ADDINGTON MARKET.

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 243, 15 October 1942, Page 4

ADDINGTON MARKET.

P.A.

christchurch, Oct. 14.

Fat cattle advanced by about £3 a head at to-day's Addington market, prices being the highest for some years. Entries generally were small in other sections and prices were firmer. Improved feed conditions resulted in a small yarding of store sheep, numbering about 2000, against 4000 last week. The yarding was mainly confined to shipped four, six and eight-tooth wethers, which were offered in better order than the previous consignment and sold readily from 22s 6d to 28s. A few pens of good Romney ewe hoggets sold readily from 26s to 40s. Ewes and lambs were also in short supply, and they sold at from 14s to 18s, all counted. The fat sheep entry was slightly larger than usual, but there was

again a good sale. Eight hundred shipped shorn wethers were included. Both ewes and wethers increased in price on last week's rates by 3s a head; best wethers, 45s to 50s; tops to 55s; medium, 39s to 44s; best shorn, to 40s; prime woolly ewes, 38s to 43s; tops, 51s; medium, 30s to 34s. Fat cattle showed the smallest entry for some years, numbering 262 head, and this resulted in a record sale. The quality was not as good as in recent weeks, much of the yarding being on the plain side and apparently the tail-end of drafts which have been in steady supply for some time. The milcl winter no doubt enabled many steers to be sent forward which- ordinarily would be held over till later for finishing off. and

the improved feed conditions in the last week have encouraged graziers to hold on for a little longer. An advance of about £3 a head was recorded all round. Best beef sold at from 57s to 60s 1001b; special, to 62s; medium to good, 53s to 56s; heavy to 52s 6d; inferior, to 43s. One line of 19 steers averaged £26 2s 6d, and another of 15 averaged £24 17s. There was a medium yarding of porkers, and prices showed a slight decrease of from 2s to 4s a head, with the average price a 1b 9id to lld. Choppers were also in medium supply and values ranged from £3 10s to £5 3s 6d, being easier by 5s to 10s a head. The yarding in the hacon section was smaller than usual. Competition was exceedingly keen and prices showed a further rise of about 5s a head, ranging from £4 19s 6d to £7 Is, average 8ld to lOd a Ib.