THIS WEEK'S SALES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 29, 18 February 1937, Page 15

THIS WEEK'S SALES

Features at Stortlord Lodge and Waipukurau SOME LINES "TICKETED" This week;e selling at Hawke's Bay stock, markets indicates that the phonomenally higb pricea that have rultd for store sheep since the -New - Year have been definitely checked." At botb Waipukurau on Tuea-lay and Stoi'tford' Lodge yesterday store lambs, which have been in exceptional dexnand we.e down by up to 2/- a head and even more in Bome cas&s, but stih the 'values made good sellihg for the vendors, tvho must be prepared 'for prices to rececle further to more reas'onable ti'ading rates, lnfiated values have undoubtedly been the order for fiome weeks, and yesterday'a- selling indicates that buyers afB determined to keep off what must be regarded for many lots as the "danger point." Yesterday'a high westerly gale helped to make buyers a kttle .neryous owing to past experience of wind on the pastures. With the unusually smali atuendanoe on the rails when the sale started, and with the general i'eeling in the ' air, 'the stage was set for a change in the market. The opening lots socn ehowed that prices wei'e not going to go up. ,In many cases rape crops are past their best, with the result that many l'armers have not the same quick-fin-ishingi meahs. Top lines of lambs thu» week were very iew in. number, the market" being topped with a well-done line of Down-cross containmg several ready to hang up offered on account of Mr F. ,W. iiuriing, of Patoisa. At Waipukurau on Tuesday an attractive line of shorn wether lambs brought, 21/6, but these lines are becoming iew and far' betvveen. Second-quality and poorer-grown lots predommate, providmg a wide range of carry-over propositions. For these at the high values they are malcing the test pf good farm management will apply. Seoond-Quality Ewe Lambs.., With the exception bf an occasional line the ewe lambs offered' are of second quality "with many poor lots. It ia evident that- farmers- are- not inclined to part with their best' in view of the higb values, for two-tooths the last two seasons. . The eupply was all that was prolifio about the cull lambs this week.- lYlany were dmalier grown, being 'more baUfwafd and harder Uonq .than ever, 'ihe .- appearance. oi , mpst ,q|. 'thpse " tejjls ' =tne" 6tory of a bad seasoh. For the bulk • of the culls a good autumn • wiU • be tbe only salvation. Yesterday the stock mspector, Mr H. E. Alien, got busy, witii the result that a iew pens were "licketed." Ainpie warnings have been given of the tixp;ping lequiremehts, and rf tirese aie nut compiied. with, the iai'mers offering sheep for sale are Iooking ior trouole, as with the vigilance shown by the inspector they stand little cnance of getting away with it. Ihe last two or three seasons have eeen a wonderiul ciean-up in thrs respect, with the resuit fchat lice-infeuted sheep in JtiawKe's Bay have been reduced to a minimum. In eome cases the fcet showed that they iiad not received all the attentiou that they should have done. In somo instances they were m overgrown as to be in a shocking eondition. It is difficult to imagine that anyone would negleet his sueep to such an extexic, "b'Ut , one well-known farmer, in eoin menting upon it, touched a sore spo i when he said; "You can't expect anythihg else from some farmers, who .spend nearly all of their time ijtown,M Store Oattle, The etore-cattle seetion an far as, 'Slai.iun bred lines are cpneerned ccntim.es tc be neglected. Ouly.an isolateo entry or two of useful lots have been yarded. At Waipukurau on Tuesday a fair cntry of werl-bred Aberdeen Angus 30-months-old steers in good order brought £10 6/-, which is a good indicatlon of the market for quaiity yojtig oattre Cattle are certainly selling at a preruum, and there is little prospect of uny change in the position for a while. The thousands of cattle vvhicli wero -seilt out of Hawke's Bay las; Novom ber, when there were indicatious of a dry fummer ahead, could all be dono with noW- Many farmers are scouring ihe courtry Iooking' for cattle, which are ditneult to obtain owing to the supply being much bolow the requiroments. Oue farmer last wefek stated that he saw several breeders in the hope of being abie to buy weaners for dclivery in Maj', and in eacli case he was tohi that they were not for sale desprta Ihe auractJvc prices offered. An ex'«-:ptionally attractive line of weJi Mfd iiberdcen Angus 3° xnontlis,qld ste?rs is at present to be seen in Mr Kinross White's front paddock at Omarunui. These young steers, which were bred on Mr White's Te Aute pro perty, in their fresh and very prime eondition show the outstanding quality that can be produced in the district. Seen grazing, they are a sight worth sceing. The fat cattle yesterday would have been a small offering but for the Rukumoana" draft of over 100. head. On their way down from Te Pohue they stampeded out of the night paddock at Puketapu on Monday night, completely levelling a seetion of the road fence The draft ihcluded about 70 Joung bullocks, and if they could have had :i few days iirst in a Hastings paddock the wopld have appcared more ^.ttrac tive in tbe ring. The line was quito solidly finished but was very emptv due to being on tlie roed for tbreo days. Not being heavy, tbey should kiU out good summer beef. Prices kepfc up wonderfully well. makiiig exceptionally good saies to vendors, but at rates which, considoving the retail price of meat, leave ." vefy small margin for the butchers.