FAT STOCK LOWER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 938, 7 December 1933, Page 7

FAT STOCK LOWER.

Very Heavy Yardings at Addington. SHARP DECLINE IN BEEF. A yarding of fat cattle about 150 head in excess of requirements cattsed a sharp decline in values at the Addington stock sale yesterday. The fall was of from 20s to 30s a head, though the market had opened at much the same level as the previous week. Steers were down by from 20s to 25s a head, and cows lower by up to 30s, and in cases more. The yarding included a large proportion of plain cows. A very heavy yarding of vealers caused the market to collapse halfway through, and only the best of the entry sold at values approaching those of last week. More than 400 fat pigs were bought for export. Fat sheep were easier all round. The fall in ewes was of about 3s a head, and in wethers about Is. rat Cattle. The fat cattle entry was of 500 head, compared with 410 head last week, the total being at least 150 head more than could be absorbed. With the hot weather the consumption of beef lias fallen off, as it usually does in the summer, and only the very best could be sold yesterday. In the early part of the sale there was a fair demand for choice beasts, with very little variation in the price from last week, but as the market progressed there was a decline, and half way through the sale was weak and erratic, with auctioneers struggling to make sales. The quality of the yarding was spoiled by the inclusion of far too large a proportion of cows, the majority of which; were plain, some being only mediocre stores. There were a number of good lines in, but on the whole the quality was poor. Values were from £1 to 25s down, with cows in many cases 30s and more below last week’s Highest price for steers was £ll 17s 6d for the top one in a line from the Kinloch Estate (Little River). Heifers made to £7 17s 6d, that price beingreached by one from T. Masefield (Akaroa) and one from T. C. Robinson (Mount Palm). Cows went to £6 17s 6d, that price being paid for one sold l on account of Commander S. Hall (Peraki). Best beef made from 20s to 22s 6d per 1001 b. good from 16s to 19s, heavyweight from 15s 6d to 3 Bs. mediumweight 12s to 14s, and rough down to 10s 6d. Values were:— Extra prime heavy steers, to £ll 17s 6d. Prime heavy steers, £7 10s to £9. Medium-weight prime steers, £7 to £8 ss. Ordinary quality steers, £4 to £6. Light steers, to £3 15s. Extra prime heifers, to £7 17s 6d. Prime heifers. £4 to £6. Medium heifers, £2 15s to £3 15s. Light heifers, to £2 10s. Extra prime cows, to £6 17s 6d. Prime cows. £4 to £5. Medium cows. £2 10s to £3 15s. Light cows, to £2 ss. Tat Sheep. Top pricte for wethers was 26s 6d for a pen sold on account of Elliott’s Estate (Motunau). Ewes made up to 245, that price being paid for a pen from J. Walker (Dunsandel). Values were:— Extra prime heavy wethers, to 26s 4d. Prime heavy wethers, 22s to 255. Prime medium-weight wethers, -Os to 21s 9d. Ordinary wethers, 17s to 19s 6d Light wethers, 14s 6d to 36s 6d. Extra prime heavy ewes, to 24s la. Prime heavy ewes, 19s to 2js. Medium-weight prime ewes, los «a to 18s 6d. I Ordinary ewes, 32s to lps. Light ewes, 9s 6d to 31s 6d. Store Sheep. The varding of store sheep was considerably heavier than last week s, the inclusion of a large number of travelled drafts of wethers, forced on to the market through the lack of feed, being mainly responsible. In fact, it was ehieflv a wether sale, the proportion of owes and ewes and lambs, being \ery smali. There was not the same attendance of farmers, and the sale lacked the buoyancy of the last two weeks, the continued dry weather apparently making farmers a little more careful than they have been. Forward voung wethers sold very well, valueo being fullv up to last week s, but other classes, which were very much in the majority, were cheaper on an average by Is. Good ewes and lambs, too, found a ready enough market, but the rough sorts were neglected. A small line of stud Southdown ewes and lambs sold at 20s 6d, and for a truck of twotooth half-bred ewes 20s So was P a Passings were fairly frequent among the lines of medium class wethers.

Forward' wethers, lGs to * cross-bred wethers, Us 3d to Medium half-bred wethers, 13s 3<J to 14 Small half-bred wethers. 11s to 12s 3d. Extra good ewes and lambs (all counted), to 20s 6d. Ordinary ewes and lambs, to 14s 9d. Backward and inferior ewes and lambs, 5s 6d to 9s. . Good two-tooth half-bred ewes, 19s to Medium two and four-tooth three-quarter-bred ewes, 17s 4d to 17s lid. Tat Xiambs. Top price of 25s Id was secured for five of a line of 12 sent forward by J. Walker (Dunsandel). Values were:— _ Extra prime heavy lambs, to 25s Id. Prime heavy lambs, 19s 6d to 22s Od. Medium lambs, 16s 6d to 19s. Light lambs, 13s to 16s. Vealers. In a very large entry of vealers the best sold at rates slightly lower than last week’s. The rough and small calves changed hands at very low prices. Top price was £4 3s 6d. Store Cattle. There were no outstanding adult steers in the medium entry of store cattle, the yarding being mainly .of yearlings and odd cows. The demand for yearlings was keener than was the case last week, with no quotable change in values. Two to three-year-oUI Shorthorn steers made from £3 to £4 ss. eighteen-months’-old Shorthorn steers from 30s to 42s 6d, oighteen-vnonths’-old heifers 27s 6d to 40s, fresh cows 35s to 50s, old cows 12s to 20 .<?, potting bulls to £4 os. and yearling bulls to 455. Dairy Cattle. The entry of 50 head of dairy cattle Included few of good quality, and the few good cows in profit attracted keen competition. The best price was £6. Inferior sorts sold at down to store values. Values were:— Extra good second and third calvers, to £6. Good second and third calvers, £3 10s to £4 ss. Medium second and third calvers, £2 10s to £3 ss. Aged and inferior, 20s to 40s. Good heifers, to £5 ss. Medium heifers, £3 to £4. Others. 25s to £2 10s. Tat Tigs. The fat pig pens contained the biggest yarding for this season, and all sorts met good competition from local and export buyers. Two exporters were operating, and more than 400 were bought for this purpose. Values were: Choppers, 30s to £2 iSs 6d. Baconers, 42s 6d to 50s 6d. Heavy baconers, 54s 6d to £2 19s 6d. Extra heavy baconers, £3 Is 6d to £3 Ss 6d, Average price per lb, 4Jd to 4|d. Porkers, 26s to 32s 6d. Heavy porkers, 33s 6d to 39s 6d. Average price per lb, 4Jd to 5Jd. Store Tigs. The entry of store pigs was a small one. The demand for weaners was improved. but for slips and stores it was scarcely as good. Values were:— Weaners. 14s to 15s. Good weaners, to 16s 6d. Klips. 13s to 15s. Small stores, 16s to 17s. Medium stores, 18s to 19s. Good stores, to 245.