STOCK MARKETS BUSY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1935, Page 11

STOCK MARKETS BUSY

ACTIVITY IN TARANAKI KEEN INQUIRY FOR ALL CLASSES. DECLINE IN PRODUCTION NOTED. The Farmers’ Co-op. in its weekly stock market review, states that business has been exceptionally well sustained during the week. The weather has been far from favourable, heavy rain falling in most parts of the district affecting shearing operations everywhere. Production generally as far as dairymen are concerned, has received a setback, due to the heavy rain experienced accompanied by colder conditions and figures throughout the district are lower than at this period last year. However, a welcome rise was experienced in values for both butter and cheese on the London market butter rising to 108 s and Chees» to 545. As was predicted some time ago, the setback experienced during the last two weeks was more or less the sign of a healthy market position, and it is felt that to-day’s figures will hold for quite a while to come. News of a good Australian season, how-, ever, is likely to have a bearing on the market at a later date., Wool values have shown a slight hardening tendency during the week and predictions of firm rates for the opening sales in New Zealand seem well found ed. The announcement of the 81d schedule for over-all weights for fat lambs has induced quite a number to commence drafting, and extremely satisfactory averages as far as weights are concerned have resulted, a very different position from that ruling at the same period last year. A keen inquiry has existed for all classes of stock, end as was seen at the Tokirima and Kohuratahi cattle fairs this week, no easing in values as far as station cattle are concerned has occurred since our last report. Al’ classes of fat sheep remain firm on -those ruling last week, sales of fat ewes having been effected at from 17s 6d to 18s (shorn) and fat wethers at from 24s to 25s (shorn). An easing tendency is noticeable as far as values for fat cattle are concerned, as vias seen at Hawera on Thursday, where an entry o. fat Polled Angus cattle met little competition, this being offset to a very large extent by the exceptionally large yarding of fat Jersey cows from the dairy that came forward to this fixture. Vt' -es for best prime fat cows range from" £6 10s to £7, best prime fat heifers from £7 to £7 10s, a hand-to-mouth policy being adopted by most buyers. A further easing tendency seems likely with the larger numbers coming on to the market. Values for all classes of store sheep remain very firm with a keen inquiry existing. Lambs continue to find favour, sales since the last report including 1300 mixed sex lambs at 19s, 300 b.f. lambs at 20s, with quotations being difficult enough to obtain. Both ewe and wether hoggets off the shears continue to find favour and more than 2000 2tooth ewes off the shears on a forward delivery basis have -been disposed of at from 30s to 325. Sales since the last report in this section include 800 at 21s and a further 270 at 21s, with a keen inquiry and limited quotations. Although' quotations of ewes on a forward delivery basis are more or less limited, a keen inquiry exists, sales by private treaty consisting of 700 mixed aged ewes at 27s 9d, 500 6-year ewes at 19s 6d and 250 4 and 5-year ewes at 225. All classes of station cattle remain in keen demand, little being transacted by private treaty, due to the large entries at both Kohuratahi and Tokirima during the week. An “in and out” inquiry exists at the moment for Jersey yearling heifers, best cattle making £3 10s, smaller sorts from £2 10s to £3, hold-overs £2 5s to £2 7s Cd. a keener inquiry existing for holdovers than for bigger cattle. However, some inquiry can be expected very shortly in this section. / Yard sales at all centres have been exceptionally well supported, large entries for the time of year of cows from dairy herds ' coming forward, with keen sales resulting. .At the Opunake sale on Monday a large yarding of weaner heifers and store cattle came forward. There was also a large offering of pigs, which met a rce-’y sale. Realisations were: Yearling heifers, 355, £2 5s to £2 6s 6d; paddock cows, £2 3s, £2 7s, £2 10s to £3 10s; fat cows, to £6 10s; 2-year Jersey bulls, Signs.; works bulls to £4 15s; dairy cows, calved, to £4 15s; springing heifers to £4 10s; hoggets, woolly, 245. 25s 4d to 28s 8d; weaner pigs, to 15s; stores, to 21s 6d; and porkers to 30s. At Manaia on Tuesday a medium yarding of all classes of cattle was submitl- - for auction, realisations being very satisfactory. A line of 13 Friesian heifers on account of Mr. E. J. Betts was disposed of at £3 Us. Other realisations were: Springing heifers to £5; yearling heifers to £3 Ils; paddock cows, £2 7s 6d, £2 15s to £3 14s; fat cows to £7 2s; others at late rates; weaner pigs to 14s 6d; stores to 19s. There was a moderate yarding of cattle and sheep at the Tokirima sale on Monday, and stock came forward in fair condition, satisfactory prices being realised. Three and four-year-old bullocks made £6 15s, £6 17s to £7 ss; good 2-year-old Hereford steers, £4 17s; poorer sorts, £3; yearling P.A. and Hereford steers, £2 10s to £2 12s; fat Jersey cross cows, £3 15s to £4; 2-tooth wethers in the wool, 245; m.a. dry ewes (shorn), 18s Id;.m.a. ewes and lambs, all counted, 17s.

Six hundred mixed station cattle came forward to the Kohuratahi sale on Tuesday. The. entry comprised some particularly good cattle and keen competition from a large attendance of buyers from all over Taranaki resulted in a very successful sale. With the exception of a few lines of young cattle and Jersey store cows, everything changed hands. Some of the sales recorded are as follows: Three and 4-year-old mixed bullocks £5 9s, £5 17s 6d, £6 12s to £7 7s; good forward • P.A. bullocks, £8 5s to £8 7s 6d; yearling P.A. steers, £4 8s to £4 15s; yearling P.A. and Hereford heifers, £3 2s 6d to £3 14s; empty Hereford cows, £4 Is to £4 11s; empty P.A. cows £4 9s; empty Jersey cows and heifers, £3 12s; others, £2 to £2 19s; run cows and calves, £3 Ils; 4-tooth shorn wethers, 22s lOd.

At the Urenui sale a large yarding of all classes of cattle was submitted for auction, a total clearance under the hammer resulting. Realisations were: Fat cows to £6, lighter sorts £4 15s to £5 12s 6d, paddock cows £2 15s to £3 16s, store cows £1 16s to £2 3s, boners £l, sound bulls to £7 7s, dairy heifers £5 10s to £7 15s, Weaner pigs to 16s 6d.

The Hawera sale on Thursday attracted an exceptionally large entry of cattle of all descriptions, every pen being well filled, Fat cattle met a very “sticky” sale, due to the large numbers of good conditioned cows from dairy herds coming forward to this sale. A line of 25 good-framed 4-year-old bullocks realised £7 Bs, others from £5 10s to £6 10s, fat cows from dairy herds £4 10s to £5 10s, lighter sorts £3 to £4, paddock cows £2 to £2 15s, boners 25s to 32s 6d. A medium entry of sheep resulted in a satisfactory sale, best fat wethers, woolly, making 265, others 24s 6d to 255, b.f. hoggets, shorn, 20s 6d. One of the largest entries of pigs to be submitted at the Hawera yards came forward, a total clearance under the hammer of nearly 400 pigs being effect-

ed. Best baconers made £2 3s, best porkers from 30s to 38s, light porkers 27s 6d to 31s, best stores 25s to 275, smaller stores £1 to 235, weaners 12s to 16s 6d, sows to farrow from £3 10s to £4 ss.

RECEDING OF VALUES REFLECTION OF BAD WEATHER. DISAPPOINTING LAMB SCHEDULE. Newton King Ltd. reports that the reflection of unseasonable weather conditions, has been manifest at regular sales during the past ten days, and while no easing in values for well-bred cattle has been noticeable as a result of the staying of the fulfilment of needs, lesser bred grades have not enjoyed such high levels as ruled prior to the change. The fortnightly sales continue to draw good numbers of cows from dairy herds and a general easing in price levels has been noticeable. The preceding week saw stronger competition from works buyers with this class but operations since their last survey have lacked keenness and lower limits have been exercised. The receding in values for the younger class of reject cow may be arrested when the district enjoys better growing conditions as the need for stock is evident in most parts of the district. Sale entries have included average numbers of yearling Jersey heifers, for which a reasonably good demand continues, prices for good quality cattle being firm at late rates. An easing has been noticeable in the values for cattle lacking breed. Holdover heifers have not eased in popularity but only odd lots are offering. Sales include a line of 44 good quality cattle at £2 6s 6d while values at auction for their better-grown sisters range as follows: Best quality to £3 10s, average sorts £2 12s 6d to £3, lesser bred and undersized 35s to £2 ss. Sales by private treaty include one line of extra choice cattle to a northern buyer at £4 ss.

While a good demand continues for the purchase of breeding ewes on a forward delivery basis, the earlier optimism that reigned in the store sheep section has been weakened by the easing in the lamb schedule. It was expected that 9d or better would be the opening schedule locally and the announcement that 81d is the figure at which operations are based has occasioned some disappointment. Quotations of sheep off the shears are somewhat slow in coming to hand on account of the unfavourable conditions to complete this operation. Two-tooth wethers are quoted at up to £1 Is and buyers show little hesitancy to compete at this figure. Two-tooth ewes are being quoted a little more freely but changing is slow owing to some difference of opinion as to values. Sales in this branch by private treaty since the last report include 800 six-year-old ewes at 20s, 600 at 21s, 250 5-year ewes at 23s 6d, all for January delivery, and 106 two-tooth ewes at 31s 3d for immediate delivery. At the late Mr. Oxenham’s dispersal sale at Tarata on November 8 keen interest was displayed. Full-mouth ewes with lambs at foot made from £2 0s 6d to £2 2s 6d, full-mouth ewes with lambs at foot 30s 6d, average woolly ewe hoggets 335, dry mixed-age ewes in the wool 30s, woolly wether hoggets 23s 6d, ’ fat and forward shorn wethers 23s Id to 23s 6d, small shorn wether hoggets 18s Bd. Beef values are reasonably firm at late rates but supplies of well bred cattle are becoming more plentiful and there may be an easing in values at no distant date. Quotations of Polled Angus and Hereford cows and heifers range from £7 to £B, while bullocks are quoted at from £lO to £ll 10s, sales during the week including a line of 32 average weight bullocks at £ll. At auction the oddments of Jersey and Jersey-cross sorts meet fairly steady competition, but here again values show an easing tendency. Heavy young Jersey sorts sell at from £5 10s to £6, lighter prime £4 10s to £5, plain and unfinished £3 5s to £4. >

Values in the fat sheep section are on a par with late rates and supplies do not seAn plentiful enough to suggest any early receding so far as local requirements are concerned. Shorn ewes are worth from 16s to 17s 6d, while wethers sell at from 23s to 255.

It is pleasing to observe the slight recovery staged by the overseas markets for dairy produce, to-day’s figures showing an advance of from 4s to 5s on those ruling at last week, and, while seasonal fluctuations are likely to be encountered, it can be said that the general consensus of opinion is' that the industry seems destined to a brighter future, which in due course will have a favourable reflect tion on values for dairy cattle. At the Urenui sale on Monday the entry of dairy cattle consisted in the main of small and underdone heifers. There were, however, a fair number of good quality better done sorts together with a number of good sorts of cows. Anything displaying size and quality was keenly competed for. Choice dairy cows in full milk made to £ll, good sorts £5 to £6 10s, others £3 to £4, good quality heifers £5 2s 6d to £6, average sorts £4 to £4 10s, others £3 to £3 10s. An average entry was yarded in the fat and store cattle pens, but the sale lacked the animation that 1 ruled at the previous week’s fixture, the younger class of Jersey cow showing a slight receding in realisations. Light fat young Jersey cows made from £4 2s to £4 ss, killable £3 5s to £3 Ils, fresh conditioned young Jersey and Jersey-cross cows £2 5s to £2 12s, good framed young Jersey paddock cows 35s to £2 3s, others 24s to 30s, heavy potter bulls £4 10s to £4 15s, sound pedigree bulls sgns to Signs, grades £3 12s 6d to £4, yearling Jersey heifers suitable for late mating £2 11s to £2 15s. The Inglewood sale on Wednesday drew a good yarding in all departments. The entry included some good quality yearling Jersey heifers which were keenly competed for but a slight easing was noticeable in the demand for young Jersey paddock cows. A pen of good quality young fat ewes excited keen competition and realised’ 18s. Full-mouth ewes with lambs at foot made to 35s 6d, sound*mouth empty woolly ewes 15s 6d, culls 4s to 5s 6d, good quality-yearling Jersey heifers £3 Ils, good quality sorts a little small £2 18s to £3, good quality holdover heifers £2 2s to £2 6s 6d, crossbred 31s to 375, 2-year empty Jersey heifers of average quality £2 5s to £2 Ils, good young Jersey and Jersey-cross paddock cows 35s to £2 4s according to frame, older sorts 29s to 325, boners 20s to 235, average weight fat Jersey cows £3 Ils, lighter £3 17s 6d to £4 12s 6d, killable £3 5s to £3 10s, light fat Jersey heifers £2 19s to £3.

The pig section continues to hold the improvement that was displayed in prices a week ago, all classes enjoying free competition. The New Plymouth haymarket sale drew a capacity yarding and although the demand eased a little towards the end of the sale, prices generally were on a par with last week’s quotations. Good porkers made to £2, lighter £1 Ils to £1 14s 6d, good conditioned stores 24s to 265, good slips 22s 6d to 245. othfers 18s' to 20s, choice weanefs 19s to 21s 6d, medium 14s to 16s, small and Weedy Us to 12s.