LIVESTOCK MARKETS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 55, 7 March 1946, Page 8

LIVESTOCK MARKETS

WANGANUI SALE As the result of recent rains there was a better tone at the Wanganui stock sale held yesterday, state Messrs. Freeman R. Jackson and Co. in their report. There was an advance on recent values. Breeding ewes were more keenly competed for, with lambs slightly firmer. No good forward lambs were yarded. Fat sheep sold at late rates. The cattle sale over a light yarding was hardly up to last week’s values when a good yarding was recorded. Pigs met with a free sale. Quotations: — Sheep.—Fat ’Down-cross 2-tooths, 265, 28s 6d; light, 225. 255; fat ewes, lightweights, 15s, 17s 6d: good 2-tooth ewes, 30s, 32s 9d; small, 16s, 19s 9d; 4 and 6-tooth ewes, to 28s; 4 and 5year ewes. 18s 6d, 19s 6d; low mouths, 12s, 15s Id; b.f. lambs, medium, 10s 7d. 11s lOd; b.f. 2-tooths, 20s; forward 2tooth wethers. 235; cull ewe lambs, 7s 6d, 8s: 1-shear S.D. rams, 4 to sgns.; aged, 1 to 3gns.; 2-shear Romney rams, 11 to 2-lgns. Cattle.—Light fat ex-dairy cows, £5 ss, £6 10s; boners. £2 10s, £4 ss; crossbred steers, to £5 15s: heifers, to £3 14s: store cows, to £3 19s.

Pigs.—Choppers, to £3 4s; baconers, £4 to £4 12s 6d; porkers, to £3; slips, good. 255. 28s; weaners, 10s, 14s 6d. Vealers—None yarded. VALUES AT ADDINGTON (P.A.) Christchurch, March 6. Prices for all classes of fat stock were maintained at to-day’s sale at Addington, but with the improved weather the values of store sheep showed a substantial rise, especially in the case of lambs. Store' Sheep—The yarding totalled 1700 adult sheep and 4000 lambs, against 12,000 adult sheep and 9000 lambs last week. Rain throughout the province stimulated bidding and the large attendance bought freely at prices 2s 6d to 3s above last week for all except low-conditioned ewes with poor mouths. Once again bidding was keenest on crossbred sheep. A number of two-tooths made over 40s and aged ewes to 325. The entry of lambs was 4000, and with a brisk demand for all classes last week’s drop of from 2s to 2s 6d a head was fully recovered, and in some cases exceeded. Highest price for wether lambs was 29s for a draft from the Chathams Islands and others from the same consignment sold from 23s to 265. Loc'al wether lambs sold to 27s Id, other good lambs 23s to 24s lOd, medium 19s to 225, inferior 15s 6d to 17s 6d, culls, 9s 3d to 12s 6d.

The entry of fat sheep was about 4500, against 5000 last week, and would have been bigger but for the scarcity of railway trucks in northern districts. The number included some good quality wethers, and these once again met with a strong demand by the trade. Prices on a whole did not show any material change and there was a general clearance. Freezing buyers operated freely for ewes of export quality at figures well up to export schedule. Values were: Extra prime wethers to 50s lOd, prime wethers to 50s lOd, prime wethers 41s Id to 45s 7d, prime young ewes to 39s 7d, extra prime aged ewes to 24s 4d, prime ewes 17s to 19s. The entry of fat cattle was larger than that forward last week and was not of such good quality. The number of pens of extra prime steer beef was small, but there was an excellent showing of good beef. The sale was notable for the number of fair quality cows offered. There was little variation in prices from last week and everything sold on a keen market at last week’s rates to slightly firmer. Top price for steers was £23 17s 6d, for cows £l4 17s 6d, heifers £l6 7s 6d. Best beef made to 52s 6d, good 45s to 48s 6d, medium 42s 6d to 44s 6d, cow to 36s 6d, secondary to 31s. All classes of porkers met an excellent sale, values remaining firm. Prices for choppers were easier by from 20s to 30s a head. Last week’s good rates for baconers were fully maintained. The average -price per lb. was 8-ld to 9id.