BULLOCK PRICES EASE

Evening Star, Issue 23376, 20 September 1939, Page 10

BULLOCK PRICES EASE

CGWS AND HEIFERS—UNCHANGED RATES FIRST SPRING LAMB HEAVY EWES BACK 1/6—MEDIUM ■ WETHERS 2/Despite improved quality, bullocks in the entry of fat cattle at the Burnside stock sales to-day showed a decrease in value amounting to £1 a head for "prime heavy-weights and 10s for lighter grades. Ccftvs and heifers, however, which were in shorter supply, maintained late rates, and at times improved slightly on them. Fat sheep had an erratic sale at the first few pens, and at the lime of going to press it was expected that there would be further recessions than the 2s a head lor medium to light wethers, and Is Gd a head for heavy ewes. First spring lamb of the season was scaled at 551 b live weight, and sold for the excellent price of 32s 6d. Representative of all grades in a fair mixture —and better quality than usual—the fat cattle entered numbered about 300 head. There were a good number of prime heavy grades, with a similar proportion of prime to medium bullocks, though there were fewer cows and heifers than usual. The sale opened slackly, and there was an easing tendency throughout for prime heavy bullocks, which finished cheaper by £1 a head, and in some cases more. Medium grades wore also easier, the recession being in most cases 10s, but occasionally slightly more. Cows and heifers remained firm at late rates. Several consignments of choice heavy wethers, with rather* fewer owes of similar grade, were offered in the big yarding of about 1,800 fat sheep. Medium grades were forward in the usual proportion, but with ewes preponderant. Sales were erratic to the time of going to press, when heavy wethers were bringing prices on a par with last week’s rates, while medium to light-weights were easier by about 2s a head Extra heavy ewes were also cheaper, by about Is 6d, while light to medium grades were practically unchanged. Only about 25 head of vealers were penned, quality being plain, while prices were unchanged. Best descriptions sold to £6 10s; ordinary sorts, from £3 5s to £4; and light types, from £2. Store cattle also had only a small entry, the main consignment being three pens of three-year-old forward steers. Competition was slack* resulting in a recession of 10s a head on late rates. Prices for three-year-old steers were from £8 5s to £9 8s; two-year-olds, to £5 10s; and heifers, from £2 5s to £5. (Boner cows, of which there was a small entry, sold at late rates. In a yarding of 137 head of fat sheep, baconers were in short supply, there being a good demand. Prices ranged from £4 7s to £5 7s a head, or about 8d lb, while porkers were forward in better numbers, and met with a fair demand at prices from £2 11s a head, or about BJd to 9d lb. There were 100 stores forward.