H.B. STOCK SALE- REVIEW

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 17

H.B. STOCK SALEREVIEW

Store Cattle Forward in Large Numbers FAT LINES FIRM The principal yardings of stock at this woelc's saies at Waipukurau and Stortford Lodge were those of store cattle, when the market showed an easier tendency. Fat cattle again sold well with the quality pens, for wlrich a decided preference was shown, being firm, owing to the ehort supply. The market for hoggets sulfered its first check after several wceks of exceptional selling. Butchers found the selling of fat sheep much against them when values showed a sharp advance to equal the peak price-levels for the season. The short yarding left no alternative where supp'lies were required. Both the big yardings of store cattle at Waipukurau and fcitortford Lodge saw some exceptional quality station ■ bred lines offered, whicb showed that the standard of breeding of run cattle in Hawke's Bay is being well maintained. It was not anticipated that the high rates set at the opening saies would be maintained, and the last two weeks bave seen a settling down to a more reasonable trading basis, witb values being an appreciable margin in advance of tbose mling last year. -A noticeable feature in many of the entries of young steers is 'tbe greater attention tbat bas been *given in tbe breeding of tbe chiller type.

^ Effect of Hard Winter. Many of tbe steers tbis week were partieularly well coated, skowxng good . breeding, but several lines did not roojt tbeir best, due to baving been hard wintered. Tbe two-year-olds were of a'»mucb better class tbis week bemg well grown and in mucb improved order^ due to not baving been on~sucn h'ard country. Tbe best selling appeared to be amongst tbe yearlings, wbicb sold readilyA according to size. Grown bullocks were tbe most affected by the easier selling, and none of tbe xeally good drafts offered found buyers prepared to exceed tbe £10 mark. Tbe outeide districts were well represented, buyers being presnt from as far as Hawera and New Plymouth, At tbe opening saies little was heard from tbem, owing to the bigb rates set by local interests, but tbis week found them coming into tbeir own, witb tbe result tbat several drafts were destined for places outside tbe province. Tbe first line of store cattle railed from Wairoa was offered on Wednesday, wben a draft of "Potutu", empty cows, whicb arrivcd in good order, sold at £6 18/6. The advent of tbe railway is already proving its value in tbe quiek transport of cattle. Besides keeping numbers off the road, wbicb will be appreciated by tbe travelling public tbe railway will make many farmers more independent of droving costs, whicb bave mounted up considerably of late. The railway in tbis respect alone, bas become a welcome altornative. No Relief for Butchers. Tbe fat cattle pens tbis week did not give butchers any relief. Tbe absence of a large draft of beavy primo f omaio cattle , from tbe Gisborne digtrict, wbicb bave been a feature at Stortford Lodge of late, was most noticeable. As a result quality sorts were in ebort supply. Tbe prime pens stood out in striking contrast against th(j unfinisbed plain quality sorts for wbicb inquiry was restrieted. A partieularly nice draft of prime quality ox beef and also cows and heifers on account of McDonald Bros., of Mangateretere, and a draft of female Sbortborn eattle, met witb keen competitiou. Tbe butchers showed a decided preference for tbese lines as against most of tbe remainder of tho yarding witb tbe result tbat tbere was not any cbeap beef, values being fully on.a par witb the Westfield market. Several of tbe pens of aged cows were in store condition only, whicb could not be worked in if a proper system of grading was enforced as in tbe case in some of tbe Soutb Island yards. Wben large yardings come forward, th§ selling could be faeilitated by a system of grading. A definite cbange of tono was notice--able for tbo selling of woolly hoggets wbicb constitnted over 95 per cent. cf tbe store sbeep pens. For several wocks past values bave shown an improved tendency, rising some weoks ago to almost dangerous levels. Tbe climatic conditions, combined witb a beavy mantle of snow on tbe rangos appeared to dampen tbe qntbusiasm t&is week, tbe bidding being quite snbdued, Some peng made higb pricea., but tbese wero ngfc realised without a Strygglp, No (Cb?ap Buying. NeveetliQless none qf the pens were cbeap buying and several of tbe small grown lots broggbt piore thaq tbey were wortb. Tbe best buying appeared ' to be two gqod lines of forward, nicely grown Down cross boggots, whicb attracted tbe fat sheep interests. Tbese sbould come off tbe sbears in partieularly good condition and be roady to bann up as quality young mutton whicb is always in demand. Fow ewes with lambs at foot wero peiuued. Soutul mouthcd cwes witb J'urward lambs nijuJo 20/9, qli couuted, ■ while poor-moutbed entries, wbicb werq of no furlher yalue as breeding propositiouB, were as cbeap aa 15/^, all

countea. The older ewes bave been greatly affected by tbe hard winter and once tbey bave raised tbeir tambs many of tbem will be little good for anytbing else," A 100 per cent. lambs is sbown in most of tbe lines offered, but tbis cannot be taken as any guide for tbe lamt>ing percentages in general throughout tbe district. Tbe position due to the poorness of tbe ewes is worse than was anticipated, and in some casos the percentage will not be above 50, as against I over 90 on tbe same propertiee last year. Heavy prime ewes were at a premium tbis week, when a fyll recovery to late peak levels was made. Many of tbe pens sold several shillings better than tbe best pens quoted at Westfield and were on a par witb tbe Addington market, wbere a rise of 2/6 a head took place. Spring lambs were not on offer, but a number have been traded privately 'at values making fully 1/- a 1b. A good supply is expected shortly, but at this price lamb can be expected to remain a delicaey for a long period. Witb the small percentages and also the heavy loss of ewes at lambing time last year's values would not be pay able to.tbe farmers wbo bave not been without anxiety eince tbe tupping season.