Beef Market Shows Firmness

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 131, 24 August 1927, Page 13

Beef Market Shows Firmness

WESTFIELD SALE MORE SHEEP OFFERING A normal yarding of cattle at Westfield this morning met with keen competition at values firm at late quotations. For choice well finished lines prices were, if anything, slightly better than last week’s. Calves yarded in large numbers with a preponderance of young and fresh dropped sorts, made easier money. Generally, the average quality of beef offering, considering the time of the year, was fair. There were no extra prime heavy lines in either the ox or cow sections, but many prime lines came forward. The largest portion of the cows offering was light and just prime, with little weight to spare so as to qualify it for the extra prime pens. The majority of the steers, too, could have done with more topping off, and many lines were only a few points ahead of the forward section. GRAZIERS REPRESENTED Graziers from all parts of the district were represented, the cattle from the Waikato showing to greater advantage than the majority of the offering from the North. There were many bigframed cattle offered on account of Northern breeders and sellers. For the most part, these lacked finish and could only be termed big-framed and medium prime. Top price of the day was secured for a line of big-framed Shorthorn bullocks, not heavy prime, which made £ls 10s. A line of big-framed steers on account J. F. Lawrie, Mahurangi Heads, made to £ls. A line of lighter •• framed prime young steers on account R. Ilarkness, Karaka, made to £l3. Big-framed prime steers generally made to £ls 10s. Smaller-framed and lighter prime steers made from £ll 10s to £l3. Light and young prime steers made £9 to £ll. Anything at all fat in the cow section made over £5. Light young Jersey heifers made that figure. Heavy prime cows not exceptionally bigframed made to £9 10s. A line of choice young speyed Shorthorn cows, not extra heavy, on account of a Waikato grazier, made to £8 ss. Polled Angus heifers from the Waikato, prime but small, made to £7 7s 6d. Similar cows made to £8 17s 6d. Medium sorts of heifers and young cows made from £6 to £7. Compared with late sales a slightly bigger offering of sheep faced buyers. No exceptionally big-framed prime wethers came forward. The majority' of the offering was well finished, however. Most of the ewes could have been better finished. About 50 -hoggets were offered and values were firm at late rates. . A large yarding of calves consisting for the most part of small and fresh-dropped animals, made easier money. Few good quality runners offered, and there were no heavy prime vealers. Prime young vealers made £2 18s and young well-nourished calves up to a few weeks old made to £2. Small and fresh-dropped made from 3s to £l. A well-finished line of choice Hereford heifers on account of A. S. Carpenter, of Karaka, made toward the close of the sale to £9 15s. The market for cows tended to ease near the close of the sale. Heavy rain delayed the sheep sale and a start had not been made at time of reporting. Undoubtedly the best pen of wethers was one offered on account of J. Schlaepfer. This should make over 425. Few other pens will make near this money. The majority of the sheep offering were not well-fin-ished and were below the average quality seen at late sales. The market should be firm.