the Polled Angus breed. Most of the . inquiry is satisfied through the medium of private treaty, but here again want of quotations limits trade. Sales since the last report include a large line of 2J-year P.A. steers at £5 10s. At auction the entries in this branch consist in the main of the boner class, works competition accounting for the majority, only those suitable for fattening meeting graziers’ competition, and values throughout the week have been on a par with late rates. Fair entries of yearling Jersey heifers have also been handled, but few cattle cf the class desired by purchasers have been included. Those yarded consist in the main of light-conditioned, small and inferior-bred sorts, and it is only where quality is displayed that keen bidding is the order. Private inquiry for this class has also shown an easing, and no sales of any account can be reported since the last survey. Generally speaking the average to good quality cattle, at auction sell at from £1 15s to £2,. lesser-bred 25s to 30s, good quality holdovers £1 2s to £1 7s, small and weedy 12s to 17s. , .

The position in regard to the dairy cattle section has not changed, and while the demand is not strong, well done cattle of quality generally meet a very ready sale. An early improvement in weather conditions should greatly assist this market, as there arc undoubtedly many requirements yet to be fulfilled, but unless hidden supplies are unearthed of better done cattle than those that are at present being yarded, buyers who desire to purchase cattle of this description will have extreme difficulty in satisfying their wants. The magnitude of trade that has been negotiated throughout the season is now being reflected in the difficulty experienced in fulfilling inquiry through the medium of private treaty. Sales of truck lots of average to good sorts have been effected during the week at from £5 to £5 10s, while larger lines of average sorts and smaller cattle have been sold at from £3 15s to £4 ss. _ At Mr. Alan Good’s sale on Wednesday some 72 2-year heifers were yarded, but the severity of weather conditions had taken toll on the bloom of these cattle, and only the-forward sorts vere disposed of, 45 of the offering changing hands at an average of £4 15s. Good cattle well forward sold to £6, medium sorts £5, while the lesser-bred and more backward cattle changed hands at from £3 15s to £4 ss. At the Hawera sale on Thursday a large yarding was penned in this department. Good quality cattle were keenly sought, but the majority of the entry consisted of light-conditioned and; inferior-bred cattle, for which there was little demand. Good quality dairy heifers close to profit sold at from £6 to £7, average sorts £5, small and late cat-, tie £3 10s to £4 ss. Dairy cows of aver-, age quality realised from £4 10s to. £5 ss. There was also a large yarding in the fat and store pens at this sale, good, fat Shorthorn heifers making to £6 2s 6d, killable sorts £5 2s to £5 Ils, fat cows ex the dairy £4 to £4 18s, killable cows of the Jersey breed £3 to £3 10s, meaty works cows 35s to £2 10s, boners 15s to 255, good quality hold-over weaner Jersey heifers 255, average sorts 18s 6d, extra good wether hoggets made to 18s sd, medium to good sorts 15s 2d to 16s 9d. The Rahotu, Stony River and Waiwa-

kaiho sales drew average entries in the store cattle pens, which were supplemented by large entries of dairy cattle. Average to good quality diiry heifers, a little small, sold at from £4 15s to £5 15s, lighter-conditioned cattle £3 5s to £3 10s, inferior £2 to £2 ss, average quality dairy cows, close to profit £4 15s to £5 10s, later calvers £3 5s to £3 15s, inferior 35s to £2 10s, fat cows ex the dairy £5 ss, lighter sorts £3 12s 6d to £4, light fat Jersey heifers £2 Ils to £2 Bs, paddock cows of the Jersey class £1 16s to £2 Bs, meaty works cows £2 5s to £2 7s, good framed boners 30s to 335, thin sorts 15s to 20s, good quality hold-over heifers, including a number suitable for late mating £1 12s, average sorts £1 to £1 3s, others 15s to 17s, 2-year empty Jersey heifers of good quality £2 to £2 4s, others £1 6s to £1 15s.

All classes of pigs continue to meet keen competition, choice weaners especially being in strong demand, as also are good conditioned stores. At the New Plymouth haymarket sale on Friday a full yarding came forward, and competition was keen throughout the sale, realisations for choice weaners being a shade in advance of last week’s rates, prices ruling for other- pigs being on a par. Light porkers made to 325, good conditioned stores 29s to 30s, smaller sorts 23s to 255, good slips 20s to 22s 6d, others 17s to 19s, extra choice weaners 19s to 19s 6d, choice 16s 6d to 17s, average 13s to 14s, small Ils, sows in farrow £3 to £3 2s 6d.