Erratic Inquiry At Stortford Lodge For Store Sheep Yesterday

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 October 1948, Page 10

Erratic Inquiry At Stortford Lodge For Store Sheep Yesterday

HASTINGS, Last Night (P.A.) Although the market was a little brighter than at Waipukurau yesterday, the inquiry for store sheep at Stortford Lodge today was not as buoyant as at the last auction a fortnight ago. It was inclined to be a little erratic but for the main run of sheep in a yarding of 8000, values for shorn two-tooth wethers were easier by 2s a head, and ewes and lambs we!*© also cheaper by Is to 2s a head. Hoggets also shotted a tendency to ease. ,

The sale attracted a good attendance but cautiousness was engendered by the fact that recent drying westerly winds have reacted detrimentally against the district’s feed outlook. Shorn 2-tooth wethers were traded at 29s to 33s lOd, the top price being obtained for a good line of grown wethers, off shears, which were in short supply, brought 40s 9d. Some quality lambs were seen in the pens of ewes and lambs. The best line brought 32s 3d, all counted. Other sales were effected at 20s to 30s all counted. Mixed-aged shorn ewes in store order, sold at 225, and 1 small to medium woolly wether hoggets at 22s lOd to 35s 3d, one good line being passed in at 42s lOd. Smail ewe hoggets sold at 28s to 34s 3<j, and Down-cross hoggets at 31s 2d. Spring lambs again appeared in the fat sheep pens, the first few offering selling at 41s lOd to 43s lOd.

Butchers maintained a steady demand for a full yarding of 2000 head, and prices held strong on recent rates. The majority of the yarding was made up of shorn sheep. Prime woolly wethers sold at 59s 7d, mediumweight shorn sorts realising 43s lOd to 47s 4d, and lighter 37s lOd to 42s 4d. Prime ewes oii shears were .trad’d at 26s lOd to 34s lOd, with lighter at 20s Id to 25s lOd. Prime young shorn ewes made 34s 7d to 40s 7d. Shorn 'Down-cross ewes brought 35s 7d. Extra prime woolly hoggets realised to 56s lOd. , Buyers of store cattle sought condition and anything lacking in quality was neglected. As a good proportion ot the entry of. 1377 head would require a lot of farming, paslings were numerous. The attendance was the smallest for some time and the market was sticky from the outset. Good bullocks sold at £l7 15s, and forward conditioned two-year steers changed hands at £l3 17s to £l4 12s. Small two-year steers sold at £7 13s, and passings were recorded at from £8 10s io £lO 10s. Yearling steers were passed in at from £5 Is to £7 15s. Empty cows brought £8 10s, empty cows and heifers £7 14s to £8 12s, and yearling heifers £5 Is. The offering of 217 head of fat cattle encountered strong inquiry and values on a par with the last sale were ootaiaed. Quality was featured in the offering, most pens in the ox section being in prime medium-weight order. Bullocks topped the market at £29 Ils, and Herefords and blacks averaged more than £2B. Heifers realised the sale’s best price for female beef at £l9 8s 6d. Values for prime heavy ox ranged from £26 13s 6d 14 £29 Ils, prime medium weight bringing £25 3s 6d to £26 3s 6d. and lighter beasts in prime order £2l 6d to £25 Is. Light and unfinished realised £l3 Ils to £l5 13s 6d. Prime heifers were traded at £l7 8s 6d to £l9 8s 6d. Medium quality brought £l5 Ils to £l6 Ils, and light £ll 6s prime cows were knocked down at £l6 13s 6d to £l7 13s 6d; medium realised £l4 18s 6d to £l5 Ils; and light, £ll 6s to £l3 Ils. Runners made £3 13s 6d to £8 13s 6d.