LIVE-STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 64, 2 April 1937, Page 13

LIVE-STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Dry Spell Still Showing Its EfEect STORTFORD SALE The only live-atock yarding made this week was at Stortford Lodge, and from the few pens otfered in each section a.Tid the unusually small attendance it was evident that matters had not settled down again after the holidays. The principal factor afFecting the I'armers is the continued spell of dry weather, which is certainly having its repercussions in the ealeyards. Weather forecasts over the holidavs led farmers to hope that Hawke's "Bgy would participate in the rain, which was gseneral elsewhere in the Dominion. The anxiety is not at the moment for stock, which is doing well, but for tn© late autumn growth for winter feeding. Unless there i& a substantial rain in the near future farmers will he com pelled to unload tbeir surplus stocs of dry ecnditions on to the market. AlJeady somt- lines of sheep, more particularly lambs, which otherwise would have beeu carried over, have had to fce put on tho market. With the exception of two or threo l;nes. Wednesday's offering wae not an attractive lot. The Clareinch wethers were quite- exceptional and, from the brightness of their wool and fresh appearance, looked as if they had oeen through a scouring tnb. These wethers showe'.l good breeding, being souud in corstitution and in very forward order. The lambs in general fell away in quality from those offered at late saies. In some of the pens the wool was tbe best part- of them. The hand put on some of them told bow very ligjht thoy" wero. Backward Ewa Lambs. The ewe lambs were smalier-gsoHn than even and backward. In order that they should ever have any breeding value, they will require a good dtai oi slsiJful management. No doubt they were diafted out because of tbeir bttle worth from a point of view of breeding. The new owners will certainly have a task with them, one of the first Jobs being the use of the drench-gun. Some small-grown two-tooth ewes wero offered, but these could only be carried over as wethers. At the mdney they made better buying than the ewe lambs. It was not too late to put the Homney ram out with them, the auctioneer suggested. It certainly is not too late, but the small percentage could be well imagined— and of a type that' would find jts way into .the cull pens next season. Ewes running with Southdown rams are still not saleable propositions judgxng by the lines offered. One line of young ewes had the disadvantage of being badly mixed in the wool. These were drafted from a station during its own breeding and are just an example of how inferior-Woolled types develop even where good-quality rams are used. Ewes like these are only of use for the fat-lamb trade, and with their running with Southdown rams that will eventuate. The pens of culls ineluded a big mixture. The lambs certainly showed evidence of having had a hard time, being sickly-looking and very weedy. Down the chute appeared -to be the best place for some of the old ewes in very poor order. The present season has played right into the hands of the farmers with the old ewes that will fatien. .Large numbers well fattened have been going into the works of late. The spell of dry weather has worked wonders with many of them. "I thought that I was going to have 300 old 'gummies' on my hands, but of late they have come away splendidly, and last week I put half of them into the works," remarked a farmer on Wednesday. Fatt in Shdrt Supply Tho fats wero in very short BttppJy on Wednesday. The outstanding draft of well-bred two-tooth wethers, selling at 29/-, were a credit to the wellknown "Karamu" property. Mr Hughie Thompson knew a good thing when he said: "Both pens." Eeally prime-qual-ity young ewes making choiee fuutton are always Scarce in the yarding, and the pens that Mt Jack Fletcher got were good. The fat cattle pens were disappointing, and the few pens of prime-quaiity lots gave the butchers very little to choose from. Some well-framed bullocks came forward, but they were aged and of hard qualxty. Two young dehorned Herefords with ihe bloom still on them showed what limits the butchers are prepared to go for ehoice quality. Most of the bullocks of late have been of the "erusher" type, giving weight witliout quality. Runnerg are always Pearce, and the line offered on account of Mr J. Lyon, "Greenhill", were most attractive. Just taken off their mothers for the sale, they still had their calf fat and were in excellent order. Mr Guy Martin's young keifers, down from Crownthorpe, were the brigbb patch in the femalc section. Every ounce represented quality, and the fact that they made 35/- per 1001b sliowg that the Hastings people are having ehoice young beef retailed to tliem at prices which do not leave any room for complaint. Hastings is about the cheapest town in New Zealand for meat, while the stock commands very high values. Wedntsday's offering of cows were practically all aged sorts and very plain, it being a good thing for the butchers that they stocked up from the quality yarding about three weeks ago. The Jersey section met the best market for somt tire, with values improving up to 15/- a head. There Was a good sprinlcling of young sorts. Vendors of station-bred store cattle decided to give this week's sale a miss, Tlie prices last week were not encouraging, which was not due to any luck of demaud but to the dwindliug feed supplies. Grazing does not always prove to be a satisfactory meant of carrying or«r, i

as the stock is frequently sacrificed to clean up the grazier's country. There passed through Pakowhai on Wednesday a line of well-bred young Aberdeen Angus cows with calves at foot. Theae calves, by good sires, were in excellent condition being well done by their mothers. Full ^of bloom and in thriving order, these calves would mahe the foundation of an. ontstandings chilling line. When weaned shortly they would command a high fignre, but it is very unlikely that such a quality line will be on the market. Once there is an ample supply of feed, vendors of storo cattle showing quality will be on the box-seat. Chilling has created a demand that will exceed supplies.