DEMAND FOR BEEF

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 694, 20 June 1929, Page 12

DEMAND FOR BEEF

N.Z. STOCK MARKETS WESTFIELD REVIEWED (By K.W.C.) Fat stock meets with a very steady demand in the Dominion’s chief markets. One of the features of yesterday’s sales was the very keen demand for sheep. JN the Westfield market yesterday an aggregate yarding of approximately 700 head of fat cattle came forward. Bidding tended to drag at times, especially toward the end of the cow and heifer section. Buyers for the bigger butchering firms were the principal operators. Exporters took little interest in the sale. The quality of the ox beef yarding was good, there being a larger percentage of heavy prime cattle than on the previous week.. In the cow and heifer section, on the other hand, there was a big percentage of “canner” cows, which met with very little demand from the butchers, and tended to hold up the sale of the primed sorts. The beef sale did not finish till nearly 3 o’clock. Top prices for steers was secured for a line of exceptionally well-finished, heavy, prime bullocks on account H. E. Reed, Waerenga, which made up to £l6 17s Gd. Other choice quality lines inclLided, 24 on account J. H. Eyre, Tuakau; 15 on account W. C. Ring, Hinuera; 40 on account Johnstone Bros., Kaiauaiv 30 on account H. Templeton, Rangih.au; 5 on account J. B. Jordan.

Poorer Quality Sheep The market for slightly under an average yarding of sheep opened slightly in advance of last week’s rates, but eased, as the sale progressed. Prices, generally, were very firirPatlate rates. There was not the quality shown at recent sales, and a considerably greater percentage of ewes were included in the offering. Lines of extra well-finished, big-framed wethers were hard to locate. An average yarding of very mediocre quality lambs sold at recent rates. A short yarding of pigs met with a very firm demand, porkers, especially, selling freely. Good quality calves were also yarded in smaller numbers. There was a slight increase in the number of small and fresh dropped calves. Prices were very firm at late rates. Sheep Market Easier in Hawke’s Bay A heavy yarding of cattle and a small offering of sheep came forward to the Stortford Lodge (Hastings) sale yesterday. Cattle sold freely at late rates; the market for sheep was slightly easier. Fat cows and heifers made from £7 10s to £11; fat bullocks, £l4 10s to £ls 10s; bullocks, £lO to £11; threeyear steers, £lO 3s Gd; two-year steers, £8 12s Gd; two-year heifers, £6 18s Gd; weaner steers, £4 to £5 18s; cows in calf, rough, to £ 8 ss; store cows, to £6 2s-; fat ewes, 21s to 26s lOd; fat lambs, 23s to 275; ewes, in lamb, 20s to 28s; wethers, to 295; wether hoggets, 17s Gd to 24s 6d; store ewes, 15s to 20s. Johnsonville Sale Owing to the inclement weather there was a smaller attendance of buyers than usual at the Johnsonville (Wellington) yards yesterday. There was an average yarding of all classes of stock. The cattle generally were of good quality, prices being on a par with late rates. Heavy wethers sold well' up to last week’s .values, but lighter and unfinished wethers were dull of sale. Ewes were not in demand and prices showed a decline of up to 2s a head as compared with last week’s rates. A poor number of lambs offered met with pool demand, owing, no doubt, to the lateness of the season. Prices were:—Heavy bullocks, £IG to £l6 17s Gd; medium, £ls to £ls 12s Gd; light, £l3 10s to £l4 10s; heifers, £8 5s to £8 10s; cows, £ 5 to £8 2s Gd;. vealers, to £3 17s Gd; wethers, heavy, 37s to 39s 9d; medium, 33s 3d. to 345; light, 31s; ewes, heavy, 28s; medium, 22s to 36s 3d; light, 225; lambs, 22s to 25s 3d. Beef Very Firm at Addington Heavy rain fell throughout the sale at Addington yesterday. Entries in most sections were small. 1 A small entry of less than 1,000 head of lambs sold at up to 3Gs 4d for a specially choice pen. A small entry of fat sheep met with a keen sale over the earlyijftstages, prices -showing an advance of Is to Is Gd a head; the market cased toward the close. Extra prime wethers sold to 41s Gd, extra prime ewes to 38s 4d. An entry of 425 head of fat cattle included good quality steers and heifers. Values were up by 25s a head for good beef, the. entry being on the small side. Extra good made to 47s a 1001 b; good, 42s to 455; medium quality, 37s to 40s; heavy, 37s to 425; good cow, 36s to 395; seconds, 30s to 335; and rough, down to 27s Gd; extra prime heavy steers, to £2O 7s Gd; prime heavy streers, £l7 10s to £l9 10s; medium-weight prime steers, £l6 to £l7 10s; medium quality steers, £l3 to £ls 3 0s; light steers, £8 2s Gd to £l2; extra prime cows, to £l7 17s Gd; ryime cows, £ll 10s to £l4 10s; medium cows, £9 10s to £11; light cows, £6 2s Gd to £9; extra prime heifers, to £l9: prime heifers, £l2 to £l4 10s; medium heifers, £9 15s to £ll 15s; light heifers, £6 to £9 ss.

A small entry of vealers sold at advanced prices. Best yearling to ISmonths calves made to £S I7s Gd. There was a small entry, and a good sale for porkers, baconers showing a tendency to ease. Choppers brought 30s to £4 ISs Gd; baconers, £ 3 to £3 10s; heavy baconers, £3 12s Gd to £4; yextra hedvy baconers, to £4 30s 6d (average price a lb, std to 65d); porkers, 33s to 465; heavy. porkers, 47s Cd to 58s Gd (average price a lb, Gd to 7id). i Prices at Westfield Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged as follow; Cattle.—Extra heavy prime steers, to £l6 17s 6d; heavy prime, £l4 17s Gd to £ls 17s 6d; medium, £l3 10s to £l4 15s; lighter and small, from £lO ss; unfinished and light, from £9 10s. Calves.—Runners made £4 10s to £8 6s; heavy vealers, £5 to £5 19s: medium, £4 Ss to £4 18s; light, £3 10s to £4 4s; smaller, £.2 10s to £3 Gs; small and fresh dropped. 7s to £2 Bs. according to quality; rough calves, £1 10s to £2 10s. Sheep.—Extra heavy prime ewes, to 43s 6d for one small pen sold right at the start of the sale; heavy prime, £7s to 3Ss Gd; medium. 34s to 36s 6d; light firom 3Ss. Heavy prime ewes made to 33s Gd: medium, 27s Gd to 29s 9d: light and unfinished, from 20s. Lambs. —Best, to 23s Cd; medium prime, 23s 3d to 2os; light and unfinished. from 13s. Pigs.—Medium to heavy choppers made £2 10s to £4 7s; heavy prime baconers, £4 6s to £4 11s; medium baconers. £3 18s to £4 2s; light. £3 11s to £3 14s; heavy porkers, £3 to £3 ss: medium. £2 14s to £2 18s: light, £2 Ss to £2 12s: small and unfinished. £1 10s to £2 2s. Best stores made to 355; smaller, £1 Is to £1 ss; slips, 14s to 18s: -good weaners, 11s to 13s; small, 7s to 10s.