BEEF MARKET EASIER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 518, 22 November 1928, Page 12

BEEF MARKET EASIER

GENERAL DECLINE IN PRICES N.Z. MARKETS REVIEWED By R.W.C. A decided decline in the beef market took place in the principal New Zealand stock-selling centres yesterday. The greatest movement was registered at Westfield, where prices in extreme instances were up to £3 a head below the rates ruling at the beginning of the month. An aggregate beef yarding of approximately 900 head of cattle came forward, making the biggest single offering at Westfield for many weeks. The buyers for the two biggest butchering firms were the strongest operators on the ox beef pens. Export buyers followed the market, but did not show the strength of a fortnight or three weeks ago, when they were out to fill a few special orders. Yesterday they were not prepared to go much over 35s a 1001 b. Their operations were confined principally to bigframed partially finished cattle. The smaller butchers were the principal buyers of cows and heifers. Values were slightly erratic, but ox beef, generally, showed a decline of from -15 s to 40s a head. The decline in the case of cows and heifers was considerably greater, reaching as far as 60s a head in extreme instances. Big cattle suffered the most. Auctioneers quote best ox making to 435, and best young cow and heifer to 375. Sheep Market Steady An average yarding of sheep at Westfield yesterday did not bring out anything outstanding in the way of quality. One of the best lines of the day came from J. R. Self, Papatoetoe. Choice, prime heavy-weight wethers from this vendor made to 35s 9d; ewes from the same place made to 28s. The sheep market generally was firm to slightly easier compared with late rates. A heavy yarding would have no doubt a quotable sale decline in values. A small yarding of lambs met with keen competition at prices firm to slightly in advance of late rates. Within a fortnight now it is expected that the killing season for lambs will be in full swing. At the moment the local works are handling up to 2,000 a day, but the great majority of the farmers report that the lambs are not far enough forward to warrant heavy bookings. A heavy yarding of calves yesterday saw good calves sell at late rates. Other sorts were slightly easier, especially toward the close. Pigs sold on a. par to slightly easier than late rates. Hawke’s Bay Prices At the usual weekly sale in Stortford Lodge Yards (Hastings) yesterday there was a medium yarding of both sheep and cattle, with a good proportion of good quality fats in each case. Values for store cattle were on a par with those at the previous sale. Fat cattle were slightly easier. Values for store shep held firm. Fats, in over supply, showed a slight slackening. Following is the range of prices: Fat bullocks, £l2 to £l4 15s; fat cows and heifers, £7 10s to £l3 ss; forward bullocks, £l3 5s to £l3 10s; two-year-steers. £8 2s 6d; yearling steers, £6 10s; 18month heifers, £6-2s 6d; fat ewes, £1 to £1 ss; two-tooth wethers, 25s 6d; twotooth wethers, 25s to 28s; four-tooth wethers, 26s to 28s; woolly ewe hoggets, 25s 3d; mixed sex hoggets, 21s to 375; woolly store ewes, 225; shorn forward ewes, ISs. Johnsonville Market An average yarding in all sections at Johnsonville (Wellington) yesterday met with an erratic market. The sheep offered were of good quality, but wethers were dull of sale. Ewes sold readily at last week’s rates. Lambs were in larger supply than usual, and prices showed a slight decline owing to the absence of competition. The bullocks offered were heavy to medium weight. Prices for heavy cattle showed a deeline on previous sales. Medium and light-weight bullocks met with a good sale. Cows met. with a good demand, while vealers were keenly sought. Prices were: Bullocks, £l3 to £l9: heavy’ cows, £l2 10s to £l3 ss: light. £4 to £4 10s: vealers. £4 to £5 12s 6d: wethers. 32s Gd; ewes, 24s 5d to 28s 4d. lambs, 27s to 32s 9d. Big Entries at Addington An abundance of good feed throughout Canterbury is bringing stock away rapidly, and heavy entries came forward to Addington yesterday. A heavy entry of store sheep sold at late rates, best shorn ewes making to 265. An entry of 777 wellfinished fat lambs met with a spirited sale, prices averaging up to Is a lb. An over-supply of fat sheep met with an easier demand by Is 6d a head in the early stages, but improved later, only to fall back again toward the close. Extra prime shorn wethers made up to 40s: extra prime shorn ewes, to 445. A yarding of 440 fat cattle came forward to meet with a slightly erratic market. Prices for best quality beef held at last week’s rates, but other grades were easier. Good steer beef made to 48s a hundred; best cow, to 445. Westfield Prices Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow:—* Cattle: Extra heavy prime steers, to £8 15s; heavy prime, £ls to £l6; lighter prime £l3 10s to £l4 17s 6d; light prime, £l2 to £l3 7s 6d; small and unfinished, £9 to £ll 17s Od. Extra heavy prime young rows and heifers made £l2 to £l3 10s; heavy prime cows and heifei's, £lO to £ll 17s 6d: lighter prime, £8 to £9 17s 6d; other killable cows, £5 15s to £7 17s 6d. Sheep: Extra heavy prime wethers made £1 14s 9d to 365; heavy prime wethers, £1 12s to £1 13s 9d; medium to heavy prime, £1 10s 6d to £1 11s 9d; light to medium prime, £1 9s to £1 10s 3d; unfinished, £1 6s to £1 8s 9d; extra heavy prime young ewes, £1 7s to £1 9s; heavy prime ewes, £1 5s 6d to £1 6s 9d; lighter prime, £1 4s to £1 5s 3d; other killable ewes, £1 Is to £1 3s 9d. Lambs: Extra heavy prime lambs, £1 10s to £1 11s 6d; heavy prime lambs, £1 *Bs to £1 9s 9d; lighter prime, £1 6s to £1 7s 9d; light prime, £1 4s to £1 5s 9d. Calves: Runners made £4 15s to £7 16s: heavy vealers, £4 10s to £5 10s; medium, £3 8s to £4 3s; light, £2 10s to £3; good bucket fed calves, £1 8s to £2 3s; rough and unfinished, £1 4s to £1 10s; small and fresh dropped, Ss to £1 3s. Pigs: Choppers sold at £1 10s to £3 ss; heavy and medium baconers, £2 16s to £3 3s; light baconers and heavy porkers, £2 8s to £2 15s: medium porkers and light porkers, £1 19s to £2 6s; small and unfinished porkers, £1 10s to £1 ISs. Store pigs were penned in small numbers and sold at late quotations. Large stores made £1 5s to £1 12s; slips, 12s to £1 2s; weaners, 7s to 14s. AUCKLAND BUILDING SOCIETY The monthly advertisement of the Auckland Co-operative Terminating Building Society in another column of this issue, draws the attention of those interested to the November meeting for appropriations, which is to take place at St. James’s Hall on Wednesday, November 26, at 7.30 p.m. The sum of £ 12,000 is to be distributed by ballot and sale, and members are requested to note that Monday, November 26, is the last day for making shares financial for the meeting. There is also an announcement regarding the next new group, the 69tli, now under CHICAGO WHEAT MARKET fAustralia » and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 10.55 a.m. CHICAGO, Wednesday. Wheat.—December, 1 dollar 16 5-S cents, a bushel: March, 1 dollar 21 5-S cents.: May, 1 dollar 21 1-S cents.