Floods Affect Stortford Lodge Sale

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1949, Page 5

Floods Affect Stortford Lodge Sale

HASTINGS, August 10. Tbe flood conditions prevailing iu Hawke's Bay over tbe past four days, had their effect on the livestoek en-tries-at tbe Stortford Lodge sale today when the yarding was the smallest seeri for 50 years. Store cattle buyers were offered an entry of 26. Fat cattle entries were not: so drastically reduced but the fat sheep yarding was only about onethird of its normal size. Conditions at the yards were very muddy and the attendance small, the fat stock buyers being the only men interested. Four and six-tootli in-lamb ewes which sold at 49s and four wethers which brouglit 46s (subject) made up the full yarding of store sheep. Old timers could not remeber another occasion on which the entries were so small. Expecting a negligible entry in the fat cattle market, buteliers had made arrangements for private supply and | consequently there was no keenness I about the inquiry for the 109 head that , appeared for sale. It was thought values would show a sharp rise but instead they eased to be slightly below par. Quality was ^generally light in the yarding which included a few pens of medium weight well finished Hereford bullocks. These were considered cheap at up to £23 18s 6d. Prime mediumweiglit ox was traded at £22 3s 6d to £23 18s 6d and light at £17 13s 6d to £18 lSs 6d. Prime .heifers sold at £15 3s 6d to £15 LSs 6d, medinm qualit.v bringing £13 16s to £14 8s 6d and light and unfinished £11 3s 6d to £12 3s 6d. Eor medium quality cows buyers paid £12 13s 6d to £13 3s 6d, light sellinq at £11 Is to £12 ls. A similar situation to the beef sale prevailed in the fat sheep market buf here values were kept to par levels b,v the attentions of store buyers. Good average quality wethers perdominated in the yarding of 522 head. Prime wethers changed hands at 58s 7d to 62s lOd. Medium weight wethers sold at 54s 4d to 55s 7d and light and unfinished at 46s 7d. Extra prime aged ewes were traded at 44s lOd, handvweights going at 33s 1 d and light at^ 30s 4d. Extra prime young ewes were quoted at 54s 4d and prime at 46s ld to 48s 4d.