FAT SHEEP HIGHER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 23 November 1939, Page 10

FAT SHEEP HIGHER

CATTLE RATES DECLINE

GOOD PIG DEMAND

ADDINGTON AUCTION (Por Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, thus day. Although fairly steady and useful rain, the first for weeks, fell yesterday. it did not have much response in the market for store stock at the Addington sale yesterday.

Store sheep maintained last week’s rates for the best classes of ewes and lambs and hoggets, but secondary and inferior sorts were hard to quit.

Fat lambs, of which the entry was too big, eased, and in the fat sheep section good wethers showed an advance. A heavy entry affected the fat cattle sale, good beef being down by 10s to 15s a head.

Porkers were firmer, but baconers were easier.

Store Sheep Yarding The store sheep yarding was about normal. The sale for good lines was about on a par with last week's reduced rates, but ordinary or unfinished sorts were hard to sell and many pens were passed. Ewes and lambs ranged from 10s to 13s all counted. A well-finished line of twotooth halfbreds and thveequarter-bred shorn ewes made 235, with two-tooth shorn wethers at Ills and medium sorts from 9s 8d to 13s.

The yarding of 400 fat lambs was too big for the butchers and the sale eased off. Medium and prime lambs sold well at between 8d and 9d per lb., with heavier sorts slightly less.

The entry of fat sheep was 5500. which was 4000 less than the figure of the previous week. There were a few lines from the south, but a good showing of Chatham Islands sheep. The market was erratic, but there was an improvement of up to Is Gd a head for wethers. A line of Chatham Islands, wethers sold from 32s lOd to 37s 4d. averaging 35s 3d. Prime heavy wethers sold to 33s Gd, ordinary to 255, and light to 21s. Prime heavy ewes sold to 265, ordinary to 19s, and light to 15s.

Easier Beef Market The fat cattle entry was again large and, with a lessening in quality, opened slackly at lower levels. There were individual cases in which last week's values were maintained but. on the average, the market was down 15s. Steers at £23 2s Gd topped the market. Prime heavy steers made to £2O, prime heifers to £ls 12s Gd, and prime cows to £ll 15s, with medium cows £8 15s to £9 15s. There was a fairly heavy entry of fat pigs, but the penning included a big proportion of over-fattened sorts. Good class animals showed an advance of 2s to 3s a head, but for others there was no change. Choppers made from £2 13s Gd to £6 Gs; medium porkers. 51s Gd to 56s Gd, with an average price of 7d to 7hi per lb. Light baconers made from 59s Gd to G9s Gd, and heavy from £3 19s Gd to £4 4s Gd.