STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 434, 16 August 1928, Page 12

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

SHARP ADVANCE IN BEEF ACTIVITY IN CALF MARKET ALig. 16, 9 a.m. Beef showed a further sharp advance in the Westfield saleyards yesterday, when extra choice ox in isolated instances made up to 48s a hundred. Sheep held firm at last week’s rates. Calves were very firm, and bobby vealers for export met with very keen competition. No sale was held in the Addington yards yesterday on account of races. A very short yarding of ox beef came forward to Westfield yesterday and a keen demand was sustained throughout. There was a decided advance in the market, although the difference was not qtiite so great as a glance at the auctioneer’s figures might lead the uninitiated to believe. Although beef was quoted up to 40s last week, this figure was exceeded in many instances for special lines, especially for young light weight well finished sorts. Yesterday it was only isolated lines which made around the peak quoted prices, good average quality beef generally selling at from 42s to 455. There was a considerable disparity in prices owing to the large number of smaller butchers who had this week’s requirements to fill irrespective of the shortness of the market. It was in these lines where the disparity in prices was noted, buyers seeming to have a wide range of values. Ox Beef Again In Ascendency The feature about yesterday’s market was the fact that ox beef again took the ascendency, selling at a higher poundage basis than heifer beef. The ox beef yarding was drawn from all parts of the province, but the average quality was not up to the best seen in the yards this season. In fact, there were few lines worthy of special note. The quality of the cow and heifer yarding left much to" be desired. It was a case of take what was offering, however, or go without, and the smaller butchers had to be supplied. General Shortage Apparent

There appears to be a general shortage of good beef cattle throughout the province, and, with the feed star.lag to come away again, holders for the most part seem to be waiting for even higher prices than those ruling over the past few weeks. In some quarters it is considered that these men may be justified and that the market will see 50s before long. It may, but unless there is a decided improvement overseas it is hardly likely on present indications that anything better will be seen for more than two or three sales. There is certainly a shortage of prime beef at the moment, but a continuance of present prices will soon see supplies coming forward from the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast districts. It must be remembered that feed is beginning to freshen up in most of the lower-lying parts of the North Island. Firm Prices For Mutton An average yarding of mutton at Westfield yesterday met with a market firm at last week’s rates. There was a healthy tone in the market throughout, the bigger butchers operating with considerable strength. The yarding comprised a large percentage of well finished wethers, but, as at most late sales, good quality ewes were hard to locate. Keen Demand For Calves Calves came to ha-nd from all parts of the district, and difficulty was met with in finding room for late consignments. Small and fresh dropped sorts suitable for export predominated, and heavy prime vealers were hard to locate. Values, despite the fact that the offering was the heaviest seen this season, were very firm, well nourished bobby calves showing a touch of the heavier breeds (Shor’/iorn or Holstein) made from 12s to 16s. Smaller and not well nourished sorts made from 7s to 11s. Competition was keen and sustained. Pigs were in short supply and porkers sold at slightly advanced rates. Hawke’s Bay Market A heavy yarding of good quality cow beef came forward to the Stortford Lodge saleyards yesterday. Hei\vy prim© cows mad© to £l2; heavy prime heifer beef made to £l3 2s 6d. There were no other classes of cattle offering. There was only a small yarding of sheep, breeding ewes making to 30s. No other classes of sheep were offered. Westfield Prices Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow:—* Cattle.-—Extra heavy prime' steers made £l9 10s to £2l ss; heavy prime steers made £lB to £l9 7s 0d; lighter prime, £ls 10s to £l7 17s 6d; light prime, £l2 to £ls 7s 6d; small and unfinished, £9 to £ll 17s 6cl; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £l3 10s to £ls 15s; heavy prime cows and heifers, £ll to £l3 ss; lighter prime, £y to £lO 17s 6d; other killable cows and heifers, £5 to £8 15s. Sheep.—Extra heavy prime wethers made £2 4s 6d to £2 7s 0d; heavv ? s *?. 035. 9 d; medium prime £1 18s 9d to m*,2 Is 6d; light prime x ‘l 16s 6d to £1 18s 3d; small and ished, £1 14S to £1 16s 3d; heavy prime ewes, £1 15s 3d to £1 16s 6dmedium prime, £1 13s to £1 15s- li-ht prime, £1 IDs to £1 12s fid. Prime hoggets made £1 5s to £l 12s 6d. Pigs. Choppers sold, at £2 to £3 gsmedium baconers, £3 14s to £3 ]gs' prime baconers to £4 ss; light baconers and heavy porkers, £3 8s to £3 v>«medium porkers and light porkers, £2 6s i small .and unfinished poikeis, £2 6s to £2 14s. Store pigs sold at late quotations. Large stores £1 10s to £1 16s; slips, f! ; a to A weaners, 8s to £1 4s. Calves.—Runners made £5 to £6 17s 6d; medium vealers, £3 8s to £3 I‘Ato „ 6s;i smaller, £2 4s Y*^ "... * 4s » small and fresh-dropped, 12s to £2 2s; rough calves, £i 5 S to £2 ,

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY

BAY OF PLENTY ACTIVITIES twenty-sixth annual meeting of shareholders of the Bay of Plenty Coop eratice Dairy Association, Te Puke sidld thiS Week> Mr - C ’ Luke prereport sta -ted that the year just dosed was easily a record, and the standard of production was directly attributed to top-dressing. A three years 7 contract had been entered into with the Railway Department for the carriage of butter to Auckland. In reply to a question, the chairman said the rate arranged for carriage of butter was £2 a ton, compared with £2 los previously by steamer, including wharfage costs. The total cash payments to suppliers during the past season was £18u,340 11s I*} >he previous year the amount distributed was £135,338 6s 7d. There were 12 candidates for the seven seats on the directorate. The following were elected: Messrs. C. L. Luke, W. H. Reynolds, D. F. Wickham, W. W. Griffin, W. J. Law, Innes Verco, W. J Griffin. * * * The total pay-out of the Cambridge

Co-operative Dairy Company for last month’s supply of butter-fat will be £3,650, against £3,500 for July last year. The rate of payment is Is 6ld a lb for first grade. * * * The Morrinsville Co-operative Dairy Company’s advance for July will be at the rate of Is 6Jd a lb butter-fat. The rate for July last year -was Is sd. * * * The Sunny Park Company’s advances for July supply will be on the basis of Is 5d a lb butter-fat for butter, against Is 3d in July, 1927. The total is £4SS, against £315.

DISTRICT STOCK SALES

AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS Auctioneering firms report on stock sales held throughout the district over the past week as follows: Alfred Buckland and Sons, Ltd., report: During the week we held sales at Westfield, Tuakau, Turua, Helensville, and Pukekohe, pig sales at Tuakau, and five clearing sales. There is an improved demand for store cattle, and values are firmer. Dairy cows and heifers continue to find ready buyers. Best dairy cows, at profit, made £l2 to £l7 10s; second grade, £9 to £ll 15s; others, £6 to £8 15s; aged and inferior, £3 to £5 15s; best springing heifers, £lO 10s to £l4; good heifers, £7 to £10; small and backward, £4 10s to £6 15s; empty young cows, £4 to £5 15s; store cows, £2 10s to £3 17s 6d; grown steers in forward condition, £8 10s to £9 17s 6d; three to four-year-old steers, £6 to £7 17s 6d; two to three-year-old steers, £4 15s to £6; yearling to 18-month-old steers, £3 5s to £4 14s; well bred yearling heifers, £4 to £5 15s; others, £2 15s to £3 17s 6d; good calves, £1 15s to £2 10s; small calves, £1 5s to £1 14s; cows with calves, £5 15s to £8 10s; fat steers,, £lO 5s to £l4; heavy young fat cows and heifers, £S to £ll ss; lighter cows and heifers, £5 10s to £7 17s 6d; boner cows, £2 to £5 7s 6d: heavy bulls, £7 to £9 10s; sound young herd bulls, £G 6s to £l2 12s; other bulls, £2 to £5 10s. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., reports: We held sales during the past week at Westfield, Pukekohe, Warkworth, Papakura, Paeroa. Ngatea, Kaukapakapa, Whitford, and Maungakaramea. We report good yarding®, and most satisfactory sales, values for all classes of cattle being very firm at late rates. Dairy cows and heifers, best, made £lO to £l4 10s; others, £7 to £9 15s; other cows and heifers, £3 to £6 10s: bulls, £3 to £ll 15s, according to weight and quality; store and boner cows. £3 to £5 ss; yearling heifers, best. £3 10s to £5 10s; others, £2 to £3 ss; yearling to IS-months steers, £3 10s to £4 12s 6d: two to two and a-half year steers. £4 15s to £5 12s 6d: three to three and a-half year steers, £5 15s to £6 17s 6d: four to four and a-half year steers, £7 to £7 17s 6d: grown steers, in forward condition, £8 to £9 12s 6d; beef and sheep at fully Westfield quotations.

QUARANTINE FOR PIGS

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE Press Association. PALMERSTON N., Wednesday. A meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Pig Breeders’ Association considered a letter from the National Pig Breeders’ Association of England, relative to the ban on the export of purebred stock. The letter pointed out that the establishment of a quarantine station in London provided for precautions against the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease, but so far in South Africa, Rhodesia only had agreed to accept stock via the quarantine station. It was decided to write to the Department of Agriculture asking if, in view of the establishment of such a station, it would not be possible for breeders in the Dominion to import pigs from Britain.