Stortford Lodge Market Buoyant

Chronicle (Levin), 10 November 1949, Page 3

Stortford Lodge Market Buoyant

:"j HASTINGS, Nov, 9. With the promise o'f renewed pasture grovvth the small gaihering of farmers who follo'wecl the store sheep market at Stortford Lodge .today bid strongly with the result that values tended to firm. Because of the wet weather oiiLy & small yarding of 1800 head earne for.ward, these being mostly from oearby larms. Wethers provided the bulk of the ejitry, and these ineluded some attraetive farming propositions. The salo firmed as it progressed, the early offering making better buying than those which eame forward later. The |>riee for shorn 2-tooth wethers was 38s 9d; other good shorn 2-tooth wethers brought 3Gs to 36s 3d, and small 35s 2d and 35s 3d. Shorn 4-tooth wethers were traded at 39s 7d; growri wethers at 38s Gd and woollv 2 and 4tooth wethers at 57s lOd. Ewes with lambs were in short supply, values ranging from 28s to 37s Gd (all countedj; shorn 2-tooth ewes brought 36s to 46a. The broken Weather conditions resulted in there being one of the shortest yardings of fat sheep seen for some time. Tn consequence there was a marked firming tendenev abotit the market, values appreeiating by up to ls Gd a head. The qualitv was abont average and the firming was most pronouneed on wethers. For medium qualitv shorn aged ewes butchers paid 28s 7d to 28s lOd with inferior sorts bringing 24s lOd to 25s lOd. Prime young ©wes off the shears sold at 37s 4d; prime shorn wethers 41s 7d to 44s 20d, and medium weights 38s 10d to 40s Id. A pen of prime hoggets in the wool changed hands at 54s 4d. "Renewed interest in store eattle was shown when the market reeovered its deeline of last week. The attendanee in the rostrum was substantially larger than last week and bidding on the entry of 499 head was steady from the outset, it being found much easier to etfect saies than it was a week ago. It was apparent farmers were thinking in terms of pasture eontrol requirements now that beneficial rains have fallen. throughout the provinee. The market was well supplied with heifers for which the inquirv was strong. WeU grown bulloeks with a bit of condition sold at £19 10s to £19 17s Gd; three vear steers at £15 15s; two-year steeTS at £14 2s to £14 5s; and yearling steers "£S 7s Gd to £10 9s. Good empty heifers realised £12 7s Gd to £13, while other heifers brought £8 17s Gd to £9 15s.