COMMERCIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4443, 21 July 1922, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

WAIKATO MARKET REPORT.

The Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., reports :—

Beef.—There has been a much better demand for beef since our last report and supplies qf prime quality appear to be shortening. Mutton.—Mutton also has advanced, and good sales everywhere are reported.. Store Cattle.—The better tone indi- 1 cated when we last reported has been maintained and good competition in all centres is apparent. The supply of grown bullocks has slackened off considerably during .the last few weeks. With the improvement! in beef an inquiry may be anticipated. Forward cows have also improved. Yearling and two-year steers are in fair demand. Young heifers of all breeds are extremely popular, Jersey especially advancing rapidly. Store Sheep.—Supplies are the reverse of plentiful, but the inquiry is improving, and t[his can be relied upon to draw them forward. ' With the advance in fat sheep, forward sorts' are wanted. Hoggets also are being sought after. The inquiry for ewes in lamb is somewhat spasmodic, but a good reception is assured for ■early lambing lots.

Daily Cattle. —The market still continues weak and uncertain, although good sales are occasionally reported. Tested cows still 1 meet with good competition, but the rank and file of the average herd represent very small money value. Good heifers are in fair demand at the yards, but tne private inquiry, which was strongly in evidence in previous years, is this year absent. Pi gs __With the shortage of supplies values are Inclined to advance, and no doubt before long much higher rates will rule. Store pigs everywhere are keenly competed for. Horses. —Values are firm at Jate rates. Breeders are looking forward to the spring with good expectations. We quote as follows :

Bullocks, heavy, prime, £7 to £8 ss, medium £5 10s to £6 10, light £4 10s to £5 5s ; cows, heavy, £4 10s to £5 ss, medium £3 to £4, forward £1 15s to £2 5s ; steers, 4.-year, £3 5s to £3 17s 6d, 3-year £2 iss to £2 15s; heifers, 2%-ycar, Shorthorn, r.w.b., £7 to £lO, 2-year Jersey £ll to £l4 ; cows, stores, £1 to £l,los ; steers, 18-month, best, £1 15s to £2 7s 6d, medium £1 5s to £1 12s 6d ; heifers, empty, 20-month, Shor,thorn, £3 to £3' 10s; yearling heifers,' Jersey, £5 to £6 15s, Shorthorn, best, £2 to £2 15s; yearling steers, Shorthorn, best, £1 to £1 6d. Wethers, prime, heavy, 28s 6d to 31s, medium 24s to 27s 6d, light 22s to 23s 6d ; ewes, prime, heavy, 18s to 21s, medium 16s to 17s 6d; wethers, 4tooth, store, 19s to 21s; breeding ewes, 2-tooth, r.w. rams, £1 Is to £1 4s, 4 and 6-tboth, r,.w. rams, £1 Is to £1 4s, 4 and 5-year, r.w. rams, 18s 61 to £1 2s 6d, aged, r.w. rams, 10s to 12s 6d ; store lambs, best, 12s 6d to 15s, medium 9s to Ils, small 7s to 8s 6d. Pigs: Heavy baconers £3 5s to £3 15s, light £2 17s 6d to £3 2s 6d ; heavy porkers £2 10s to £2 17s 6d, light 35s to £2 5s ; good slips £1 2a 6d to £1 17s 6d, small 15s to £1 Is; weaners 10s to 12s 6d. Horses: Heavy draughts £32 to £4.4, medium £25 to £32, light £lB to £22, harness £8 to £l6, hacks £6 to 10s.

At Hamilton on Tuesday, July 18, sheep were penned in somewhat larger numbers than at recent sales. The whole of our entry, with the exception of a line of 250 ewes, consisted, of good quality wethers. All sold readily, prime fat ewes making 26s 10d to 28s, lighter fat wethers 23s to 245. A line of 240 fat wethers averaged 255. The advertised line of 240 forward wethers were in fair conditions, but worn in the teeth, and averaged 21s. The ewes in lamb made 225. The .usual number pfl cattle were penned. The recent firmer tone in beef sustained and. a good clearance was effected with the stores, young cattle and- yearling Jersey heifers attracting most attention. The steers in the/bpef pens lacked finish, and al-

though passed unden the hammer were sold in one pen befoie the conclusion of the sale at £5. Heavy prime fat cows brought from £4 14s to £5 9s, lighter £3 to £3 15s, other killable cows £2 to £2 15s ; store cows. 19s to 25s ; yearling Jersey heifers £6 7s Cd to £6 15s for straight colours; mixed Jersey and other breeds £3 10s ; other heifers £2 Is to £2 12s 6d; yearling steers, poor quality, 16s to 18s ; good young dairy cows sold well, forward making £9 10s to £ll, medium quality £6 to £'B ss, backward and poorer £3 15s to £'s 5s ; springing heifer ( s £8 t'> £9 IGs, more backward £5 10s to £6 10s, small and inferior from £2 10s. A fair number of pigs were penned, and all classes sold readily. Heavy baconers made up to £3 6s, light to medium £2 12s to £2 15s, good porkers £2 7s to £2 Ils, medium £2 to £2 ss, small 26s to 325, slips 18s to 25s 6d, weaners 14s to 15s.