Record Prices In Almost Every Section At Stortford Lodge

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 September 1950, Page 10

Record Prices In Almost Every Section At Stortford Lodge

HASTINGS, Last Night (PA.)— A record price of 83s lOd for .fullwoolled wether hoggets provided the highlight in the store sheep section at Stortford Lodge today. This figure paid for the opening line was typical of the general strength of the market. Quality hoggets were estimated to be 8s to 10s a head dearer than at recent sales and with medium hoggets the advance tended to be even more. The offering consisted only of 519 head. The 83s lOd line of 165 fullwoolled wether hoggets showed breeding and quality and were in great order. The previous best price in the district for woolly wether hoggets was 68s 6d, but the offering today had the advantage of being quite the best sheep of their age seen in the yards this season. Prices included: Good woolly wether hoggets 83s lOd, medium 73s 3d, medium shorn wether hoggets 665, small 455, and well-grown medium condition ’Down hoggets 60s 3d. Medium ewe hoggets were traded at 72s lid. Wethers changed hands at from 65s to 75d. Ewes with lambs at foot brought 27s to 28s 6d, all counted. Shorn hoggets made 15s to 20s. Outside competition, together with well-spread district interest, sent mutton prices higher. There was a general advance of at least 2s a head with some lines estimated to be 7s to 8s a head dearer than last week. Several lines of wethers went over the £5 mark for the first time in the yards this season. The top price was £5 8s lOd for a draft of 40. Another line brought £5 5s lOd, and another ranged from £4 17s lOd to £5 Is Id. Maiden ewes reached a new peak at 99s lOd, and older ewes a record at 93s lOd. Prime well-woolled wethers brought 97s 4d to £5 8s lOd, medium S9s lOd to 90s 4d, and unfinished 75s

4d to 82s 4d. Extra prime young ewes sold at 88s lOd to 99s lOd, others at 69s 4d to 83s 4d, prime heavy older ewes at 82s lOd to 93s lOd, handweights at 76s lOd to 81s lOd, and unfinished at 58s to 75s lOd. Heavy hoggets realised 85s 4d, medium 63s lOd to 77s 10d, and small 34s lOd to 60s Id. A rising market for store cattle was evident The yarding of 508 head, the largest since the end of July, attracted the biggest gathering of farmers for some time and competition was keen from the outset. Values firmed appreciably for quality cattle. Last week’s record price of the season for store bullocks, £23 15s, was bettered today foi* four-year dehorned Hereford bullocks which brought £24. Three-year-old steers also reached a new peak of £2l, this price being paid for a quality line. Forward four-year bullocks sold at £24, forward threeyear steers at £2l, medium at £l7 10s to £lB 12s, rising two-year steers at £l3 10s, and yearling steers at £ll 13s to £l2 ss. Empty cows changed hands at £l2 15s to £l3 Is, in-calf cows at £l4 12s, and good yearling heifers at £9 15s. Values for female beef rose sharply by 60s a head. Prices for ox remained firm on last week’s rates, although there were few pens brought forward in the yarding of 186 head. Two extra prime heifers brought the record price of £27 13s 6d. Another pen of five in similar condition made £26 18s 6d. Cows reached the season’s peak of £24 8s 6d. Prime ox realised £26 8s 6d to £3l 3s 6d. extra prime heifers £26 18s 6d to £27 13s 6d, prime £2O 3s 6d Io £25 3s 6d, and medium weight £l7 13s 6d to £l9 6s. ! Prime cows brought £2l Is to £24 8s |6d, medium weight £l5 13s 6d to £l9 113 s 6d, and lighter £lO 16s to £l4 8s 6d.