WETHER VALUES RISE

Chronicle (Levin), 24 March 1949, Page 9

WETHER VALUES RISE

Press Association)

Buyers React To Weather At Stortford Lodge

(Per

HASTINGS, March 23. Wether buyers reacted quiekly to weather conditions with the result values were up by Is a head at Stortford Lodge. sale to-day. The market for other lambs, fattening ewes, and in iamb ewes, however, maintained their late rates. The yarding of 6000 head of stores ineluded a few pens of good sheep which attracted notice. There was an average, attendance of farmers. Particularly good wethers realised 43s and other grown wethers sold at from 35s 10d to 39s, with 2-tooths at 33s lOd to 38s 3d. Farmers looking for qui?k fattening propositions among lambs had some good lines put before them. The top priee of the day was 34s 6d for a well grown meaty line of shorn wether lambs. Values for other shorn lines ranged from 22s 2d to 31s lOd. Among the woollies two good lines realised 32s 6d. Other woolly .wether lambs brought 27s 6d to 31s. In lamb 5 and 6 year ewes realised 30s Gd. In lamb 5 year ewes 29s, empty 2-tooth ewes 35s 9d, and fattening ewes 24s to 25s 6d. Butchers bid keenly for a large entry of good quality niutton in the fat sheep market. Values were., fully ou a par with reeeut rates in the early part of the sale and though butchers were offered a selection in the fnll entry there appeared to be no slackening as the sale progressed. The quality was particularly good among aged ewes but young ewes were in shorter supply. Prime aged ewes realised 30s 4d to 32s lOd, medium quality bringing from 27s 7d lo 29s lOd. Good young Down cross ewes were quit at 37s 7d to 38s ld, heavy wethers were traded at from 42s ld to 44s 7d with lighter Down cross wethers at 38s' 7d. Well linished lambs were knocked down at 35s 4d" to 39s lOd, smaller selling at from 31s 7d to 32s lOd. - Values for store cattle at Stortford Lodge were about on a par with those last week. The 'demand was strougest for better eonditioned cattle, the average attendance of buyers being inelined to neglect less attractive lines. Most of the yarding '-of 250 head came forward in small lots, there being p.o big station lines. Younger steers made mp the bulk of the yarding, values for 30 months cattle ranging from £14 to £14 •10s. Good 18 months steers brought £11 19s and smaller lighter sorts from £8 ls to £S 10s. Good Red Poll bulloeks were traded at £16 5s, empty cows brought from £9 12s to £11 2s, eihpty heifers from £9 16s to £11 ls, and 18 months heifers £8 lls. A slackening in demand tkrough butchers being privately supplied was evideut in the beef sale when the mark-

et was inelined to be easier. The sinai! entry was counteracted by the smaller attendance of buyers. The offering, which was generally of lighter weight than last yveek remained unsold at auetion. This applied particularly to cows' which though well linished were only of medium weight. Bulloeks. made up to £23 8s Od and prime heavy ox changed hands at from £22 18s 6d to £23 Ss 6d. Medium weights were selling at from £19 ' ls to £21 18s 6d, prime heavy heifers made up to £15 13s 6d with medium weights from £13 ls 'to £14 18s 6d. Prime cows were traded at from £14 13s 6d to £15 8s 6d, medium quality making from £13 13s Od to £14 6s and light from £12 Ss Gd to £12 lSs 6d.