ADDINGTON YARDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5499, 26 February 1896, Page 3

ADDINGTON YARDS.

THIS DAY.

[Per "Star's" Pigeon Express.]

Entries in the sheep and pig classes were again very large at the Addington live stock market to-day. There was a large attendance, including a number of farmers.

Fat Cattle.— Close upon 200 head of beef formed the week's supply, a good proportion of which was in dealers' hands, and therefore dealt with privately. Of those offered by auction there were a number of very nice steers, including a line ! grazed by Mr S. Sparks, which realised from £7 2s 6d to .£9. Heifer beef was in fair supply, but.cow'sorts were in excess of requirements, and some of the older . animals, although very 7 fat, could only be sold at " t a decided drop. Competition for any but the very primest sorts was anything but keen. Prices realised were :— Steers £5 2s 6d to .£9, heifers M 10s to £7, and cows £3 6s to £6 7s 6d, representing 18s to 20s per 1001 b for ! prime heifer and steer beef, and from. 13s to 17s for cow and secchdary sorts. Dairy Cows. — A medium entry of dairy cows met with little inquiry, and cows and springers brought from .£3 10s to .£6 17s 6d. Store Cattle.— The entry in the store pens was made up mainly of dry cows; with a couple of pens of backward young cattle. Business done . is not worth quoting. Fat Sheep. — Some 6000 sheep occupied •the fat pens, the bulk being cross-bred ewe mutton. There were rather more wethers than of late, with a fair sprinkling fit for freezing. The sale will not start until late. Fat Lambs. — Close upon 2000 lambs came to hand, embracing all sorts from good freezers to forward stores. The large entry had the effect of lowering .prices, to the extent of quite Is to ls 6d per head Freezing quality brought from 9s to lis ; butchers' sorts from 6s 6d to 8s ! 6d, and inferior from 5s to 6s 3d. Stobe Sheep. — The yarding of store sheep was again a large one, something like 8000 being in. The continued dry weather and the consequent scarcity of feed prevented any demand, and no improvement took place on last week's sale. Lambs are excepted. In these there was a better disposition shown to purchase good healthy sorts, but without any perceptible rise in price. Prices realised for those which changed hands were as follows: — Forward four -tooth; cross-bred wethers 8s to 9s Bd, do mixed wethers and maiden ewes 8s 7d to 10s, mixed sexes 5s 6d to 8s lld, four-tooth owes 7s 2d to 8s 7d, soundmouthed do 3s to 55,. a line of 1600 good healthy ewes from the North Island realised 6s lld to 7s, boilers ls 9dto2sj sd, cross-bred lambs 2s 3d to 4s 6d for | weedy sorts, and from 5s to 6s lOd for j good healthy lambs. Pigs. — The entry of pigs was one of the largest ever seen at the yards, stores of all kinds predominating: There were about enough baconers and porkers for trade requirements, and thesemetafair demand, but the sale of stores was one of the worst seen for years. Baconers realised 27s 6d to 445, choppers from 40s to 455, porkers 14s to 26s 6d, good large-framed stores 10s to 16s, lighter sorts 6s 6d to 9s 6d, and smaller from 2s 6d to 6s.