SHEEP AND CATTLE PRICES AGAIN DROP

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18013, 25 November 1926, Page 13

SHEEP AND CATTLE PRICES AGAIN DROP

BUT GOOD LAMBS SOLD BETTER AT ADDINGTON IN YESTERDAY’S MARKET The entry of fat cattle at the weekly stock sale at Addington yesterday was again a large one. It totalled 557 head, compared with 599 last week. On the whole the quality was good, there being several nicely finished lines of steers forward from Southland and Peninsula graziers. Most of the'• cows, too, were in very fair condition. From the point of view of the vendors the sale was a disappointing one, a further decline in prices being Recorded. The drop was most marked ill the case of big bullocks, this no doubt being due to the advent of the hot wea- . ther. Big bullocks were cheaper last l week by up to 30s a head, medium steers by 255, and all classes of cows j by 20s to 255. Towards the end of the sale the demand became very sluggish, and at this .stage sales were made at prices even lower than those ruling at the opening. Vendors generally accepted the market, and passings were not unusually heavy. Prices a 1001 b were: —Best quality steer beef 35s to 375; heavy prime b£ef 32s to 32s 6d; medium quality 30s to 31s 6d, best heifer beef 34s to 36s 6d. best row beef , 31s to 345, and inferior to medium 25s to 28s. The yarding of fat sheep was much Smaller than last. week. Tt. filled ten races, four less than at the previous , sale. Generally the quality was good. Nearly all the sheep were out. of the wool. In spite of the smaller entry prices on the average showed no improvement. In fact, if anything, they were slightly easier than last week. The demand was fairly good until half way through the sale, when a weaker tendency developed and this became more marked as the sale went on, until near the end there was hardly any competition at all. The limited demand experienced for mutton yesterday was due in a measure to the fact that butchers are carrying {airly heavy supplies. The penning of fat lambs totalled SSO head compared with 960 last week. Quality generally was good, though there were some inferior sorts that should have never been in the fat section of the sale. Good lambs sold at up to Is a head better than last week on the average, but there was practically no improvement in the price of inferior stuff. There was a small entry of store sheep. In this section the demand was good for sheep showing some quality, but the bulk of the sheep lacked quality and were not in demand. Store cattle buyers were after steers carrying a bit of condition, and good fresh cows. These classes sold well. The demand for dairv cattle was better than last week, and'the bulk of the offering of 67 head was sold at auction. Vealers fit for butchers' purposes sold firmly at late rates. Both porkers and baconers were cheaper than last week. There was a large entry of store pigs consisting mostly of weaners and small stores. Most lots were disposed of at satisfactory prices. Following are ranges of values: FAT CATTLE. Extra heavy steers, £l6 to £l7 12s 6d 10s imfe heavy steers, £l4 10s to £ls medium-height steers, £l3 to quality steers, £lO 10s to £l2 Light steers, £7 10* to £0 13s. Extra prime heifers, to £l2 7k tid Prim- lifers, $lO 10k to £ll Jus. Medium heifers. £7 to fjo. Light heifers, £f, igg to £6 15s Extra heavy cows, to £l2 7s 64. Tnme cows. £9 10s to £ll. Medium frows, £6 15s to £9 Light cows, £4 JOs to £6 ss. STORE CATTLE. Two and a halt' to thre6-y«*ar-old steers flight in condition) £6 lo# Steen? 1 £4*” 0s rtlontllß * lo two-year-old Tearling steers 555. to £3 6 16* nd a half '-' edr ' olfl heifers £2 Good fresh cows to £5. Medium cows £3 to £4. Inferior cows 30s to £2 10s. DAIRY CATTLE, jteond. third and fourth cal vers Medium sorts £5 10s to £6 15 S Inferior sorts £i to £5 ss. Extra good springing heifers to £ll Others £4 to £6 Ds. Old cows 30s to £3. VEALERS. Good runner* to £7. Medium runners £5 15s to £6 10s. Good calves £5 to £5 10s. Medium calves £4 to £4 158. Small calves 15s to 80s. FAT SHEEP. Extra prime wethers to 32s Pd Prime wethers 27s 6d to 31s 6d. Medium wethers 25s 6d to 27s 3d Light wethers 21s 6d to 255. Extra prime ewes to 2.8 s 7d. Prime ewes 23s to 265. Medium ewes 20s 6d to 22s 6d. Light ewes 18s to 20s. Prime woolly wethers 34s Gd to 38s 4d. Medium woolJy wethers 32s to 345. Prime woolly owes 28s 6d to 33s 4d. Medium woolly ewes 25s 6d to 2Ss. FAT LAMBS. Extra prime heavy lambs. 20s 6d to "prime lambs 27s to 20e. Medium lambs 24s to 26s 6d. Light lambs IS s to 235. STORE SHEEP. 88?°3d a three-quarter-bred ewe bo*getis bose * ts SOB m Aged woolty iambs 13a 93. u,f * r, * r «"*• «»<* and ejght-toothed shorn ewes 22s > v ix and eight-toothed shorn wethers 23s id to 248. four-toothed shorn withers 24b *9 ua r t er-bred sound-mouthed woolly wethers 31s «d Half-bred sound-mouthed woollv wethers 335; y Four, Six and eight-toothed shorn wethers 16s 4d to 18s Gd. -’Horn Interior shorn tour and six-toothed wethers 16s to IPs lOd. Two-toothed half-bred wethers 17s 2d. PIGS. Choppers £3 to £4 8s 6d. Light baconers £3 12s to £3 17s Heavy baconers £4 to £4 ir>s. Extra heavy baconers £5 to £5 8s Average price per lb 6|d to 7Jd’ Light porkers 46s to 555. Heavy porkers 60s to 70s. Average price per lb 7id to Sid Small weaners 17e to 225. Better sorts 24s to 28s. Extra good to 34s 6dSmall stores 35e to 395. Medium stores 41b. to 48s. Large stores 50s to 565.