LIVE STOCK REVIEW

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 184, 21 August 1937, Page 17

LIVE STOCK REVIEW

Sensational Rises at Hastings Sale FAT EWES TO 407Vendors of slieep had a day out on Wednesday at .Storbford Lodge. Woolly wether hoggets, which have been on tho rise for several weeks past, jumped up 2/- a head and fat ewes, of which ther© were not enough. to go round, advanced 3/- to 4j/- a head. It was anticipatcd in these columns some weeks ago that last seasqn'3 peak values would be eclipsed. This was ackieved by several pens on Wednesday when the record price for ruany years of 40/- was reached, making mui> ton dear buying." Present indications are that there will be no cheap mutton in sight for some time. Two Imes were particularly attractive, botli having been drafted from the breeding ewes. One of them included several maiden sheep, which represented some choico quality young mutton, and sold at 39/3. These were considered better than medium wethers penned and the butchers tliought so too to tlie extent of 4/- a head. Despite the big margin in price, the heavy prime pens made better buying than the ligbt and unlinished sorta, ■ wliich are usually lighter than they look. These ai'e the pens that get a thorough "once over" by the butchers wliile the heavy sheep, wide and flat on the top, sell themselves on their appearance. Bright Selling The bright selling in the store pens was sowewhat amazing in viow of tho hard winter experienced in which many farmOfs are far from being "out of the wood." Values for hoggets have jumped up but the same could also be said of tho quality. The lino oifercd on account of Mr W. C. Taylor, of Hiverslea road, Hastings, showed what can be done on a dairy farm with lioggets. Tliey actually outsold a line of forwaird wetliers wliich should como olf the shears prime. "Among the cows is the best place in the world for hoggets," a farmer was heard to remark as Mr Taylor' s entry was bejng offered, Down from Elsthorpe, Mr T. Ryan's wether hoggets were another excellent line. They showed how extremely healthy hoggets can be raised fn. Hawke's B4y. Mr Wallace Tod's statement to tlie Waipukurau Farmers' Union recently that he had not dosed a lamb for 20 years would astound many farmers, but Mr Tod has shown practical management in the raising of his hoggets which permits of such a standard of efficiency. The "drench-gun last season in this district, however, was the salvation of tliousands of hoggets and without dosing. lossea would have been heavy. In some cases hoggets wliich were spared being drenched suffered from parasites as a result. Among the pens of hoggets sliorn as iambs were entrics on account of the well-kno>vn Te Apiti and Waipoapoa station6. Although in medium condition only, being well bred they would come" away readily and develop into good quality two-tooths. The worth of having good breeding as a foundation has been frequently demonstrated by sheep off both these properties. This important feature in their makeup can be relied upon to be linked with constitutiou ^nd a hard winter would only be a tomporary check on these hoggets which will come away readily with the fresh growth. Second Quality Pens. Second-quality pens made very dear buying with some black-faced sorts being very dwarfed. The cull pens contained some very weedy lots which looked as though they would have to bo carried away. Dogmeat was all that a number were fit for but at the prices the new owners were optimistic as to better uses. With troubles not coming by halves, breeding ewes this season have been one long anxi©ty to many farmers since the autumn. A large percentage through the district are in poor condition and many of the aged sorts, once the lamb is off them, will be good for little else. Lambs however, are surprisingly good, being welj developed, sturdy and vigourous. In from Maraekakaho, Mr O. O. B. Clarkson's line of mixed aged ewes were in exceptional order, having been robust and extra well woolled. A line of five-yqar-olds in poor condition and delapidated were hard to trade at half the money. Although described as "fattening," some pens of ewes were only fit to be put down the chute. Their only worth was in the skin which would not bo worth a great deal, owing to the wool being povertylooking and not tho type that wcighs. Prospects of Shortage. With the lambing season in progress, it is anticipated that the yardings of store sheep will continue to be small and select entries will be trade d at high levels. The improvement in quality reacted iu the values for fat cattle, when the market throughout was of a healthy tone. Cows predominated and a number of the pens showed that entries bad gone back, owners not being able to liold them in prime order through lack of feed. . An interesting entry was a pen : Lrucked by road from Gisborne whicli was the best qualifcy in the cow pens, and at their weiglit wero the best sellers of the day. These are to be followed by a consignment from the same ■

district next week when they will initiate the trausport of fat cattle by the East Coast railway from Nuhaka to Longlands. Stock have done well in ihe Gisborne district this season and they are expected to arrive in good condition. Quality has shown up well in the store cattle from that district and the fats are unlikely to be lacking in this respect. A substantial draft from tlie Wairoa district is likely to be penned the following week. The opening of the East Coast railway is going to result in the movement of a large quantity of stock to Stortford Lodge and so add to its importance as a stock marketing centre.