Stortford Lodge Stock Values

Chronicle (Levin), 6 October 1949, Page 6

Stortford Lodge Stock Values

HASTINGS, October 5. A new record priee for store' bullocks at Stortford Lodge, was established today when tlie opening pen went to £23 4s before being knocked down. The line consisted of well bred cattle with big frames and in forward order. The priee bettered by 4s the previous record set last week. Buyers showed most interest in cattle offering a quick turn,over and for this class of grazing proposition the market was sound. For anything laeking condition, however, the easing tendency noticeable in reeent weeks, continuecl. The offering of 900 head included sonie good farming lines. Those who foiiowed the saie included buyers from Manawatu and Wanganui, who reported that cattle were wanted in their distriets so long as prices were reasonable. Good bullocks were traded at £19 9s to £21 4s. Three-year steers clianged hands at up to £17 4s and two-year steers at £12 5s to £13 4s. Lnipty cows realised £11 18s and two-year lieifers £9, 19s to £10 2s. Indications that the summer beef trade has begun, were seen in the fat cattle market. Faced with the large yarding of«/2o(i head in which bullocks were in plentiful supply buyers showed a preference for heifers and lighter weight bullocks, so quotations for heavy ox were markedly easier though there were outside operators in the rostum. The large entry contained plenty of quality and allowed buyers to be selective in their opeiations bui heifers niaintained their value at reeent .strong rates. There was a comparative shortage of good low beef and uniihished pens proved hard to sell. Bullocks sold at up to £25 ls, heifers at £19 13s (5d and cows £17 ls. Another quality heifer draft of 23 sold at up to £19 3s Gd. For prime medium weight ox buyers paid £22 11s to £25' ls, lightweight buliocKs in prime Yrder bringing £20 3s Gd to £22 3s Gd and uulinished £17 ls to £19 lSs Gd. Prime heavy heifers clianged hands at £17 3s Gd to £19 13s Gd with other prime beasts at £15 8s Gd to £1G 18's Gd and unhnished £14 8s Gd to £14 18s Gd. Prime cows were traded at £16 8s Gd to £17 ls and unlinished at £11 3s 6ci to £13 3s Gd. liunners soid at up to £9 10s. Lvidence of the effeet of oil smoke from orchard iires of the past week on Sheep depasturing in the fruitgrowing area, was to be seen in the store sheep pens. Heveral lines from the Mangateretere district carried discoloured fleeces. There was uo significant lowering in prices ofi'ered for these compared with lines which were unall'ected bui the market as a whole showed an easing tendency, values being estimated at 2s down on those a fortniglit ago. The , oli'ering of 2500 head contained few lines oi any size aud there was a nuniber of pens which Jacked quality. The selling was followed by a moderate attendance. A Feilding buyer entered che market for two or three lines thus lieiping to sustain the inquiry witliin limits. Good wether hoggets cou'ld be bouglit for 44s to 45s. Ewe hoggets sold at 48s 9d to 52s and l)own cross hoggets at 30s 7d to 3.8s 4d. 8horn 2-th wethers brought 33s 3d and shorn 4-th wethers 38s Gd to 39s 3d. Woolly wethers made to 53s 11 d and enipty 2-th and 4-tli ewes 32s 2d. Ewes with lambs at foot shared in the 'easing though they were doing their lainbs well. The ewes were for most part low mouthed sorts. Business was done at ! 2Gs 3d to 27s (all counted) for main lines. A single small pen.of good ewes with well-grown lambs brought 34s (all counted). M'itli an average yarding which included a large proportion of shorn sheep, fat sheep values showed little Huctuation. There was a shortage oi wethers but eWes were plentiful and good quality prime aged. ewes were traded at 40s ld to 41s 4d with medium quality sorts at 38s ld to 39s 4d. Prime aged shorn ewes sold at 30s to 32s 4d, others bringing 28s lOd to 29s 4d, and unlinished 27s 4d. Prime young ewes clianged hands at 40s lOd with shorn ( at 3Gs lOd. Medium weiglit woolly wethers realised 58s lOd and sliorn 41s lOd, hoggets were quoted at 47s ld.