COMMERCIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4768, 24 October 1924, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

WAIKATO MARKET REPORT. The Farmers’ Co-op. Auctioneering Co., Ltd., report:— Beef.—There has been a good deal of prime beef coming forward, and prices, although firm, are, if anything, a little easier since out last report. Sheep.— The market is still firm with prices much the same, shorn sheep not coming forward owing i.o the continued wet weather. Store Cattle.—The yardings have been big, and a good inquiry exists for practically all classes of stores, especially grown steers and young male cattle. Well-grown heifers to put to the bull are in demand, Jersey and Jersey cross being most sought after. Practically no store sheep are being yarded, with the exception vf a few lines of ewes with lambs, which are finding ready sale ; most owners prefer to shear before yarding. Dairy Cattle.—Good dairy herds an 1 good springing heifers are still finding buyers at prices equal to the early sales, inferior being dul,l of sale. Pigs.—Pigs are coming forward in large numbers, fats making from 5%d to stores still being in demand at high prices compared with the fat rates.. Horses. —There is still a good enquiry for heavy and medium draughts, also for good farm sorbs, with little demand for the light class. We quote: Bullocks, prime heavy £l2 10s to £l4, medium £9 10s to £H 10s; cows, prime £7 10s to £8 10s, medium £5 10s to £6, unfinished £3 5s to £3 15s, stores £1 10s to £2 5s , steers, forward 3%-year £6 10s to £7 10s, stores £5 10s to £6 ss, good 2Fj-year £3 10s to £4 10s, others £2 5s to £2 15s ; good yearling steens £2 10s to £3 ss, medium £1 10's to £t 15s. Wethers, prime heavy, woolly, £2 5s to £2 10s, medium £2 to £2 2s, shorn 33s to 36s ; ewes, prime heavy, woolly, 35s to £2, light 28s to 30s, shorn 27s to 325; store wethers,/4tooth 32s to 345, 2-tooth 30s to 32s ; ewes with lambs, 5-year 35s to £2 2s. sound mouth 33s to 35s ; lambs, fat 30s to 335, forward 25s to 29s ; good hoggets 28s to 325, medium 23s to 265, small 18s to 21s. Pigs : Prime baconers £3 to £3 10s, medium £2 15s to £3 ; porkers £2 10s to £3 ; slips 30s to £2 ; weaners 25s to 27s 6d. Horses : Heavy draughts £5O to £6O, medium £35 to £3B; spring cart sorts £22 to £3,0: harness horses £8 to £10; hacks .£8 to £ll r • HAMILTON STOCK SALE. A.t Frankton on Tuesday last we had a good yarding of fat sheep and pigs. Beef maintained the values of the pievious week, while mutton was easier. Fat pigs and porkers showed an improvement and stores again sold readily under keen competition. Heavy fat steers realised £l3 15/- to £l4 15/-, medium good quality £ll 14/ to £l2 10/-, lighter £lO to £lO 14/-. young and prime £7 18/- to £9 10/-. heavy fat cows £8 10/-, lighter £6 17 z 6 to £7, others £4 15/- to £5 16/-, fresh conditioned cows £3 8/- to £4 3/, good framed stores £2 10/- to £3, ordinary stores 25/- to 35/-. Fat wethers (in wool) brought £2 4/1 to £2 4/6, prime fat ewes (shorn) 28/3, fat lambs 31/-, forward shorn ewes 21/-, woolly ewe hoggets 33/9, wethei* hoggets 31/-, small 17/- to 25/-. Heavy baeoners realised £3 7/ io £3 10/-, medium £3 3/- to £3 5/-, good porkers and light baconers £2 16/- to £3, medium porkers £2 10/- to £2 14/-, light and small £2 5/ to £2 7/-, store porkers 35/- to £2, slips 27/- to 32/-, weaners £1 to £1 6/-. Small Jersey cross yearling heifers fetched 35/- to £2 2/-, well grown Jersey cross £2 12/6 to £2 17/6, small yearling steers 37/-, best dairy cows and heifeifs £9 10/- to £ll, medium £7 to £8 10/-, others £3 5/- to £5 5/-. SOUTH AMERICAN SUPPLIES. The New Zealand Meat Producers'

Board has received the following letter from its South American representative, dated August 20; 1924; Catlie.—The general scar,city of fat cattle at this season o£ the year (about the end of winter) has caused values to be well maintained, though very probably prices will begin to decline as the supply of cattle off the early grass becomes more plentiful. Swifts have just erected a new plan* at Rosario, which is expected to be workirg within a few weeks and which will enable that plant to handle supply in the more northern part of this Republic, while a limited dinply of sheep will also be available principal}' from the province of Entre Rior, where there are considerable numbers of sheep. Rosario is an important centre up the river and a convenient centre for a wide productive district, and the lesser railway freight than to the other plants mucn further to the south will give the Rosario works an advantage in competing for the freezer grade of cattle, though the expenses of sending chilled beef to the fast overseas boats leaving this capital, or La Plata, will be against their handling prime chilled. Store steers are in good demand, and best quality scarce at an advance of 20 pesos over former values. This would suggest tlr.it the available supply of young steers is not as abundant.as formerly. I am convinced that within a few years less beef will be exported from this country, as the present heavy killings I don’t think can be maintained.