HEAVY YARDINGS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21203, 28 August 1940, Page 15

HEAVY YARDINGS

MARKETS IN WAIKATO RECESSION OF VALUES MILD CONDITIONS CONTINUE Heavy entries of fat cattle sell at slightly less money. Store cattle continue dear at all yards. Dairy cattle are quoted unchanged. Extra large sheep entries make less money. Odd offerings of store sheep sell at late rates. Fat pigs usually tend a shade cheaper. No change is reported for store Pigs. With the continuation of mild, sunny conditions the Waikato countryside is looking unusually well for this time of the year. Pasture growth is daily becoming more apparent and the flush of grass will undoubtedly be experienced considerably earlier this year than was the case last year when the spring was an unusually late one. The demand for various classes of stock consequently set in earlier, this being particularly noticeable in the case of store stock. With an early flush of feed in mind, graziers and others are naturally anxious to stock up to capacity. Large numbers of store cattle have already changed hands at rates usually much more satisfactory to vendors than was the case during the autumn. Fat stock markets have continued to be very actiye and this week’s setbacks were more the result of the overloading of markets than anything else. Top quality dairy cattle have been commanding keen prices at the yards and in the paddock, but doubtful quality descriptions are still difficult to quit. Large Numbers Forward No doubt, attracted by the keen prices that had been ruling for some veeks, beef vendors have sent heavy numbers of fat cattle onto the market. At the central yards during the last fortnight the market has been overloaded and it was inevitable that values should show a drop. The increase in numbers has been so substantial that a more distinct recession of values would not have been surprising. It is evident that some graziers have been holding finished cattle in the hope of benefiting from a price rise. They have been unfortunate to have encountered an overloaded market, whereas they could have quit their consignments more conveniently and more profitably a few weeks ago. Other graziers have sent their fat cattle forward because of recent purchases of store stock. The latter class continues very dear and prices frequently appear to be out of proportion to values ruling for fats. Shorter entries would probably bring the beef market back to previous levels, but fair numbers of finished cattle are reported to be still available. Lower Values For Sheep High values also apparently enticed fat sheep men to unload at present, but phenomenally large entries have quite upset calculations. Although there was no very distinct drop at the yards last week, the market was unable to withstand a similar heavy entry yesterday. Buyers apparently have been having no difficulty in fulfilling requirements, for at the central yards yesterday they displayed very little enthusiasm. Some particularly good quality wethers were on offer, but even these failed to sharpen the inquiry. Ewes were more severely affected by the slack demand than were wethers, extra choice sorts often bringing less money than fat descriptions were fetching last week. The unusually mild conditions have helped the rush of entries to the market, usually consignments being better spread from the vendor’s point of view. Only occasional lines of store sheep are being handled with sales usually being conducted on a firm basis. Market For Pigs More activity has marked the fat pig market during recent weeks, the buying bench gradually growing. More entries have also been forward and activity should become more marked within the next fortnight. The sharp rise recorded for fats at the central yards last week was followed by a drop of approximately 2s a head yesterday. There was no apparent reason for yesterday’s setback, but apparently fatteners had filled their requirements for the time being. Store pigs are still dear despite the fact that ample entries have been coming forward.