Record Lamb Prices At Stortford Lodge

Chronicle (Levin), 22 December 1949, Page 7

Record Lamb Prices At Stortford Lodge

■ -= HASTINGS, Dec. 21. Whai. are believed to be record prices for the yards for store lambs for this time of the season, were paid at Stortford Lodge today. Woolly wether lambs were knocked dowh at 39s 9d after spir ited bidding. Ewe lambs, which were in short supply, reached 47s 6d. Men witn a long association with Stortford Lodge, eannot remember comparable prices before Christmas. Entries in jther- sections of the sale were small as is usual for the end of the year sale but the store sheep yarding of 7800 head was the largest sinee the beginiiing of last month. Most .of the yardui^ consisted of store lambs. For these tn. tnquiry was keen from the outset from a good gathering of farmers. As a re sult bidding .was spirited, particularlv for forward conditioned lines, and th. market was buoyant. Top quality wool ly wether lambs sold at 39s 9d, for • ward shorn wether lambs 32s 4d, good rnedium sorts 29s ld to 29s, 3d and small 24s 6d to 24s 9d. The best price of tin season for Down cfoss lambs was 35s LOd. Other Down cross lines were trad ed at from 31s 7d to 34s 2d. Qualitv owe lambs made 47s 6d, two-tooth we thers brought 40s. Although the bidding for a smal yarding of 192 head of fat sheep, was in no way spirited, the market wa.: steady with values fairly well in line with ruling rates. Butchers, paid 40s 10d to 41s lOd for prime wethers, mediun sorts selling at 37s 4d to 38s 4d and light and unflnished from 27s lOd to 35s Id. Prime heavv Cwes made to 39s ld lighter 33s lOd and prime young ewe' 40s. .Down two-tooths sold at 37s lOd tr 40s 10d, heavv lambs at 46s 4d and small at 32s 6d. Relatively little interest was . takerin the store cattle sale when only 143 head come forward. Nevertheless, the market was reasonably steadv. Severai early pens were passed in but sale were effected .to advantage privately afterward. At auction two-year * steers sold at,. £13 14s, empty cows at £9 15r and empty heifers at from £10 to £13 12s. Bnilocks were passed in at £11 5s and empty cows at £10 10s, the lat t.er lieing sold afterward at £11 5s. With the public taste now demanding ooultry and lamb, butchers were tnor eautious in their beef buving. For al tliat there was a stead.y market " witl "Ompeti ti on strongest for summer weiglits. Although there was a yarding of only 111 head, it was not sufficienth short to give the market a lift. Qx beel provided the greatest portion of th. •uipply of prime beasts selling from Z'l 18s Gd to £24 13s Gd. Prime heifers solc ■it £16 16s to £17 3s Gd. For prime cow: butchers paid to £16 Is. Medium weigh' cows realised £12 10s to £13 11s and inferior cows to £8 ls.