Markets and Money

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 291, 29 February 1928, Page 13

Markets and Money

FIRM DEMAND FOR BEEF WESTFIELD STOCK SALE WINTER LEVELS TOUCHED Pr ces for beef at Westfield to-day in many instances equalled those ruling at practical y any part of last winter. All well finished lines met with keen competition. The effects of the recent dry spell are now becoming increasingly evident in I Westfield yarditigs. Short markets of both sheep and cattle are coming forward, and supplies are being drawn from further afield. Available reserves usually { held by near-Auckland dealers and gra- I xiers are apparently practically ex- ; hausted. To-day in the cattle sections the yardini; was a most representative one, and wfc.s drawn mostly from the North and down the Waikato. The quality of the offering of ox beef was only fair, for while here were many medium to well finished lines, a large quota of rough and little more than just kill&bte cattle brought down the average. Under 100 bullocks came forward. Two trucks of choice ' prime weighty bu. not exceptionally big-framed bullocks, 1 on account of B. Reed, Waerenga, topped the market at from £l3 2s 6d to £l4 ss. Other grades were firm at late rates. Cow beef was particularly firm, and competition for well finished choice beef was particularly keen, forcing the market at Its highest point fully up to levels ■ registered at last winter’s best markets. . A line of exceptionally choice bigframed cattle, ori account of a Waikato ; vendor, met with keen competition, two choice heavy heifers making £lO 10s. . Big-framed old cows in the same draft made up to £lO.. A line of well finished medium to heavy-weight cows from the . ] North made from £7 to £lO 7s 6d.

Medium-weight well finished old cows mde to £8 12s 6d. Heifers that a month ago would have hardly made £6 sold to 27 17s 6d. Light-framed Jersey heifers earning little surplus flesh sold from £4. Values were slightly irregular, though a i;een demand was registered throughout ’he gale for all good quality lines. Less than 300 cows and heifers were yarded.

Sheep were again short yarded, little nore than two full row's coming forward. Few exceptionally choice prime sheep vere included in the offering, and many '■ere just prime, showing little finish. Wethers comprised the bulk of the yardb*. Prices registered an advance of from two to three shillings on last week's "Pening rates, and a firm demand was maintained throughout. A special pen <4 wethers, choice, prime, but not exceptionally heavy, made 325; medium 'eight prime wethers, 29s to 30s 6d; light weight, 25s to 275. A line of choice prime two-tooth ewes made to 29s 6d. ; | , 1 j * i ' 1 ‘ (