Sheep Firm, Cattle Easier At Stortford Lodge

Chronicle (Levin), 17 June 1948, Page 3

Sheep Firm, Cattle Easier At Stortford Lodge

Bress AssociationJ

(Per

HASTINGS, June 16. Although the attenda,nee o.f b.uyers following the stove sheep market at Stortford Ludge tocl^y was not as> large as usual there w^s a good inquiry for quality lines gad" values were naaintain^d on a fairly high piaue. The entry of 5000 he^d ineluded some attractive farming, propositiona and for thes.e bidd.ing was quite weli spread amQng huygrs. Five^ ■ yea.r in 1am b ewes represented a keeniy soug'ht after 'line yvhieh brought 35s, and draft of 4 and 6-tootn breeding ewes realised 36s. Other mixed aged iines were traded at 29s 6d to 34s. Seyeral pens of less attractive sheep were passed in. The deniand fo.r wether hoggets was well . sustamed, values rauging from 25s: to 28s ld; forward eouditioned wethers realised 43s 6d. The fat she.ep market. kad a firniing tendency and the ail-round yarding included a nnmber of pens of good quality lanibs for which values more than eovered the increase in sehedule. .Some good quality ewes were also offered. Prime wethers ranged from '49s 4d to 53s 4d, medium from 42s 4d to.44s lOd and unfmshed 35s lOd to 41s1 lUd. Extra prime young ewes made 43s lld, extra prime older ewes 39s 7d and lighter sorts 26s ld to 32s ld, Values for heavy lambs ranged from 38s lOd to 41s lOd and lighter -28s 4d to 38s 4d. After last week's improved market for store cattle a larger yarding of 850 head came forward. However, there was just a slight easing in the market. To.p quality lines met with a fairly good inquiry within limits bnt for inferior cattle bidding was sluggish. Included in the entry was a large consignment railed down by a Gisborne graMer wlio was compefled to sell because of loss of grazing as a result of the floods. Bullocks reaehed £15 16s, two pens being passed in at £15 2s and £15 10s; three and a half year steers sold at £12 12s to £12 16s; two of steers at £» 15s to £9 11s and weaner steers at £5 5s to £6 13s; hard quality enipty heifers £9 2s and weaner heifers £4 13s. The quality was not marked iil a yarding of 200 head of beef cattle, but buyers showed interest in anythmg. that was in an advaneed condition aua values on a par with recent r'ates were obtained. Except for better lines the inquiry for cows was sticky. A nicely fmished line of bullocks topped ■the market for ox beef at £23 18s 6d, the wliole consignment averagiug £23 5s a head. The heifer offering again included sonie sizey beasts in prime condition aud the piclc of thpse exeited keen competition before being knocked down at £14 3s 6d. Vealers comprised a large propoftioh of the yarding and here again the quality was varied. Buyers paid £7 3s for the more sizey sorts. aVlues for prime ox ranged from £22 18s Od to £23 18s 6d and £11 18s 6d was paid for a" very light beast. Prime heifers realised £12 l^s 6d to £14 3s 6d, medium brought £11 6s to £12 16s, jhght made £S 13s 6d to £10 13s 6d. Medium cows were traded at £10 13s Od to £11 18s 6d and light at £6 17s 6d to £10 ls; sizey vealers sold at from £6 2.S to £7 3s with lighter ranging from £3 to £5 14s.