STOCK PRICES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17756, 28 January 1926, Page 9

STOCK PRICES.

SUMMARY OF YESTERDAY’S SALE.

The entry of*fat cattle at the weekly stock sale at Addington yesterday was smaller than has been the case for some time. It totalled 460 head, compared with 575 last week. The proportion of steers was unusually small, the bulk of the yarding consisting of cows of all ages, though most of them were of quite good quality. Steers sold at practically last week’s rates, but cows were cheaper. Prices a 1001 b were: Extra prime medium-weight beef, to 425: prime medium-weight, 37s to 40s; prime heavy-weight, 34s 6d to 375; medium quality, 30s to 335; heavy cow beef, 27s 6d to 29s 6d; light and rough, 22s 6d to 275.

The offering of fat sheep filled ten races, one more than last week. On account of the restricted buying of the exporters, as a result of the renewal of the trouble at two of the freezing works and of the uncertainty that existed as to what might happen at the others, it was feared that the sale would be a particularly dull one, as the entry was in excess of the requirements of butchers. There was, however, no slump in prices, the decline amounting to not more than Is a head. In fact, everything considered, the values of fat sheep were well maintained. The fat lamb sale opened with a very slack demand, the competition from the exporters being strictly limited. During the first half of the sale prices were lower than last week by 2s to 2s 6d a head, but towards the end there was a noticeable improvement in the demand and much of the early drop in prices was recovered. However, taking the sale as a whole, prices for fat lambs were a good 4 below schedule, whilst in the case of fat sheep schedule rates were just about maintained. The freezing trouble was reflected in the sale of store sheep. Prices for store lambs were lower than a week ago by about 2s 6d a head, and a considerable decline was also recorded in the price of wethers for fattening. Good ewes sold fairly well. There was a big entry of store sheep, entries coming from many parts of the country, including the North Island.

The offering of store cattle consisted almost entirQly of cows and bulls, which met with a good demand. Practically the only quotable line of young stuff was one of two-year-old steers which made £7. The \*arding of dairy cattle totalled ninety-two head, compared with thirty-five last week. The demand was rather dull throughout, though it brightened up when a pen of outstanding springing heifers was offered. They made up to £l7 10s. Generally, however, prices for dairy cattle were on a lower basis than a week ago. The number of vealers forward was just about sufficient to meet requirements, and a good, free sale resulted with better prices than last week, especially for good stuff. There was a medium-sized yarding of fat pigs. The demand for them was good and both baconers and porkers made slightly better prices than at the previous sale. Store pigs, on the other hand, met with dull competition, and prices for all classes were, lower. Following are ranges of values:— FAT CATTLE. Extra prime heavy weight steers £lB to £l9 2s 6d. Prime heavy steers £l6 to* £l7 10s. Prime medium weight steers £l3 15s to £ls 15s, Medium quality steers £ll 5s to £l3 10s. Light, steers £9 5» to £ll. Rough steers £8 to £9. Extra prime heifers to £l3 17s 6d. Prime heifers £9 to £ll. Ordinary heifers £6 10s to £8 15s. Light heifers £3 17s 6d to £6 ss. Extra prime cows to £l2 2s 6d. Prime cows £S to £lO ss. Medium cows £5 10s tc.- £7 15s. Light cows £3 15s to £5 ss. STORE CATTLE. Best cows, £2 15s to £♦ ss. Medium cows, £1 10s to £2 10s. Inferior cows, £1 to £1 7s 6d. Bulls, to £6 10s. DAIRY CATTLE. Best second, third ano fourth cal vers, springing, £7 to £lO 10s. Medium sorts, £5 10s to £6 10s. Poor sorts. £3 to £5. Extra good springing heifers, £l3 10s to £l7 10s. Good sorts, £8 to £lO. Others, £3 to £6. Old cows, 30s to 50s. VEALERS. Small calves. 20s to 2*5. Medium calves, 27s 6d to 3 ss. Good calves, 37s firl to 4 ss. Best calves, to 555. Medium runners, £3 5s to £4. Best runners, to £6 10s. FAT SHEEP. Prime wethers, 30s to 32s 9d. Medium wethers, 27s 3d to 29s 9d. Light wethers, 24s to 275. Extra prime ewes, to 29s 4d. Prime ewes, 25s to 27s 6d. Medium ewes, 21s 9d to 24a 6d. Light ewes. 19s to 21s. Old ewes, ]6s to ISs. FAT LAMBS. Values were:— Extra prime lambs, 31s to 36s 3d. Prime lambs, 2Ss to 30s. Medium lambs. 25s 9d to 27s 9d. LigrTTt lambs, 23s 9d to 25s 6d. Store lambs, 21s lOd to 23s 6d. STORE SHEEP. Forward lambs, 22s to 23s 6d. Medium lambs, 18s 9d to 21s Gd. Small lambs, 17s to 18s 6d. Inferior lambs, 1 fis to 17s Cull lambs, 11 s to 35s 9d. Fairly good four and six toothed wethers, 23s to 25s 6d. _ Two-toothed half-bred wethers. 22a to 24s 3d. Ordinary two-toothed half-bred wethers, 19s fid to 2ls 9d. , late shorn two-toothed half-bred wethers. I fis fid to ISs 9d. Sound-mouthed half-bred ewes, 25s 9d to 28s fid. North Island two-toothed Romneycross ewes, 25s to 30s 9d. Sound-mouthed North Island Romney cross ewes, 24s to 26s Id. PIGS. Choppers. 50s to £5. Baconers, £3 15s to £4 ss. Heavy baconers, £4 10s to £5. Extra heavy baconers, to E 5 ISs. Average price per lb, fi*d to 7Jd. Porkers. 4fis to 53®. Heavy porkers, s#s t<*» 6As. Average price per lb. 7Jd to Bid. Small wtan«ri. lls to i6s. Better sorts. 18s to 235. Slips. 25s to SSs. Smell storep. 29s to 335. « Medium stores, 31s to 40s.