WESTFIELD MARKETS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19763, 19 December 1935, Page 16

WESTFIELD MARKETS

very heavy yarding. SUPPLIES FOR HOLIDAY PERIOD. BEEF VALUES EASIER. AUCKLAND, Thursday. There were exceptionally heavy yardings of fat stock in all sections at the Christmas Westfield sale yesterday, the total being in the neighbourhood of 14,000 head, of which about 10,000 were sheep and lambs. With no sale for the next three weeks buyers ■were faced with the necssity of acquiring supplies for the holiday period and there was a comparatively strong demand, the only weakness being in the beef section. In the ox beef market, in spite of a healthy demand, values eased by from 15s to 20s a head, with extra choice beef quoted 2s lower at 32s per 1001 b. Bullocks declined most heavily, buyers tending to concentrate on other classes. Cows and heifers were plentiful, with’ a fair proportion of dairy sorts. The recent demand continued and the market was generally firm. The large supply of calves was not in excess of requirements and the demand brought prices fully on a par with those at recent sales, runners tending to show a slight improvement. In the late sale values were a shade easier. The heaviest yarding of sheep for a number of years comprised about 5000 head, the greater proportion of which were ewes. Lambs were offered in equally large . numbers. The demand for the Christmas trade brought values well in excess of schedule rates, with competitoin strong/to the end.' The supply of pigs was far above the average. Heavy and medium baconers again eased slightly, while lighter sorts and all porkers commanded late rates. Stores were also plentiful and these sold well. Prices per lb. for baconers worked out at 4Jd and for porkers ssd to s|d. Comparison of Quotations. The following is a summary of the prices realised for fat stock for the last hvo weeks at the Westfield fat stock sales:—

Individual Consignments. Top price in the ox beef market was realised for a truck of very prime steers from Mr H. E. Reed, of Waerenga. These sold to £l3 7s 6d and averaged £l2 6s 9d- For the offerings of Mr G. Hastie, of Papatoetoe, and Mr R. A. Bent, of Putaruru, up to £ll was obtained. Top prices of £lO 15s were secured for cattle from Messrs Gray Bros., of Waiheke, and a line, ex Ruatangata. Prices ranged to £lO 10s for steers from Mr W. T. Cox, of Manurewa. For two trucks, ex South Island, up to £9 17s 6d was paid, and steers from Mr C. Hemmings, of Mamaku. In the cow and heifer beef market the highest price was that paid for a truck of well-finished heifers from Mr V. H. Nolan, of Cambridge, which made to £8 12s 6d. For a line from Mr J. A. Hill, of Ohinewai, up to £7 17s 6d was secured. Consignments from Mr V. Wiseley, of Taupaki, and Mr CAlma Baker, of Port Waikato, sold to £7. A truck from Mr E. Johnston, of Matamata, made to £6 15s. The cows | and heifers of Mr 11. Windsor, of Matangi, made up to £6 ss, while other quotable lines, all of which sold to £6, came from Mr IC. D. Orr, of Pukekawa, and the Ranganui Estate. Dalgety and Company. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., report having held their weekly Westfield fat stock market yesterday, when they yarded 311 head of beef comprising 87 steers and 224 cows and heifers, as against 256 head last week. The quality was first-class, but the demand for ox beef was not as keen as last week and quotations were easier by fully 2s per 1001 b. Bidding was free for cows and heifers and the rates, generally, were firm on late sales. Extra choice ox sold to 32s per 1001 b. choice and prime 28s to 3is, just killable 22s to 275, extra choice cows and heifers 27s to 31s, just killable 19s to 265, extra heavy primesteers ranged in price from £l2 to £l2 ss, heavy £ll to £ll 15s, lighter £lO to £lO 15s, light £8 10s to £9 Jss 6d, choice cows and heifers £7 to £S ss, heavy’ £6 10s to £6 17s 6d, lighter £5 to £6 ss, light £3 to £4 18s, other killable cows £2 to £3 ss.

A very heavy yarding, comprising mostly ewes, came, forward. Well-fin-ished wethers were in demand and sold at up to late ruling rates, with ewes selling helow late quotations. Prime heavy hoggets, 22s Gd to 23s ■6d; medium. 20s Gd to 225: heavy prime wethers, 24s to 255: medium prime, 23s to 23s Pci: light and unfinished, 21s Gd to 22s Gd; heavy prime ewe?, IGs io iGs Pd: lighter prime, 14s fo 15s Gd; other ewes, 12s to 13s Gd. A large entry of lambs sold under good competition, and realised fully late rates. Heavy prime lamb. 22s to 23s 3d: medium. 2 1s to 21s Pd: light. ISs Gd to 20s Gd; small and plain. 15s to !Ss.

A heavy yarding of calves was penned, flood quality runners sold freely at values slightly firmer than last, week’s quotations. Good venters sold steadily at late rates, while values for rough and unfinished calves were easier. Gunners. £3 to £5 15s. for heifers from Mr .1. A. Hill. Ohinewai: heavy venlers. £3 14s fo £4 ss: medium, £2 IGs to £3 8s; light, £2 8s to £2 13s: smaller. £1 IGs In £2 ss: rough calves, I Is to £1 ss: hobby calves, 4s to Bs. Pigs were again yarded in heavy numbers. Porkers sold steadily at late rates, while values for baeoners again eased. Heavy baeoners. £2 I is to £2 16s: medium. £2 8s to £2 12s; light. £2 5s to £2 7s: heavy porkers, £2 2s to £2 4s; medium. £1 1 Ss to £2 is; light. £1 14s to £1 17s; small and unfinished, £1 5s to £t 12s. N'Z. Loan and Mercantile. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports

on the sale as follows:—We had a large entry of beef, and although there was a steady demand, values were easier, ox beef being affected most. Extra choice ox sold to £1 12s per 1001 b.; choice and prime, £1 8s to £1 11s; ordinary and plain, £1 is to £1 7s; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 7s to £1 11s; ordinary cow beef, £1 to £1 6s. Heavy { prime steers, £lO 17s 6d to £ll 12s 6d; lighter prime, £9 15s to £lO 15s; light prime, £8 10s to £9 12s 6d; unfinished and small, £6 to £8 7s 6d. Extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £8 to £8 17s 6d; heavy prime, £7 to £7 15s; lighter, £5 10s to £6 17s 6d; light cows, £3 10s to £5 7a 6d; other cows, £1 10s to £3 ss. A large yarding of sheep met also with steady competition, with values receding for all classes. Heavy prime wethers. £1 5s to £1 6s; medium prime, £1 3s to £1 4s Od; light prime, £1 is to £1 2s 9d; small and unfinished, 17s to £1 Os 9d. Prime maiden ewes. 17s to £1; heavy p'-ime ewes, 15s to 16s; med’mn prime, 13s 9 j to 14s 9d; light prime, 12s 6d to 13s 6d; interiorly fatted, 9s upward. We had a larger entry of lambs, which met with a free sale, values being in advance of schedule. Heavy prime lambs, £1 4s to £1 ss; medium ' prime, £1 2s to £1 3s 9d; light prime, 19s to £1 is 9d; small, 17s to 18s 9d: unfinished, 12s 6d to 16s fid. There was an extra heavy yarding of pigs. There was a brisk sate, with values very firm on last week’s quotations. Choppers sold from £1 to £2 16s; heavy and medium baconers, £2 10s to £2 J9s; light baconers and heavy porkers. £2 4s to £2 9s; medium porkers and light porkers, £1 14s to £2 2s; small, £1 6s to £1 12s. Store pigs were in keen demand and sold readily at late rates. Large stores, £1 4s to £1 8s; slips, 15s to £1 2s; weaners, 8s to 16s. Calves were penned in large numbers. Values were firm on last week’s quotations. Late sale calves were slightly easier. Runners, £2 10s to £5 12s 6d; heavy vealers, £4 to £5 Bs, for an extra quality runner and vealer from Mr W. Batty, Karaka; medium, £3 5s to £3 18s; light, £2 10s to £3 3s; smaller, £2 to £2 8s; small and fresh dropped, 7s to £1 15s; rough calves, £1 to £2 ss. Alfred Buckland and Sons. Alfred Buckland and Sons Limited, reports on the sale as follows: We yarded fat cattle to the number of 380 head, as against 285 head last week, comprising 148 steers and 222 cows and heifers. Our yarding of ox beef included several lines of very choice cattle, and, although bidding was brisk throughout the sale, values eased by about 15s to 20s a head. The ■oows and heifers penned were of average quality and they sold freely at slightly better prices than last week. Extra choice ox sold to £1 12s per 1001 b.; choice and prime, £1 8s to £1 10s; secondary and plain, £1 5s to £1 7s; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 8s to £1 lis; ordinary cow beef, 18s to £1 ss. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £l2’ to £l3 7s 6d: seven steers from Mr H. E. Reed. Waerenga, averaged £l2 6s fid; heavy prime, £ll to £ll 15s; lighter prime, £lO to £lO 17s 6d; light, prime, £S 15s to £9 Jos; small and unfinished, £5 to £B. Extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £7 to £8 ss; heavy prime, £5 15s to £6 10s; lighter prime, £4 15s to £5 10s; other killable cows, £3 5s to £4-

Sheep were penned to the number of 2361. The yarding was one of the largest seen in Westfield for many years. Bidding was keen for all classes and values were on a par with last week. Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 4s 6d to £1 ss; heavy prime, £1 3s fid to £1 4s 3d: medium to heavy prime, £1 2s 9d to £1 3s 6d: light to medium prime, £1 Is 6d to £1 2s 6d; unfinished, i'7s to £1 0s 6d. Extra heavy prime young ewes, 16s 6d to 17s 6d; heavy prime, 15s to t6s; lighter prime, 13s to 14s 6d; other killable ewes. Us 6d to 12s 6d; other ewes, 5s to 9s 6d. Our total yarding of lambs numbered 2374. Although the yarding was heavy, competition was good and late rates were easily maintained. Extra heavy prime lambs, £1 5s to £1 6s 6d; heavy prime, £1 3s 6d to £1 4s 6d; lighter prime, £1 Is 6d to £1 2s fid: light prime, £t to £1 Is; small and plain, 12s 6d to 18s 6d. We had an exceptionally large offering of calves. Bidding was brisk for all prime sorts and very satisfactory prices were realised. Small and rough calves were in slightly lesser demand. Runners, £2 15s to £5 7s; heavy vealers, £3 16s to £4 ss: medium, £3 to £3 6s: light, £2 10s to £2 14s; small, £1 12s io £2 Is: unfinished and bucket-fed, 16s to £1 6s; bobby calves, 4s to Bs. (373 calves were sold.)

Pigs were also yarded in extra largo numbers. Porkers sold steadily at equal to ’late quotations, while the Inquiry for baconers was again slack, prices' for Ihese showing no improvement. Choppers made £t 5s to £2 iOs; heavy prime baconers, £2 12s to £3: over-weights, £2 7s lo £2 its; medium, £2 8s lo £2 11s; light, £2 4s to £2 7s: heavy porkers, £2 Is to £2 4s: medium. £1 17s to £2: light. £1 14s to £1 16s; small and unfinished, £1 6s to £1 12s: medium stores, £1 2s t.o £1 6s; slips, 14s to £1 ; good weaners, 10s to 13s; weedy and small, 5s to 8s; baconers sold at an average of 43 cl per lb., and porkers s*d to 53rl per lb. (A total of 903 pigs was sold.)

This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per 10 01b): Ex. choice ox 34/Choice anti prime ox .. 28/- toll/30/- to 33/Choice and prime cow heirer 28/- to 31/28/- to 32/Boner & rough 18/- to 27/20/- to 27/SHEEP (per head) — Prime wethers 21/6 to 26/22/- to 27/Unfln. w’th’rs 17/-to 21/15/- to 23/3 Prime ewes 12/6 to 17/6 13/6 to 18/6 Unfln. ewes . 5/- to 12/6/- to 15/Prime lambs 20/-to 26/6 20/- to 27/Unfln. lambs 12/6 to 10/6 12/- to 10/6 CALVES (per head) — Runners .. )0/- to 115/40/- to 122/6 Vealers ... 30/-to 85/33/- to 85/PIGS (per head) — BacoiTers .... •14/- to 60/47/- to 63/Porkers 34/- to 45/32/- to 45/Weaners .... 5/-to 13/5/- to 14/Slips 14/- to 20/14/- to 20/-4-arge stores . 22/- to 26/23/6 to 30/-