LIVE STOCK MARKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 235, 4 October 1928, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKET.

DEMAND CONTINUES GOOD. DESPITE FALL IN WOOL. ALL CATTLE FIRM. An important feature of the live-stock market is the drop recorded in the price of wool at the London wool sales. The decline in the case of medium and coarse crossbred, which form a large proportion of the N.Z. clip, is as much as 2d to 2Vid per lb. This has been reflected, in a drop in the value of sheepskins at local sales, whilst at Westfield yesterday there was a tendency to neglect sheep with the wool on in favour of shorn. Latest advices indi ; oate a slight improvement in the London market, and that Continental operators have been bidding more briskly. Meanwhile local conditions continue favourable for stock, and there is no sign of any easing in the demand. At Papakura last Friday dairy cows found ready buyers at up to £16 10/, and £17 10/ was paid for a Jersey heifer... Ordinary quality were quickly snapped up at about Jil2. The store cattle sale ou Tuesday at the same place attracted buyerß from all over the province, including the Waikato, Rotorua, and Hauraki Plains, as well as the northern districts. As nigh as £9 to £10 10/ was freely paid for for ward 3V£ to 4-year-old steers and medium quality brought from £6 15/ to £8 15/. Very few store sheep have been offering at country sales and there is a strong inquiry for ewes and lambs. Canterbury appears to be suffering from a continued spell of dry weather and at Addington yesterday store sheep were dull of Bale as a result of pastures drying up. Smithfield market though scarcely so active for N.Z. meat as it was is still satisfactory and it is pleasing to note that the demand for porkers is improving. - c&i.VJ AT WESTFIELD. The supply of fat bullocks at Westij,eld yesterday was definite|y short but included some very nice quality for which there was brisk competition, prices advancing from 15/ to £1 per head. Cows and heifers were also short and consisted chiefly of plain sorts. There was a fairly good supply of fat sheep) practically four full races. Values were inclined to be easier at the outset, but improved towards the close of the sale. The offering included a fair proportion of shorn wethers, which met a keener demand than those offered in the wool. Only a small yarding of lambs came forward, and although a proportion lacked finish and not many were really prime, high prices were realised. There was a full supply of calves, and a keen demand for all good quality vealers at advanced rates. Pigs were penned in average numbers, and met with an irregular sale. Fats nold well, particularly choppers, but stores were inclined to be dull. The range of prices, together with those ruling at last week's sale, was as follow: — BEEF (per ,1001b). — This Week. Last Week. Extra choice ox 46/- 45/Choice and prime ox 43/ to 45/ 41/ to 44/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 37 to 40/ 37/ to 40/ SHEEP (per head) — 7'rime wethers Shorn 33/6 to 36/ — Unshorn .... 45/ to 47/9 42/ to 49/6 Unfinished Wethers Shorn 30/ to 31/9 — Unshorn .. 33/6 to 39/9 36/6 to 38/6 Prime ewes ... 30/ to 42/ 33/ to 41/6 Spring lambs . 24/6 to 35 / 20/ to 30/ CALVES (per head) —* Runners 70/ to 136/ 70/ to 110/ Vealers 50/ to 155/ 40/ to 99/ PIGS (per head)— Baconers .... 58/ to 80/ 56/ to 80/ Porkers ..... 45/ to 68 38/ to 56/ Weaners .... - 6/ to 13/ «/ to 14/ Slips 15/ to 30/ 20/ to 30/ Large stores . 26/ to 40/ 32/ to 42/

DALGETY AND COMPANY. D'algety- and Company, Ltd., report:— Beef: Ox ibeef came forward in less than average numlbers, and in consequence the market was slightly better than last week. A line of 17 bullocks, on account of > the estate of the late Mr. Alex. Bell averaged £16 4/6. The top price of £19 was , paid by Mr. G. 0. Knight. The balance of the j line brought £12 7/6 to £17 10/. Extra choice ox sold to £2 6/ per 1001b; prime young oow and heifer beef, £2. Cow beef also came forward in leas than average numlbers and the market was very firm at late rates. A line of 44 cows and heifers, on account of the estate o£ the late Mr. Alex. Bell averaged £11 0/6. Heavy prime cows and heifers made £11 7/6 to £13 15/; heavy, £9 12/6 to £11; medium, £8 15/ to £9 17/6. Mr. Douglas Reid was the purchaser of the highest price heifers at £13 15/. Sheep: Only an average number of sheep came forward and sold steadily at prices a little better than last week. Extra- heavy prime wethers, woolly, made 47/; shorn, 38/; heavy prime woolly, 43/; shorn, 33/; medium, woolly, 38/; heavy prime ewes, shorn, 28/9. Lambs: There was a smaller yarding than at last week's market, and prices were better. Heavy prime lambs made 33/; medium, 30/3. Calves were selling freely at late values, good quality veailers being keenly competed for. -Runners made £4 to £5 5/, no heavy being yarded; heavy vealers, £4 5/ to £4 13/; medium, £3 10/ to £4 4/; light, £2 to £3 8/; small, £1 to £1 15/. Pigs were yarded in average numbers and sold at recent quotations. Heavy 'baconers made £3 10/ to £3 15/; medium baconers, £3 to £3 9/; light baeoifers, £2 14/ to £2 18/; heavy porkers, £2 10/ to £214/; medium porkers. £2 2/ to £2 8/; light porkers, £1 15/ to £2.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports:— Beef was penned in smaller numbers. Competition was keen and values were firmer. Extra choice ox sold to £2 6/ per 1001b; choice and prime, £2 3/ to £2 5/- ordinary and plain, £1 18/ to £2 2/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 18/ to £2; ordinary cow beef, £1 15/ to £1 17/; heavy prime steers, £15 to £17; lighter prime, £15 to £14 17/6; light prime, £11 10/ to £12 17/6; unfinished and small, £8 to £11 5/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £12 to £13 15/; heavy prime, £11 to £11 17/6; lighter, £9 to £10 15/; light cows, £6 15/ to £8 15/; other cows, £5 10/ to £6 10/. Sheep were yarded in average numbers, and although competition was steady throughout generally values were easier. Heavy prime wethers, woolly, made £2 5/ to £2 7/6; -shorn, £1 15/ to £1 16/; medium prime, woolly, £2 3/ to £2 4/9; shorn, £1 13/6 to £1 14/9; light prime, woolly, £2 to £2 2/9; shorn, £1 12/ to £1 13/; small and unfinished, woolly, £1 17/6 to £1 19/9; shorn, £1 10/ to £1 11/9; extra heavy prime ewes, woolly, £2 to £2 2/; heavy prime, £1 17/6 to £1 19/9; medium prime, £1 14/ to £1 17/; light prime, £1 10/ to £1 13/6; inferiorly fatted, 18/ to £1 7/; prime woolly hoggets, £1 10/ to £1 16/6. Spring lambs were penned in less _ than average numbers, and sold readily at improved values, ranging from */6 to £1 15/ for lambs from Mr. W. Blair, Takanini. Pigs were penned in large numbers. Values were on a par with late quotations. Choppers sold at £3 10/ to in/ J} iJ^ av y. an d medium baconers, £3 'i™. hfcht baconers and heavy and liVitf 3f i'° 8/; medium porkers f 2 10 / £2 18/; small Porkers, £1 16/ to £2 8/. Valueg P, SLy e enne( l in lar ®« numbers. 12/ Large stores made U, W. oSi« VSe wnnri

and values improved on late quotations. No heavy vealers were penned. Runners made £3 10/ to £5 10/; medium vealere, £3 10/ to £4 3/; light, £3 to £3 8/; email, £2 10/ to £2 18/; small and fresh dropped, 9/ to £2 8/; rough calves, £1 10/ to £2 10/.

ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report:—Our beef pen® contained 271 head, as against 287 head at last Wednesday's sale, comprising 167 steers and 104 cow 6 and heifers. The major portion of the ox beef was of excellent quality. There was an improved demand, and generally values were, firmer by fully £1 a head. Extra choice ox sold to £2 6/ per 1001b; choke and prime, £2 3/6 to £2 5/; secondary and plain, £2 to £2 2/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 17/ to £2; ordinary cow beef, £1 10/ to £1 16/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged from £19 10/ to £21 10/, the latter price for steers from Mr. A. E. Price, Cambria Park, purchased by Mr. R_. Stott, Birkenhead; steers from Mr. W. Vosper, Dingley Dell, Cambridge, sold up to £21 5/, and were bought by Mr. Thomas Baster; 6 steers from Mr E. A. Price, averaged £20 19/2; 24 from Mr. W. Vosper, £18 1/; 21 from Mr. J. R. Self, Beachlea Downs, £17 9/10; 16 from Mr. B. Reed, Waerenga, £17 8/9; 12 from Mr. H. A. Robertson, Mangere, £15 7/6; 18 from the Waikato, £16 17/9. Heavy prime steers made £18 t'o £19 7/6; lighter prime, £16 to £17 17/6; light prime, £13 10/ to £15 17/6: small and unfinished, £11 7/6 to £13 7/6. Extra heavy prime young cows and heifers made £12 to £13 17/6; 18 choice young cows and heifers from Mr. H. A. Robertson, Mangere, averaging £11 12/6; heavy prime cows and heifers, £10 15/ to £11 17/6; lighter prime, £9 to £10 12/6; other killable cows, £6 10/ to £8 17/6. There was a heavy yarding of sheep, which met with a spirited sale throughout, values being slightly firmer for aill classes. No extra heavy pripie wethers, woolly, were penned; shorn, £1 17/9; heavy prime, woolly, £2 5/ to £2 7/9; shorn, £1 13/6 to £1 15/6; medium to heavy prime, £2 2/ to £2 4/9; light to medium prime, £2 to £2 1/9; unfinished, £1 13/6 to £1 19/; extra heavy prime ewes, £2 to £2 2/; heavy prime ewes, £1 18/ to £1 19/9; light prime, £1 16/6 to £1 17/9; other kiUaible ewes, £1 13/ to £1 16/3; other ewes, £1 9/ to £1 12/6 (1366 sheep sold). The 65 spring lambs which came forward were insufficient for requirements, and values in consequence were firmer. Extra heavy prime lambs made £1 12/ to £1 14/; heavy prime, £1 10/ to £1 11/9; lighter prime, £16/ to £1 9/. Calves were in full supply. Bidding was spirited for all good quality vealers, and prices advanced. Runners made £5 15/ to £6 16/; heavy vealers, £4 5/ to £5 15/; medium, £3 6/ to £4 2/; light, £2 10/ to £3 4/ rough and unfinished, £1 2/ to £1 la/; small and fresh dropped, 8/ to £1 8/ (242 sold). There was more than an average yarding of pigs. Competition for choppers was particularly keen, our quotations showing a further improvement. All other • classes sold at last week's rates. Heavy choppers made £4 10/ to £5 5/ for a good quality sow, fattened by Mr. J. Hogan, Pukekohe; heavy prime baconers, £3 12/ to £3 17/; medium. £3 3/ to £3 9/; light, £2 18/ to £3; heavy porkers, £2 12/ to £2 15/; medium, £2 5/ to £2 8/; light, £1 19/ to £2 2h small and unfinished, £1 9/ to £1 16/. STo good stores were penned. Medium sorts made £1 6/ to £1 12/; slips, 15/ to 19/; weaners, 6/ to 13/, according to quality (422 pigs sold).

IN THE COUNTRY. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., reports:—Sales were held during the past week at Westfield, Pukekohe, ordinary and special bull sale, and Papakura, dairy and ordinary. We report good sales, with values for all classes of cattle very firm. At Pukdsohe there was a keen demand for bulls, with practically a complete clearance at most satisfactory prices. Dairy cows and heifers (best), £11 to £17 10/; others, £7 to £10 15/; aged cows and inferior heifers, £4 to £6 15/; yearling heifers, best, £5 to £7 5/; others, '£3 to £4 15/; store and boner cows, £3 10/ to £6 7/6; grade bulls, yearling Jersey, £6 6/ to £11 11/; two-year, £8 8/ to £15 15/; registered yearling Jersey bulls, £10 10/ to £25 4/; two-years, £15 15/ to £35 15/; Shorthorn bulls, yearlings, £5 5/ to £10 10/; twoyears, £8 8/ to £17 17/; other breeds, bulls, £3 3/ to £10 10/; yearling to 18months steers, £4 10/ to £5 7/6; two to two and a-half year steers, £5 10/ to £6 17/6; three to three and a-half-year steers, £7 to £8 12/6; four to four and a-half year steers, £8 15/ to £9 7/6; grown steers in forward condition, £9 10/ to £10 8/.

ADDINGTON MARKET.

STORE SHEEP DULL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. At Addington to-day there was a rather larger yarding of store sheep than the week before, ewes and lambs forming the major portion, and there was a fair number of wethers. The bidding throughout was far from keen,, the shortage of feed and want of rain restricting buyers' operations. Prices declined by 1/ to 1/6 per head. Prices were: Halfbred wethers, 28/ to 33/; three-quarter-bred, to 31/; four, six, and eight-tooth halfbred ewes, 31/; soundmouth crossbred ewes and lambs, 19/ to 20/6; halfbred ewes and lambs, 15/ to 16/6, all counted; crossbred ewe hoggets, 27/ to 38/3; wether hoggets, 21/ to 24/. There were 135 spring lambs. They sold freely at a decline of 2/ per head. Wellgrown made 34/6 to 39/1; medium,'3o/ -to 33/6; Bmall, 25/4 to 29/6. The yarding of fat sheep was about equal to last week'B. Toward the end of the sale the market fell away, and several lots were passed. Prime sheep were from par to 1/ per head cheaper. Light and unfinished were, on the whole, somewhat below the previous week's rates. Pricas were: Extra prime wethers, to 50/1; prime, 43/ to 47/1; prime medium-weight, 37/ to 42/; medium and unfinished, 30/10 to 35/; shorn, 27/7 to 35/7; extra prime ewes, 44/1; prime, 36/ to 40/; medium, 28/ to 34/; aged and inferior, 25/ to 27/6; prime, shorn, 27/6 to 35/4; other shorn, 19/7 to 26/; hoggets, 28/10 to 41/10. There was a larger yarding of fat cattle, the total being. 480. The quality showed a considerable falling off, there being a large proportion of unfinished cattle. The North Island cattle were generally in prime condition. The market, except in the case of some very prime pens, opened at about 30/ per head lower than the previous week's rates. The average for prime beef may be quoted at 41/ to 44/6; medium quality, 30/ to 39/; plain heavy steer, 33/ to 37/; P™ and heifer, 41/ to 44/; medium, ' rou &h down to 28/. Fat pigs sold at easier rates. Baconers averaged 6d to per lb; porkers, 6%d