BUTCHERS PAY HIGH PRICES FOR FAT SHEEP AT ADDINGTON

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 July 1947, Page 6

BUTCHERS PAY HIGH PRICES FOR FAT SHEEP AT ADDINGTON

(P.A.) Christchurch, July 23. The store sheep entry at Addington to-day was 850, including 450 lambs. The quality over-all was not particularly impressive. A smaller gallery than usual followed the sale. Bidding for the best was steady, but inquiry for others was not keen. Values overall remained on recent levels. The best ewe lamb price was 39-s for a good line of 139 halfbreds. Two pens of shorn Romney ewe lambs made 32s Id and 30s. Top wether lamb price of 31s was paid for a small lot; others made 22s to 24s 7d. A useful line of 2-tooth halfbred ewes made 39s 3d. the tiest adult, sheep price. Other lines of ewes, all old and medium quality, made 23s to 265, others 15s to 19s. Two lots of wethers were offered. A truck of 2-tooth halfbreds made 30s 9d, and 17§ 3d was paid for a small lot of old sheep. The fat lamb offering was 753. Quality was not particularly impressive. Bidding for best was spirited, but others met a desultory inquiry at rates a shade lower. Values: Extra prime fat lambs made 48s to 51s Id, prime 42s to 475, good 35s to 41s, medium 29s to 345, light 25s to 28s. The fat sheep yarding was about 5500, including lines from local sources, Marlborough. West Coast, South Canterbury and Southland. Quality was again good. Butchers again paid high prices throughout in an endeavour to build up depleted running stocks. Bidding was animated until the last three or four races, with wethers 5s to 6s lower and ewes about 2s down. Extra prime maiden ewes Kold to 52s Id. Values: Extra prime heavy wethers made 55s to 66s Id, Prime heavy 45s to 545, prime medium weight 40s to 445, ordinary and light 32s to 395, ordinary and light 32s to 395. Prime heavy ewes sold to 49s 7d, prime medium weight 36s to 435, ordinary 31s to 355, light and unfinished 22c to 30s.

The fat cattle entry of 531 was drawn from the usual Canterbury fattening districts and West Coast and Marlborough. The quality w r as good. Good steer beef was plentiful, but best heifers and cows were in rather short supply. The market opened at values 20s to 30s below last week for steers and a shade lower than last week for heifers and cows. Steers were even rheaper later, bu* towards the end firmed to last week’s levels. Over-all steen? w r ere cheaper and cows and heifers about on a par. Best beef made to 65c per 1001 b, good to 555, medium 35s to 495, best cow to 40s, secondary to 355. Values: Extra prime heavy steers made up tn £2B 17s 6d, prime heavy £2O to £23 10s, prime medium weight £l7 to £l9 10s. ordinary and light £8 to £l2. Extra prime cows made to £l9 17s 6d. prime

£lO to £l4, ordinary and light £6 10s to £9 10s.

The porker yarding was about the same size as last week, but under stimulation of outside competition values rose by 5s to 6s a head. Choppers were in heavier supply, but recent values were maintained. The bacon yarding was small and outside competition assisted to put the market up 10s a head. Values: Light porkers £3 12s 6d to £4 2s 6d, medium £4 7s 6d to £4 14s 6d, heavy £4 19s 6d to £5 9s 6d; choppers £8 3s 6d to £l5 Ils; light baconei’s £5 14s 6d to £6 4s 6d, medium £6 7s 6d to £6 17s 6d, heavy £6 19s 6d to £7 4s 6d, extra heavy £7 9s 6d to £8 2s 6d. Average per lb, 91d to 102 d.