COMMERCIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4449, 4 August 1922, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

WAIKATO MARKET REPORT. The Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., reports :— Beef.—The improvement mentioned in our last report has continued and everywhere keen competition is experienced. There seems every prooability of high values ruling, as the supply of prime quality is noticeably short. Mutton has not shared in the, advance to the same extent as beef. Tne demand is, however, steady, and good prospects seem assured. Store Cattle. —The improvement :'.u Beef has resulted naturally in a demand for forward bullocks, but these are not available in large numbers. Many now regret not having taken advantage of the favourable opportunities to purchase recently offered. Fresh-conditioned cowfe have also experienced a corresponding advance. Younger steers are in demand, but not plentiful ; indeed, as often pointed out in our reports, steers of a<l classes are approaching a very favourable period. Heifers are still m fair demand, especially Jerseys, although the decline in dairy cattle scarcely warrants such popularity. Dairy farmers would do well ,to consider this year the advisability of rearing their Shorthorn steer calves instead of heifers (except the choicest). Undoubtedly the raising of steers is going to prove profitable. Stole Sheep.—The inquiry is still fairly strong for all classes. Elwes in lamb are in most cases too forward to shift, and in consequence little business need be looked for till lambing has concluded. Hoggets also draw good competition, but are only available in small lots.

Dairy Cattle. —'Except in rare instances values continue low. Considerable numbers of cull cows are now coming on the market, but the reception accorded is not flattering.

Pi g;;< —Fat pigs are exceedingly scarce and eagerly competed for wherever offered. Store and young pigs are also in very brisk demand.

Horses. —The market for good draught animals rs strong, and a continuance of this is anticipated for the next few months, at any rate. We quote as follows :

Bullocks, heavy, prime, £7 15s to £8 17s 6d, medium £6 10s to £7 10s, light £5 10s .to £6 ss; cows, heavy, £4 10s to £5 15s, medium £3 10s to £4 ss, forward £2 5s to £3 ; steers, oyear, £3 15s to £4 10s, others £2 15s to £3 10s; heifers, 2%-.year, Shorthorn, r.w.b., £7 to £lO, 2-year, Jersey, £ll to £l5, 2-year, Shorthorn, £5 to £6 10s ; cows, stores, £1 5s to £2 ; steers 18-montb, best, £2 to £2 10s, medium £1 lCs to £1 15s; heifers, empty, 20month Shorthorn,*£3 to £3 10s ; yearling neifers, Jerseys, £5 to £6 15s, Shorthorn, best, £2 to £3; yearling Shorthorn .steers, best, £1 5s to £1 13s. Wethers prime, heavy, 25s to 31s, medium 24s to 27s 6d, light 22s to 23s 6d ; ewes, prime, heavy, 19s 6d to 245, medium 17s to 19s; wethers, 4-too'.h, store, 19s to 2,15; breeding ewes, 2-toot,h, r.w. rams, £1 Is to £1 4s, 4' to 6 tooth, r.w.r., £1 Is to £1 ss, 4 and 5' year, r.w.r., £1 to £1 ss, aged 15s to 16s 6d; store hoggets, best, 15s to 16s 6d, medium 13s to 14s 6-1. smal* 9s to 12s 6d.. Pigs : Baconers, heavy, £3 10s to £4, light £3 to £3 ss; porkers, heavy, £2 10s to £2 17s 6d. light £2 to £2 5s ; good slips £1 2s Cd to £.l 12s 6d, small 17s 6d to £1 Is ; we’anc.rs 12s 6d t,o 16s 6d. Horses . Heavy draughts £35 to £45, medium £3O to £37, light £2O to £27, harness £lO to £l7, hacks £7 to £ll.

At Hamilton on Tuesday, August 1, we had a moderate yarding o.f all classes of stock and made a satisfactory clearance. Beef was not quite as brisk as the previous week, and some lots were passed in. .Best cows made to £5 6s, medium' weights £3 to £3 ss; 3-year steers, forward, made from £3 10s to £3 14s. Store cattle generally were firm at last week’s values, although there seemed rjather a slackening in the demand for heifers, of which a good number were penned. Store cows drew fair competition, making from 35s to £2 7s 6d, small and poor-conditioned 22s to 30s; yeailin'g Shorthorn heifers, realised up to £3 Ils, small sorts from £2 ;Holsteihs, ■same age, fair quality, from £2 17s to £3 17s 6d; other odd lots at ruling rates. Competition for fat sheep was steady, good wethers realising up to 29s 60, lighter weights 27s to 27s 6d ; hoggets to 18s 6d, medium sorts 14s to 15s lOd. A line of ewes in lamb t? BF. rams failed to find a purchaser under the hammer, but were afterwards disposed of, at 245. Dairy cows, well forward, brought from £8 to £lO, medium £5 10s to £7 10s, culls £2 10s to £3 10s ; choice Jersey heifers, close to pi f fit, £l6 15s, others £lO to £ll 10s ; well-bred 3-year Shorthorn heifers, 'veil forward, £lO *ss to £ll 10s, more backward £6 tn £7 10s; 2-year October calves £3 to £5 ss. A good number of pigs were penned, comprising chiefly stores.. AU classes sol.l readily at prices in advance of last week’s. Heavy baconers made from £3 6s to £3 13s. medium weights £2 16s to £3; good porkers to light baconers £2 5s to £2 12s, medium porkers 38s to £2 2s, small and lignt 32s to 36s ; slips 22s to 28s, inferior 16s to 19s ; extra good weaners 18". 6d to 24s 6d, small 13s to 16s 6d.