BEEF EASIER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 635, 11 April 1929, Page 10

BEEF EASIER

N.Z. STOCK MARKETS HEAVY YARDINGS YESTERDAY (By R.W.C.) . Sun Office, 9 a.m. At Westfield, Addington, and Johnsonville yesterday, heavy yardings of fat cattle met with slightly easier markets. The market for fat sheep throughout the Dominion holds very firm. The beef yarding at 'Westfield yesterday was drawn from all parts of the province, a bigger Quota than usual being drawn from the If ay of Plenty. In the steer section, although there was a good percentage of heavy prime cattle forward, from the point of view of quality, the dearest-priced lines were not the best. W. Vosper, Cambridge, was responsible for one of the best quality lines of the day. One pen of exceptionally choice prime small, but solid-framed young P.A. steers, on account of this vendor, went to the Auckland Meat Company for £ls 2s od.

Compared with late rates, the market for ox beef was slightly easier, although no quotable change in values took place. Best ox sold up to 3Ss,

The cow and heifer offering was drawn mostly from the dairy herds of the province, and showed little outstanding quality. There were few lines which could be termed exceptionally choice. Values in this section showed a decided decline, and toward the close were 10s to £1 a head below last week’s rates. Any tendency toward a sensational slump in values, as a result of an exceptionally heavy yarding, was checked by buyers for the bigger butchering firms operating freely on the lower levels. Best young cow and heifer beef made up to 32s a hundred. At the moment, freezing buyers are forced right off the market, with home consumption values still well above their limits. Ample supplies of fat cattle are reported to be held in the country, especially in the southern part of the province, and in Hawke’s Bay. but graziers are apparently not troubled about finding a market except at their own price. Bigger Sheep Yarding A heavier yarding of sheep cpm forward to Westfield yesterday. The market, however, held very firm at late rates. One of the choieest-qual-ity lines of medium-framed youngwethers seen in the yards in recent weeks came forward on account of G. Bull, Ngaruawahia, to average 355. Wethers predominated in the yarding, and good young ewes were hard to locate. An average yarding of lambs met with a firm market for well-finished sorts, but inferior-finished lambs were dull of sale. A short yarding of fat pigs met with a very firm market, values at times tending to exceed last week’s rates. Heavy Yardings at Stortford Lodge Heavy yardings of fat catle and sheep, a small yarding of store cattle, and a heavy yarding of store sheep, came forward at a Representative attendance of buyers at Stortford Lodge (Hastings) yesterday. Fat bullocks made to £l2 10s: fat cows, to £lO 10s; fat heifers, to £S 7s 6d; vealers, to £2 17s bd; fat and forward bullocks, to £lO 18s; cows and calves, to £8 17s 6d: empty cows, to £3 Is; dairy cows, to £9 ss; dairy .heifers, to £8 7s 6d; fat wethers, to 31s; fat ewes, to 29s 4d; fat lambs, to 27s 2d; two-tooth wethers, to 20s 6d; empty ewes, to 22s 7d; woolly lambs, to 21s 3d; Down lambs, to 30s 9d; S.M. ewes, in lamb, up to 24s 6d; woolly ewe lambs, to 23s 2d. Johnsonville Market The cattle offering at Johnsonville (Wellington) yesterday comprised mostly heavy-weight prime quality bullocks. Prices for extra prime bullocks were on a par with last week’s rates, but average quality bullocks were not in demand. Cows met with good competition at late rates, and vealers sold freely. The sheep comprised heavy-weight wethers, with a few pens of two-tooth wethers and average quality ewes. The varcling was not up to the usual number, but a good sale resulted. Prices showed an advance on last week’s rates.

Bullocks made £l2 10s to £l6; bullocks, heavy, £ls 10s to £l6; bullocks, extra heavy, £l6 to £l6 15s; fat cows, £7 17s fid to £lO 17s 6d; cows, light, £5 15s; heifers, £7 15s; vealers, £3 15s to £4 7s: wethers, 31s to 33s 8d; ewes, 25s 6d to 26s 6d; lambs, 23s 6d to 25s 9d. Westfield Prices Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow: Cattle.—Extra heavy prime steers; to £ll ss; heavy prime, £ls to £l6 l'* medium, £l3 10s to £l4 15s; light aim small, from £9 10s; heavy prime young cows and heifers, to £ll 7s 6d; medium. £7 10s lo £9 10s; light and unfinished, from £4 10s. Calves.—Runners made £4 12s to £6 12s; heavy prime vealers, £4 13s to £5 12s; medium, £3 12s to £4 7s; light, £2 ISs to £3 Ss; good bucket-fed calves, £2 Sd to £3 4s; rough and unfinished, £1 9s to £1 18s; small and fresh-dropped, 3s to £1 4s. Sheep.—Extra heavy prime wethers made £1 15s to £1 16s 9d; heavy prime, £1 13s 6d to £1 14s 9d; medium to heavy prime, £1 12s to £1 13s 3d; light to medium prime, £1 11s to £1 11s 9d; unfinished, £1 9s to £1 10s 9d: extra heavy prime ewes, £1 11s to £1 12s 9d; heavy prime ewes, £1 7s to £1 9s; lighter prime, £1 5s to £1 6s 9d; other killable ewes, £1 2s to £1 4s 6d. Lambs.—Heavy prime lambs made £1 7s to £1 14s; lighter prime, £1 5s to £1 6s 9d; light prime, £1 2s to £1 4s 9d; plain, 17s 6d to £1 Is; store lambs, 14s to 16s 6d. Pigs.—Choppers sold at £2 to £4 2s; heavy and medium baconers, £3 16s to £4 Is; light baconers and heavy porkers, £3 to £3 14s; medium porkers and light porkers, £2 10s to £2 18s; small and unfinished porkers, £2 to £2 Bs. A small yarding of store pigs sold at late quotations. Large stores made £1 to £1 Ss; slips, 10s to 16s; weaners, 3s to 9s. Cattle Easier at Addington Heavy yardings in all sections came forward to the Addington market yesterday. Fat lambs sold freely at schedule rates, extra choice making up to 34s 7d. Big sheep were inclined to be a shade easier, but export sorts maintained late freezing rates. Extra heavy prime wethers made up to 36s lOd; extra prime heavy ewes, to 33s lOd. A very heavy entry of 060 head of fat cattle, mostly cows, came forward. Values receded on the big prices of last week by 30s a head. Best beef made 43s to 46s a hundred. Extra prime heavy steers made to £"24 2s 6d; extra prime cows, to £l6 17s 6d.