WESTFIELD STOCK SALE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 326, 11 April 1928, Page 13

WESTFIELD STOCK SALE

FOURTH EDITION

OX BEEF PRICES FIRM MEDIOCRE YARDING \ mixed yarding - of beef cattle faced buyers at Westfield to-day. Fifteen to 2u yards of exceptionally choice heavy crime cattle came forward, but the bulk of the balance was very mediocre. Values of choice lines were firm at late rates. H E. Heed, Maerenga, was responsible for the top-priced line of the day. sixteen heavy prime lag-framed steers fr()l n this vendor made £l7, a price wlixhtly in advance of the actual market value. The choicest line of the day comprised several trucks on account of a "Waikato gruziei. L»igtrimed, heavy-boned beef cattle, they were finished to perfection, and met with keen competition. The line made from £ls to £l6 17s 6d. The cheapp«*t line assessed on an actual weight h \ sis came from a near-Auckland !. pn dor who had what appeared to be team of working bullocks forward. These cattle, which would not dress into choicest meat, made to £l6 17s 6d. A line of well-finished, small-framed bullocks from Te Kuiti made £ll 2s «d to £1- i7s 6d - Other lines included an offering from as far down L Taneatua in the Bay of Plenty, but as previously mentioned, the balance was a very scratch lot, many of the best-known vendors not having troubled to get any stock ready over ihe holidays. Quotations for choicest ox should remain unchanged around 365. A heavy offering of cows comprised the most motley assortment seen in Westfield for some time. At no time was the competition particularly keen, and toward the finish as the requirements of the smaller butchers were met. the sale had a dragging tendency. The quality of the offering made it

nppear as if the market was easier than it realy was, but at the start, especially, considering the class of stock and the large entry, the market held well. being little under late rates. Heavy old ,ows made up to £8 10s. Mediumweight cows made from about £6 5s to £7 15s. Small prime heifers made from about £6 5s to £7 15s. The choicest yarding of the day included one extra prime heavy P.A. heifer, which brought £ll 10s. As the beast would go about 7501 b, it can be seen that the market for choicest heifer beef was around 30s. Most of the cow an dheifer yarding sold at well under this figure, however, 27s being a figure which would correspond with the average rate.

The market for calves was again easier, good quality big-boned runners making £5; heavy vealers, to £4 12s; medium, 50s to 635; light and plain, J4s to 425; small and fresh-dropped, 5s to 325.

Ten rows of cows kept the cattle sale going until wel lon to 3 o'clock. The number of passings increased as the sale progressed, and values were up to 25s a head below late rates.

A line of well-finished heifers on .account Patterson Bros., Rotiti Island, made up to £9 10s. A short yarding of about two decently filled rows of sheep came forward. Several choice lines of wethers were included in the offering.