FIRM PRICES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 612, 14 March 1929, Page 12

FIRM PRICES

N.Z. STOCK MARKETS LAMB RATES DROPPED ID (By R.W.C.) Firm markets in practically all sections have been registered at most New Zealand stock selling centres throughout the week. Fat lambs, which show an easier tendency, and store pigs, which are meeting with a poor demand at the moment, are the only exceptions. At Westfield yesterday there was a slight increase in the number of fat cattle forward. The steer offering- was down from a fairly wide range, i Bay of Plenty attle being noticed ! tor the first time for several weeks. The quality was fair, the offering mostly being made up of light to medium weight average finished sorts. The yarding of cows was largely made up of culls from Waikato dairy herds. Steady competition was registered throughout with prices still holding up to 5s a hundred above exporters’ levels. The yarding of calves again included an appreciable percentage of well-fin-ished vealers, some of the best calves of the day coming from Northern and Bay of Plenty vendors. Prices for these sorts were very firm at late rates. Buyers for the big butchering firms were the principal operators, but one exporting firm was in the market for a special order for well-finished medium weight sorts. An average yarding of sheep from the dual viewpoint of quality and quantity came forward. Wethers made up practically the whole of the offering, wellfmished young ewes being hard to locate. The market was slightly irregular. but, generally, held very firm at last week’s rates. Lambs Need More Finish A big percentage of lamb offering could have done with greater finish. Many lines were only forward stores. One of the best quality lines of the day came from A. G. Pile. Opotiki, 80 lambs from this vendor making to -Bs. This week’s drop of id a lb. in the Southern export market has not yet been reflected on the Auckland market, but a drop over the next few days would not be unexpected. At the moment Auckland’s rates are on a par with those offering in Hawke’s Bay. Store pigs yesterday, were hard to quit, and healthy weaners were selling at from 3s to 6s each. The market for fats held practically on a par with late rates. Stortford Lodge Market In the Stortford Lodge (Hastings) yards yesterday an average yarding of sheep and a small yarding of cattle came before a fair attendance of buyers. Fat bullocks made £l2 15s to £ls 4s; fat cows met with a keen demand to £9 17s 6d; three-year P.A. steers, £S 2s 6d; Jersey in-calf heifers, good quality, £6 los; fat ewes, 20s 6d to 24s Id; fat lambs, to 26s sd: fat wethers, 2Ss; five-year breeding ewes, 25s 9d; woolly lambs, 21s 3d; two-tooth wethers, up to 2Ss Id; twotooth ewes, up to 325; shorn wether lambs, £1; shorn ewe lambs, to 22s Id. There was a keen demand for all classes of sheep and fat cattle, making one of the best sales of the season. Cow beef made to £2 a 100. Big Store Sale At Addington The yarding of store sheep at Addington yesterday was the biggest of the season, between 30,000 and 35,000 coming forward. Over' 10,000 North Island ewes were yarded, while other lines ivere drawn from Nelson, Marlborough and the Coast. Good lambs* sold at last week’s rates, but inferior sorts were easie.r by Is a head. Extra good ewe lambs made to 31 6d; ordinary ewe lambs to 245; ordinary wether lambs, to 21s. Extra good Romneycross two-tooth ewes made to 465; ordinary two-tooth Romney-cross ewes made to 345; good 4,6, and 8-tooth ewes made to 345. Fat lambs sold at schedule export rates. Fat sheep were easier by Is a head. Extra prime wethers made to 365; extra prime ewes to 33s lOd. A yarding of 55U head of fat cattle sold at slightly easier values. Best ox mad© to 45s a hundred; Extra prime steers made to <£2l 12s 6d; extra prime heifers, to £ls 17s 6d; extra prim© young cows to £l6 2s 6d. Westfield Prices Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow: — Cattle. —Extra heavy prime steers made from £l6 to £l6 15s; heavy prime, £l4 15s to £ls 15s; medium, £l3 5s to £l4 10s; light and small, from £S 10s. Heavy prime young cows and heifers to £ll 7s 6d; medium, £7 15s to £S 15s; light and unfinished, from £4 10s. Runners made to £6 11s; heavy vealers to £5 8s; medium runners, £3 12s to £4 9s; light, £2 3s to £3 4s; small and fresh-dropped, 7s to 265; rough and plain, 26s to 395. Sheep.—Heavy prime wethers to 35s 3d; medium, 31s 6d to 32s 9d; light and small from 2Ss 6d; heavy prime young ewes to 27s 3d; medium, 22s 3d to 245; light, old and unfinished from 18s. Lambs. —Extra choice prime, not exceptionally heavy, to 28s 6d; medium, 23s to 25s 3d; small and plain from 15s. Pigs.—Choppers made £1 5s to £3 8s; heavy prime baconers, £3 15s to £3 18s; medium, £3 8s to £3 11s; light, £3 to £3 4s; heavy porkers, £2 11s to £2 15s; medium, £2 4s to £2 8s; light, £1 11s to £1 17s; small and unfinished, £1 to £1 Bs. Stores were not wanted, selling at 16s to £1 3s; slips, 9s to 12s; weaners, 3s to 7s.