COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1927, Page 1

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

ADUINCTON STOCK £AL£S. CM K.IS'l CHcl’Cl l, Nov. 21. Yardings in the sheep and cattle sections of stock at the metropolitan weekly market at Addingion yesterday were below the average size. As a result there was a firming in prices of all classes of .sheep and cattle. The entry of beef met with a very spirited sale for the iirst part of the market on account of the smallness ot the entry, but belated arrivals caused prices to weaken towards the conclusion of the sale. Fat sheep generally represented a quality poorer than usual, and the market was very er-

ratic, in some cases being up three or four shillings a head and at others scarcely maintaining last week’s values. On the average, however, the sale wr/i better. Fat lambs, which were in short supply, sold more keenly at an advance, and there was a strong sale of all classes of store sheep. In both sections of pigs the entries wore exceptionally large, particularly porkers, and prices slipped hack. Fat cattle—Good quality cattle were sold at an advance of about 30s on tiie previous sale, when bidding opened ; but the arrival of the other lines caused the price to cas? hack to its former level. The best of the mediumweight print? beef sold at 44s to IQs per lODlb.. prime 40s to 435, medium 37s to 39s Od, heavy-weight 30s to 395, ordinary cow beef 33s to 30s, and rough down to 27s Od per 1001 b. Values were:—Extra prime heavy steers to £2O 2s Od, prime heavy steers £l7 b.s to £l9 os, medium weight steers £l4 10s to £l7, light steers £9 to £l4. ex’tra. prime heifers to £ls 17s 6d. prime heifers £l2 lbs to £l4 lbs. medium heifers £lO 10s to £l2 10s. light heifers £7 10s to £lO, extra prime cows to £l7 12s Gd. prime cows £l2 to £lb, medium cows £lO to £ll lbs. light cows £0 to £*J 10s. Store cattle—The demand exceeded the supply in store cattle, for which there was lively bidding. All steers were sought after and made good values, while cows which would fatten were in keen demand. Values were: Three-year steers to £8 7s Od. good young cows £b to £6 10s. other rows £3 to £4 10s. herd bulls £4 to £9. potters £2 10s to £3 ss. Dairy ,cattle— Though the market generally had not as good a tone, as last week heifers were in good demand. Old cattle were in the majority in a fairly good entry of dairying sorts. Values were: Best second, third ar.d fourth calvors £3 to £lO 7s 6d,

good fifth culvers £7 to t'7 UN, heifers to £!), old cows in profit £2 10s to £3 15s.

Vealers—There was nothing outstanding; in the finality of the la rye entry of vealers. The heller sorts of calves maintained their price, hut inferior animals were difficult, to quit. Values were: Twelve to eighteen months sorts to £8 Os, goad vealers £1 10s to £5 10s, medium vealers £3 to £l. others 10s to 30s. small and inferior calves 3s to Brs Gd.

Fat sheep—The quality of the yarding* in the fat sheep section was not generally up to the standard of recent sales. Values were: Extra prime wethers 38s to 435, prime wethers 34s to 375, medium wethers 30s to 335. light wethers 25s Od to 29s (hi. extra prime ewes to 40s Id, prime ewes 30s to 345, medium ewes 27s to 20s Gd. light ewes 22s to 2tis. prime woolly wethers to 49s 7<T. medium woolly wethers 39s to 455. light woolly wethers 34s to 37s Gd, prime woolly ewes 37s to 44s 10d, medium woolly ewes 32s to 365. light woolly owes 27s to 31s.

Store sheep-- Most of the wether sales were made at an advance of up to a shilling a fiead upon the figures of last week. Values were: Good cro.-s----hred ewes and lambs 25s to 21s Gd (all counted), aged cross-bred ew.es and lambs 12 s It Id to 15s Bd, shorn twotootli owes 27s 2d to 27s 7d. forward four and six-tooth shorn wethers 22' Id to 21s Id. forward two-tooth wethers 23s 2d to 21s Id. two-tooth wethers 20s 9d to 22s Oil, woolly half-bred wether hoggets 26s Gd. cross-bred ewe hoggets 34s lOd to 37s 9d.

Fat lambs—The smallest entry for some weeks, comprising 435 head. The small yarding was insufficient lor butchers, and a very keen sale resulted, with an nil-round advance in prices of quite a shilling per head. Pigs—The largest entry of pigs for many years took till after G p.m. to auction. The fat pig section was so large that many of the fat sheep pens had to he utilised to accommodate them. Porkers took from 10 a.m. till 2.45 p.m. to quit, and prices receded as a result of the heavy yarding. Bacon prices were a 1 so" easier, though, baconors were not yarded in such numbers as porkers. Values were: Choppers £2 Ills to £6. light porkers 42s to 50s. heavy porkers 52s to os. average price per lb. Gfd to 7jd. Light bneotiers £3 to £3 10s. heavy bar-oners £3 15s to £4 2s. average price per lb. old to Gfd. The extra large yarding of store pigs brought about a decided easing in prices. There was a large number of buyers present. Values were: Small weaners 9s to 11s 6d, medium weapons 12s Gd to 16s, good weaners to ISs,

slips 10s to 225. medium stores 23s to 27. large stores 28s to 345, extra large stores to 41s.