Further Heavy Yarding Of Store Cattle At Stortford Lodge

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 September 1948, Page 6

Further Heavy Yarding Of Store Cattle At Stortford Lodge

(P.A.) Hastings, Sept. 15. Last week’s heavy yarding of store cattle was eclipsed at Stortford Lodge today when some sheep pens had to be specially prepared with super structure and brought into commission to cope with an offering of 2200 head. It was the largest single yarding for two years. Notwithstanding the size of the entry there was a sound demand. The presence of outside operators helping to stimulate competition. Grown cattle were in better demand than last week, but younger beasts showed a tendency to ease on the peak rates of a week ago. Most cattle were genuine station-bred lines. They included some good quality prooositions, though there was also a leavening of beasts low in condition. It was evident, however, that farmers were now requiring cattle to clean up their paddocks and passings were almost negligible. Deep bodied AA bullocks representing a quick fattening proposition brought the season's top price of £2O. Other bullocks in lighter order realised £l5 to £l7 12s 6d. The best figure for two-year steers was £l3 paid for a too quality consignment of Here-ford-Shorthorn cross beasts. Other two-year steers ranged from £9 5s to £ll 11s. Good yearling steers were traded at £8 to £8 16s, average sorts bringing £6 16s to £7 2s 6d. Empty cows changed hands at £6 10s to £8 17s, in-calf cows at £6 to £ll, empty heifers at £6 16s to £lO ss. After a slight easing in values last week, the beef market fully recovered when some quality cattle came forward in yardings of 170 head, with values again on the upward trend. The peak heifer price for many a season was realised at £26 6s for three beasts. The whole consignment averaged £23 18s. Several quality consignments came forward in the ox offering, the best of them being a draft which realised the top price of £3O 13s 6d. The consignment averaged £2B 10s 2d. Prime heavy ox values ranged from £26 8s d to £3O 13s 6d, prime medium weight beasts being traded at £23 Is 6d to £25 18s 6d, and lighter at £l9 18s 6d to £2l 18s 6<]. Extra prime quality heifers were knocked down at £23 18s 6d to £26 6s. Prime beasts made £l6 18s 6d to £2l Is and smaller, £l3 3s 6d to £l5 18s 6d.. Light and unfinished realised £ll 8s 6d to £ll 18s 6d. Prime cows changed hands at £l4 18s 6d to £l7 8s 6d, others bringing £lO 11s to £l3 18s 6d. Quality runners sold for £lO and vealers realised £5 Is to £6 7s 6d. Another strong inquiry existed for hoggets when this class of farming proposition dominated a yarding of 2000 head. The season’s best price for wether hoggets of 48s 8d was paid for a woolly consignment. The sheep were big framed and in wonderful condition. Another big price of 47s was paid for a quality line. Other wether hoggets changed hands at 39s 9d to 435. Small ewe hoggets were passed in at 31s and store ewes sold at 25s 2d. The mutton market was again strong, when an average yarding came forward. Wethers were in short supply. Prime ewes were quoted at 44s Id to 51s lOd, medium weights at 38s ]od to 42s lOd, and unfinished at 33s 3d to 35s 4d. Prime young ewes changed hands at 51s Id to 53s 7d, Downs selling at 42s lOd to 43s lOd. Wethers in the early part of the sale realised up to 54s 4d and hoggets ranged from 35s 7d to 43s 7d.