BEEF VALUES FALL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 752, 4 May 1933, Page 4

BEEF VALUES FALL.

Fat Sheep Slightly Lower in Price. ADDINGTON STOCK SALE. Due to an exceptionally large yarding of fat cattle at the Addington stock sale yesterday, recent values suffered a severe setback to the extent of from £1 to ' £1 5s a head for the primest sorts. Other classes of cattle were difficult to dispose of. An entry of fat sheep slightly larger than last week met with fair competition, but values, particularly for ewes, were easier. Fat lambs had a firm sale at last week’s rates, and there was little life in the store sheep market. Pat Cattle. An entry of 543 head of fat cattle was the largest at ari ordinary market for nearly two years, and, following an entry of 545 head last week, constituted a serious over-supply. There was a fair proportion of extra prime sorts, but generally there was evidence that a great many vendors had been forced on lo the market because of shortage of feed and the probable increase in the severity of that shortage before the winter was passed. The result of the oversupply was a sharp decline in values. For all prime cattle it amounted to from £1 to £1 os a head and in odd instances the drop was even greater than that. The inferior and unattractive sorts were very difficult to quit. Passings were fairly numerous. The top price for steers was £9, secured for three sold on account of R. M. Thacker (Okains Bay). Top price for heifers was £5 17s 6il. Three sold at that price on account, of J. E. . Thacker (Duvauchelles Bay). The top price for cows was £5 12s tid, secured on behalf of the same vendor. The best beef sold up to 18s per lOOlb; good prime beef. 15s to 17s; heavyweight and medium beef, 12s tid to ]ss 6<l; good heifer, 13s to 15s 6d; good cow, 11s to 14s; secondary cow, 9s to 11s; and rough down to 6s. Values were:— Extra prime heavy steers, to £9. Prime heavy steers, £6 to £7 10s. Prime medium-weight steers, £5 I.os to £7. Ordinary quality steers, £3 10s to £5. Light steers, £t 17s tid to £3. Extra prime, heifers, to £5 17s fid. Prime heifers, £3 10s to £5. Medium heifers, £2 5s to £3 ss. Light heifers, £] 7s 6d to £2. Extra prime cows, to £5 12s tid. Prime cows, £3 to £4. Medium cows, £2 to £3. Light cows, £1 2s tid to £2. Pat Sheep. The yarding of fat sheep totalled 4800 head, compared with 4 000 last week, and it included a fair sprinkling of good-quailtj' sheep. Ewes were again permed in large numbers. The sale started off very well, but after the first' race or two it settled down a little and continued steadily until the close. Values for ewes, particularly the heavier sorts, were a shade easier, but those for wethers showed scarcely any change. Light ewes showed little alteration. Top price for wethers -was obtained by O. Miles (Hawarden) for two out of a line of 6 6 that made from 11s 7d to t 8« 7d. The best ewe price was 13s 7d for 16 sold on account, of H. E. Fincham (Hawarden). Values were: Extra prime heavy wethers to ISs 7d. Prime heavy wethers 14s 9d to 16 S 6d. Prime medium-weight wethers 12s tid to 14s Gd. Ordinary wethers 10s 6d to 12s. Light wethers 8s 6d to 10s. Extra prime ewes to 13s 7d. Prime heavy ewes 10s 6d to 11a 6d. Prime medium-weight ewes Ss to 10s. Ordinary ewes 6s to 7s 6d. Light ewes 4s to 5s 6d. ▼eaters. There was an over-supply of vealers, and although the general quality was high, the demand was very weak. Passings were heavy. The top price was £3 18s 6d. Store Cattle. There was a full eiftry of store cattle, including some attractive ‘two and three-year-old Hereford steers from North Canterbury. The balance of the entry was made up of yearlings and rough cows. Competition was very restricted. Three to four-year-old steers made to £3 ss; two-dnd-a-half-year-old to three-year-old Hereford steers made from 45s to 55s 6d; eighteen months to two-year-old heifers to 455; yearling calves to 12s; fresh cows to £2 2s tid; old cows to 11s; and bulls to 455. Dairy Cattle. An entry of fifty head in the dairy cattle section constituted a short supply, but there Wan no life in the demand. Values generally were easier, although good serviceable cows sold readily enough. Values were: Best second and third calvers, to £7 Good second and third calvers, £5 to £6 10s. Medium seepnd and third calvers, £3 10s to £4 15s. Others, £1 to £2 10s. Good heifers, £5 to £6 ss. Medium heifers, £3 10s to £4 15s. Others, £1 5s to £3. ▼at Pigs. There was a very heavy entry of fat pigs, and in consequence values fell sharply. There was a decline of |d per lb for both porkers and baconers. Values were;—

Choppers, to £3 16s. Baconers, 32s 6d to 435. Heavy baconers, 44s to 54s 6d. Average price per lb. 3id to 4d. Porkers, 21s to 24s tid. Heavy porkers, to 28s 6d. Average price per lb, 4id to 4|d. Store Pigs. The entry of store yigs was about .he same as last week's’ The demand was a little better, and pries, particularly for young sorts, were firmer. Values were:— Weaners. 4s to 6s. Slips, 7s to 9s. Small stores. 6s 6d to 9s. Medium stores, 9s 6d to 11s. Large stores, to 16s.