STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 440, 23 August 1928, Page 12

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

BEEF PRICES FIRM EXPORTERS SHOWING STRENGTH Beef in the Dominion’s principal saleyards yesterday met with a market very firm at late rates, although, with slightly increased of - ferings, there was not the irregularity about the bidding noticed at some recent sales which induced buyers at times to pay premium In the South there was a slightly easier tone in the sheep market YESTERDAY’S yarding of beef at Westfield was drawn from as far south • as Dannevirke. The best quality cattle, however, came from South Auckland, many choice quality lines of light to medium weight turnixifed cattle from those parts being yarded. The market, generally, held practically on a par with last week’s advanced rates. Cow and heifer beef, in particular, was very firm. The very high levels registered last week were not touched, but this was accounted for by the fact that, with a slightly bigger yarding, the smaller butchers were able to use more discretion in making purchases. Sheep Market Very Firm The quality of the sheep yarding, generally, was good, a large percentage of medium-weight, well-finished wethers coming forward. The ' market opened firm at recent rates, and inpro.ved toward the close when lightweight wether mutton showed an advance of up to Is a head on the opening rates. This was accounted for by the increased activity of the overseas buyers, who had their eyes on choice quality light-weight mutton througnout the sale, out-bidding the butchers on several occasions. Top price of the day was secured fir a pen of Suffolk-cross wethers on account of J. R. Self, Papatoetoe. The line, which was exceptionally heavy prime, although not excessively fat. went to the Auckland Meat Company for 545. The finest spring lambs of the season made their appearance yesterday, making to 37s for a prime lamb on account of W. N. Newcombe. x Record Yarding of Calves A record yarding of calves yesterday took till well on toward four o’clock to clear. There were practically no heavy prime vealers or runners forward. A slightly easier tendency was noted in the market, especially toward the close. Exporters were again operating freely on bobby vealers. A feat Lire of yesterday’s market was the strength of the .overseas buyers for beef and mutton. Their activities were specially noticeable in the lrmtton pens, where they were not far behind the-local butchers all through the sale on choice quality light to mediumweight lines. They also watched the beef market for bargains in mediumweight cattle. Store Cattle Sell Freely in Hawke’s Bay At the Stortford Lodge stock sale yester day there was a good yarding of prime heavy cattle and a small yarding of sheep. There was a good attendance of the public. Fat bullocks made to £lB ss; several sold over £l7; heavy prime cows to £l4 15s; 70 4 and 5-year-old store bullocks made £l2. Fat -wethers made to 38s Id; fat ewes, to 355; store wethers, 365; hoggets, 30s 6d. Sheep Easier at Burnside A yarding of about 200 fat cattle at Burnside yesterday met with a market firm at late rates. Sheep were easier by approximately Is 6d a head. Store cattle met with a brisk sale. A large yarding of pigs sold at practically unchanged rates. No extra heavy bullocks were yarded. Prime ox beef was quoted up to 57s 6d a hundred; prime heifer to 50s; cows and light heifer, 30s to 40s. A yarding of over 2,200 fat sheep saw* wethers make up to 7d a lb and ewes to 6d, best heavy-weight wethers making to 55s Gd and ewes to 455. The Addington Market At the Addington saleyards yesterday there were fairly large yardings of fat cattle, fat sheep and pigs, and moderate offerings in the other sections. There was a keen demand for beef, and although the extreme prices realised at the Grand National sale were not reached, values were somewhat above those of the sale on August 1. Fat sheep were not so readily saleable as of late, and prices were somewhat easier. There was a good demand for the better classes of store sheep, but the quality of the yarding was mostly poor. Veal calves sold well, as the yarding was below butchers’ requirements. Porkers were in oversupply, and were weaker, while there was no change in the values of baconers, and a heavy yarding of store pigs sold at a decline all round. Cows formed nearly all the offerings in the store cattle pens. Extra prime wethers made to 545; extra prime ewes to 44s 10cL H.B. Cattle at Addington The yarding of fat cattle a t Adding ion yesterday totalled 560, as compared with 1 605 at the Grand National sale, and 525 the week before. There was a fair proportion of prime steers, but a number of big steers that lacked finish. The bulk of the yarding consisted of cows and heifers. Outside consignments included an exceptionally good line of steers from Hawke’s Bay, the tops of which were very prime, and the 44 head sold averaged £2O 11s. The West Coast was well represented by a number of lines, and tnere was one consignment from South Canterbury. There was a good demand throughout the sale, as butchers were short of supplies. Prices were rather better than those realised on August 1. Choice beef of handy weight touched 50s a 1001 b, and in some cases a little over, but the general range for prime beef was about 45s to 48s; medium 41s to 445; plain, 35s to 40s; and rough, down to 30s a 1001 b. There was a very small yarding of veal calves, the bulk being young calves, and the remainder yearling to 18-months’ sorts. High prices were obtained for all killable lots. Values were: Yearling to . 18-months' sorts, to £ll 8s 6d; good vealers, £6 to £S 10s; medium vealers, £3 5s to £5 10s; small calves, 20s to £2. Prices at Westfield Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow: Cattle.—Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £2O 5s to £22 10s; heavy prime steers made £lB to £l9 15s; lighter prime, £l6 to £l7 17s 6d; light prime. £l3 to £ls 17s 6d; small and unfinished, £9 17s 6d to £l2 15s; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £ ]l2 10s to £ls 10s for a cow from the Waikato purchased by Bridges and, Overington, Wellesley Street; heavy prime cows and heifers, £lO 10s to £l2 7s sd: lighter prime. £S 10s to £lO 7s 6d: other killable cows, £6 to £8 ss. Sheep.—Extra heavy prime wethers J made up to £2 14s for a pen of prime j crossbred Suffolk wethers fattened by Mr. J. R. Self, Papatoetoe, and purchased by the Auckland Meat Company, heavy prime £2 2s 6d to £2 ss; medium prime, £2 to £2 2s 3d; light prime, £1 17s to £1 19s. 9d; small and unfinished, £1 15s to £1 16s 9d; heavy prime ewes, £1 15s 3d to £1 17s; medium prime, £1 13s to £1 15s; light prime, £1 10s to £1 12s Gd; prime hoggets, £1 Ss 6d to £1 ios 6d. Pigs.^—Choppers sold at £2 10s'to £3 15s; heavy and medium baconers. £4 to £5; light baconers and heavy porkers, £3 Ss to £3 ISs; medium porkers and light porkers, £2 to £2 ISs. Store pigs in large numbers sold readily at late rates. Large stores made £1 14s to £1 19s; slips, £1 3s to £1 13s; weaners, best 11s to £1 Is; others, 5s to 10s. Calves. —Very few runners and heavy vealers were yarded. Runners made £3 10s to £5 4s; heavy vealers, £3 4s to £4 10s, medium £2 5s to £3 3s; light, £1 Us to £2 4s; smaller, £1 to £1 10s; small i and -fresh dropped, 5s to 19s; rough calves, 15s to £1 ss. J