Smaller Offerings of Fat Stock

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 9

Smaller Offerings of Fat Stock

BURNSIDE MARKET With smaller offerings in the fat cattle and fat sheep sections at Burnside yesterday, prices showed a decided improvement on those ruling last week. The number of cattle numbered 300 and this apparently was below the requirements of the trade. Keen bidding from the outset showed an improvement of £2 10s to £3 a head on classes of ox beef, heifers also sharing.in improved values, while cows barely maintained late rates. The quality on the whole was fairly good and compared with late yardings. The number of sheep forward was 1650, the greater part of which was wethers. Ewes were in small supply and the demand for these was particularly keen, showing an increase of 6s a head above last week, while wethers could be quoted firm with pens of extra choice sorts probably 2s a head better. The entry of spring lamb numbered 80 and for these there was a good sale throughout. A number of good quality lambs are still coming forward and there is a ready sale for all classes. The. store cattle entry was made up mostly of mixed sorts, there being no lines of any distinctive class. Keen interest is taken in the store market sale, and it was evident that a larger number of store cattle could be readily absorbed. Baconers did not receive the same attention as at the past two sales, and could be quoted easier by 3s to 4s a head, while porkers met with a strong demand, high values being secured. Next week there will be a double market, beginning with lambs at 8.30 a.m„ and the following sale will be held on January 7.

Fat Cattle The entry of fat cattle was well below last week’s supply and, consequently, this had the effect of a sharp rise in values. The sale continued regularly throughout, although in the concluding race bidding did not appear to be just as keen as at the opening. There were a number of particularly good consignments forward, and for these butchers competed keenly. Even the heavier weight cattle which do not receive the same attention at this time of the year, met with a good sale. Some of the leading consignments for the day were:—Lands and Survey, Spurhead, a truck of quality bullocks to £39 7s 6d, averaging £36 11s; Lands and Survey, Moeraki Estate, two trucks of bullocks to £3O 12s 6d, averaging £3O; and three trucks of heifers to £26 12s 6d, averaging £22 ss. Quotations:—Extra prime heavy bullocks, to £39 7s 6d; prime heavy, £32 17s 6d to £35 17s 6d; prime, £26 17s 6d to £3O 12s 6d; medium, £23 7s 6d to £26 2s 6d; light, from £l6 12s 6d. Prime heavy heifers, to £26 12s 6d; prime, £l6 17s 6d to £2l 7s 6d; medium, £l4 17s 6d to £l6 12s 6d; light, from £ll 12s 6d. Prime heavy cows, to £lB 17s 6d; prime. £l3 17s 6d to £l6 2s 6d; medium, £ll 17s 6d to £l2 17s 6d; light, from £8 12s 6d. Fat Sheep.—The display of fat sheep was again a good one, being up to recent standards. The larger part of the entry consisted of wethers, including a fair proportion of choice quality. For this class bidding was keen and these showed an improvement of probably 2s a head on last week. Other classes reached the same values of recent sales. The feature of the sale was the keen demand for ewes, these being scarce met with a ready sale at increased values, well above

last week’s. Quotations:—Prime heavy wethers, to 70s 6d; prime, 56s to 58s 6d; medium, 46s to 495; light, from 355. Prime heavy ewes, 36s to 38s; prime, 30s to 355; medium, 28s to 325; light, from 225. Spring Lamb.—Keen interest was taken in the sale of fat lamb and with the small number to hand many members of the trade were unable to secure their required numbers. Quality on the whole was good, best quality lambs realising from 47s to 50s, and medium. 43s to 455. Store Cattle.—The entry in this section was made up of a few pens of mixed sorts, there being only one pen of steers. These were three and four-year-old in fresh condition, realising £lB ss. A pen of 18-months-old steers made £9 10s, and a pen of 12-months-old heifers made £7 ss. The sale for runners and vealers was still a good one, best quality runners realising from £l3 to £ls; good vealers. £6 15s to £7 15s; small and meduim. from £4 ss. __ Pigs.—The demand for baconers barely compared with that of the past two weeks while porkers had a particularly keen sale Best baconers made up to £8 14s: prime, £8 2s to £8 9s; medium, £6 18s to £7 11s; light, from £6 12s. Good quality porkers realised from £5 18s to £6 6s; light and medium, from £4 15s. The number of store pigs was small and late rates were easily maintained.