STOCK SALES.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 26, 10 April 1924, Page 4

STOCK SALES.

MAT AM AT A. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. held their usual Matamata sale last week. A good yarding- of both cattle and pigs was offered to a satisfactory attendance of buyers. Prices were: Beef cattle: Fat cows, £5 to £6 10s; lig-hc weights, £4 10s lo £5 10s; store cows, 4.1. 15s to £2 10s. There were no beep on sale. Pigs: Weancrs, 12s '.o IGs; store pigs, 22s 6d to £L 15s. Bidding of a brisk nature just aboutleft the yards cleaned up. MORRINSVILLE. At the Farmers’ Auctioneering Co.’s sale at Morrinvsffle on Friday there was a fair yarding- and good competition in most classes. Heavy fat steers sold well ami a slight improvement was show-n. The top price was £ll 17s, which was gained by cattle from the Kereone estate. The demand for calve.- ah o proved to be slightly brighter than at the last -few sales at Morrinsville. Sheep [ were not penned in very large numbers and not a very large number | were disposed of under the hammer. ’ Pigs were present in fair numbers, and the demand was good. The following- are prices: Heavy fat steers, £ll 6s to £ll 17s; fat steers, £lO to £lO 16s; prime fat cows, £7 7s 6d; fat cows, £4 to £4 13s; fat heifers, £6; forward cows, £2 2s to £3; store cows, £1 to £1 3 0s; in calf Jersey heifers, £4; good quality Jersey heifer calves, £2 to £2 2s; others, £1 3s to £1 10s; good Shorthorn heifers, £2 16s; Shorthorn calves, 10s to £1 2s; bulls, potters, £1 5s to £2 15s. Sheep: Fat sheep, 2Ss 3d to 28s 6d; fat lambs, 28s; forward lambs, 14s 3d to 15s. Pigs: Baconcrs, £3 to £3 2s 6d; heavy porkers, £2 15s; lighter sorts, £2 to £2 4s; good slips, 16s Gd; weaners, 7s 6d to 10s. FAT STOCK FOR EXPORT. The New Zealand Meat Producers Board advises that the followingprices arc being offered, April 3, 1924:

Auckland.—Wethers: 641 b and under, 6d. Ewes: 611 b and under, 4id Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under 9d; 431 b and over, 83d. Secondquality lambs: Sid.

Poverty Bay.—Wethers: 641 b and under, 6d. Ewes: 641 b and under, 4ld. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under, 83 d. Hawke’s Bay.—Wethers: 641 b and under, 6id. Ewes: 641 b and under., sd. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under, 93d. Second-quality Jambs: 83d. Prime ox beef: 22s per 1001 b.

Wellington.—Wethers: 641 b and under, 61 cl. Ewes: 641 b and under, sd. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under. 9Icl; 431 b and over, Old. Secondquality lambs: 83d. Prime ox beef: £2s per 100 Tb.

Canterbury.—Wethers: 641 b and under, 63d. Ewes: 641 b and under, sd. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under 10-i d; 431 b and over, 93d. Secondquality lambs: Old. Southland.—Wethers: 641 b and under, GUI. Ewes: 641 b and under, 4id. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under. Old. SOUTH AMERICAN MEAT.

The last letter received by the New Zealand Meat Producers Board from its representative at Buenos Aires, South America, contains’ the following- interesting- information:— “ I cabled you the other day the complete shipments of beef and mutton from the River Plate, and in order to get the total Argentine kill add the 608,922 sheep slaughtered in the South Coast plants on the Argentine side and 878.242 killed last season in the three plants in Chili. The figures are as follow:

Total Exports of Meat from January 1 to December 31, 1923.

Quarters Chilled Beef. United Kingdom, 4,112,275; total exports, 4,112,275.

Quarters Frozen Beef. United Kingdom, 1.328,935; Continent, 1,314,209; total exports, 2,643,144. Carcases Mutton.—United Kingdom, 1,681,327; Continent, 183,851; total exports, 1,865 U T78. Carcases Lamb.—United Kingdom, 1,500,465; Continent, 45,772; total exports, 1,546.237. Sheep Killed on Soulh Coast. Argentine P1ant5.—608,922. Chilian P1ant5.—878,242. This South Coast kill is generally designated as Patagonian mutton on | the Home market, and is shipped | Home direct after the killing season I is over, generally about the middle I of April. 1 have every reason to be--1 lieve that this year’s kill, will be con--1 siderably less than last year. It is also possible that wethers will not be in the same condition owing to the exceptionally severe winter and late cold spring. All these sheep are fed on natural pastures, and slaughtering commences about the middle of January and generally terminates early in April, according to the season and condition of the sheep. It is also very probable that fewer sheep will be shipped from this country during the present year owing to the decreasing stock of breeding ewes. The continu-

:>us killing 1 of the best fat lambs, ewes mil wethers has been detrimental t<% he quality of many breeding- flocks,* v.lvieh have lost much of their former ize and quality, owing to the annual .ale of the best ewe lambs for slaughter, and the latest lambs and darner-quality animals retained as breeders.

Fat Cattle.—Pasture is abundant all >ver the country and there is a large available supply of fat cattle, notwithstanding heavy slaughterings. Good chillers are still selling- well, but Swifts say they have no interest n freezers and only pay Continental •allies for all grades of heavy steers. Most of the plants have been killing large quantities of canners.

Swifts prices to-day are:—3.sd to >.7d per pound in works; no interest :n freezers; canners, 2.03 dto 2.2 d; chiller cows, 2.2 d. Sheep: Shorn wethers, 0.4 d to 6.9 d; shorn ewes, 5d to 5.0 d; spring lambs in wool, 7.4 dto vsd; h:;rn lambs, 7.0 dto S.ld. The •ound storing is worth 13 dollars L o-day.” HAMILTON. At the Farmers’ AuctioneeringCompany’s Hamilton sale on Tuesday there was a full yarding of all classes of stock and a satisfactory clearance was made. Sheep generally were in firmer demand, wethers .making to 3Ss 2d, lighter weights 36s to 375. Forward wethers under keen competition made from 31s 6d to 33s Gd, forward ewes 235, store ewes 17s 6d, store lambs 15s to ISs 3d for good medium. Supplies of beef were plentiful, with demand a little easier. Best cows made from £5 5s to £7 10s. medium weights £4 to £5, forward cows £2 13s io £3 10s, store cows £1 5s to £2. A fair number of grown steers were penned, for which failcompetition existed, but values in many cases did not meet vendors’ anticipations. Of those sold 3i-yeai made to £5 ss, 2i-year £3 17s Gd Young cattle did not improve in value and a number of pens were passed in. Pigs were strongly represented and showed an advance on the previous week’s rates. Best baconers made to £1 os, light weights £3 5s to £3 15s, best porkers £2 12s Gd to £3 3s, light weights £2 5s to £2 10s, store pigs 30s to 355, slips £1 to £1 7s Gd, weaners 10s Gd to lGs. WAIKATO MARKET REPORT. The Farmers’ Auctioneering Company reports under date April 1: Beef.—The beet' market has again steadied a little, the recent advance being responsible for better yardings. Competition is, however, still brisk. Mutton.—The market for mutton continues good, with upward tendency. Store Cattle. —Grown steers havecome very strongly, into prominence within the last week or two, but already there is evidence of decline, due no doubt to the increased supplies which the improvement in value has brought about. The inquiry indicated in our last report for in-calf heifers has not continued, and this class is i duller than has been the case for many years at this period. .Cows in fresh condition are in fair demand, also young .steers. Steer calves have advanced, but heifers, except choice lines from high-testing herds, are entirely neglected.

Store Sheep.—The inquiry for store sheep still remains firm. Fair yardings arc in evidence. The demand good lambs is strong, also for good lines of wethers.

Horses.—Constant inquiry obtains for heavy draught horses, values for this class being much firmer than is usual at this time of year. Light draughts, on the contrary, are somewhat dull.

Pigs.—The market for fat pigs is as firm as ever, good sales resulting at all centres. There lias also been a sharp advance in young and stoic pigs.

We quote as follows: —Bullocks: Heavy prime, £9- 10s to £11; medium, £7 15s to £9. Cows: Heavy, £6 to £8; medium, £4 10s to £5 10s; forward, £3 5s to £4; stores, £1 10s to £2 10s. Steers: 31-year forward, £5 10s to £0 10s; stores, £4 5s to £5 ss; 21-year best Shorthorn, £3 10s to £4 15s; 2i-year medium Shorthorn, £2 15s to £3 ss; 18-months best Shorthorn, £2 5s to £2 15s; 18-months medium Shorthorn, £1 15s to £2 2s Gd. Wethers: Prime heavy shorn, 31s to 345; prime medium shorn, 29s to 31s. I Ewes: Prime heavy shorn, 23s to 275. Store wethers: 4-tooth shorn, 27s to 30s; 2-tooth shorn, 23s to 265. Ewes: 2, 4 and 6-tooth, 26s to 30s; 4-year, 24s to 27s Gd; 5-year, 20s to 225; s.m., 17s to 21s. Lambs: Forward, 17s Gd to 19s Gd. Store lambs: Good, 14s to 16s Gd; medium, 12s to 13s Gd; small, 6s Gd. to 10s. Pigs: Baconers, heavy, £3 15s to £4 10s; baconers, light, £3 to £3 12s Gd; porkers, heavy, £2 5s to £2 17s Gd; good slips, £1 5s to £1 10s; small slips, 18s to £1 3s; weaners, 10s to 16s. Horses: Heavy draughts, £45 to £6O; medium draughts, £25 to £35; light draughts, £lB to £22; harness horses, £lO to £ls; hacks, £5 to £lO.