BEEF MARKET EASIER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 914, 6 March 1930, Page 12

BEEF MARKET EASIER

EXPORTERS WITHDRAW v HEAVY OFFERINGS Reviewed by E.IV.C. There seems little doubt that lower prices for beef are to rule in the near future. At Westfield yesterday the heaviest yarding of the season met with a slack demand, exporters displaying little interest even at prices up to 2s a hundred below last week's rates. Throughout the season to date exporters have been operating on a basis Uf up to 37s a hundred, even paying a i little more in isolated instances. Indii cations now are, however, that, with j most of their contracts filled meanj time, they arc not prepared to risk consignments on a basis of over 35s a hundred. One thing is certain: they eased up yesterday and would not buyon a market considerably more in their favour than has been the case for ‘ many months. At the Westfield works a fair number of cattle arc coming forward daily, including consignments of Waikato | bullocks. Although there must be a j big number of cull cows offering in ! the dairying districts of the province j very few are finding their way to the } works at the moment as exporters j seem to be holding off the market under the impression that prices were ! too high. This impression was certainly 1 justified as second grade cow beef has been gradually dropping in value over the past , month. ) Big sheep are offering fairly freely ■at the works and exporters’ schedule i prices are practically unchanged at the 1 season opening rates. Lambs are still i coming forward, but not in big nunii bers, and the quality, generally, is not i up to that of earlier offerings. Yesterday’s Westfield Offering j The beef offering at 'Westfield yes--1 terday was not far short of the largest {this season; the ox beef section ceri tainly was. The quality was very mixed, j and, although the tops left little to be j desired, the biggest part of the entry i of both steers and cows lacked finish. | Among the steers there were few lines j worth special quotation. Show steers . on account of a Whakatanc vendor met | with very keen competition, but on a j P er pound basis the actual selling price was well under the top quotation of i 40s a. hundred. Good medium weight ! ox beef made from 36s to 37s a liun- ; dred: best cow and heifer made to 345: secondary and plain cow, 25s to 31s a hundred. I Some of the heifer beef was the best j this season, being the first of the autumn station lines which can be I looked for in increasing numbers over j the next month or so. Station calves, Polled Angus and Hereford: wore also’ forward in increased numbers, but the market, even for quality veal, was not very brisk and prices were, if anything, slightly easier than last week. Good runners made up to £8 for extra prime sorts; heavy vealers made to £4 15s. Sheep Mediocre The sheep offering was made up of a very mediocre assortment. .vlnnv lines could have done with more finish and extra prime sheep were hard to locate. Largely buoyed up bv export inquiry, prices held practically on a Par with late rates, best heavy prime wethers making up to 295; medium. 24s 6d to 26s Gd; heavy prime young ewes made to 21s; medium, lSs to 19s Gd. Smaller yardings of lambs are now coming forward and the quality is also mostly well below first grade.' Prices yesterday held steady around the export parity of up to 72d Pigs met with n very firm sale, baconers making up to 7d a lb and porkers from 8d to 9d a lb according to quality. Seof at Addington Following last week’s fall. beef i prices recovered at the Canterbury j market at Addington yesterdnv. Steer {prices advanced by £ 1 to £1 10s a j head, and heifers and cows, £1 io £1 j Store lambs and fat lambs eased slightly, the farmer by 1s to Is Or! n 'head and the latter by Is. Fat lambs. 1 with an entry of 2,920, average Sd to j Sfd a. lb. Show lambs brought 34s 4d 1 and best rape lambs up to 22s Get. ' A heavy yarding of store sheep i brought a fair sale, a keen inquiry cxi isting only for better lots. .Extra good 4-tooth Romney Marsh ewes realised up to 35s Gd; good 2-tooth, 30s to 3.15; good 2-tooth half bred ewes, 26s to 28s 6d; ordinary ewes, to 24s Gd. Good 4-tooth wethers brought up to 265. In j fat sheep, extra prime wethers, sold up to 36s 1 ud; prime, to 335; light, and I medium, 21s Gd to 295; ewes, Jls to j 30s 7d. ! A shorter supply of fat cattle caused i increased prices. Best medium-weight i prime beef made from 41s Gd to 45s for 1001 b; medium, 37s to 40s Gd: heavy steers, 3Gs Gd to 39s 6d; good cows, to 37s Gd. Extra heavy prime steers brought up to £2l 12s Gd. The top price for vealers was £ll. The highest price in dairy cattle was £l7, for best second and third calvers. Pork sold well. but bacon was slightly easier. The averages were: Porkers, 9d to Did a lb; baconers, 7!d to Sid. Cattle Easier ; At Stortford Lodge (Hawke’s Bay) i there was a large yarding- of sheep and a small yarding of cattle. The market was distinctly easier. The range of prices was: —Fat bullocks. £ll 17s Gd to £l4: prime, £ls to £ls 12s: fat I cows, £ S 17s Gd to £9 10s; fat heifers, i £ i 15s to £l3 12s Gd; 2&-year steers ' £9 to £9 17s Gd: 18-months steers, £G 15s to £7 15s: cows and calves, to £ll ss: fat ewes. 16s to 17s? heavy, to j 22s 6d: fat lambs, 16s to 20s; fat | wethers, 23s to 26s lid; 2-tooth ewes, ; 19s 2xl to 27s 3d: 4 and 5-year ewes. ! los to 17s 6d: m.a. ewes, 17s fd to 255: 2, 4 and 6-tooth ewes, IDs to 26s 4d: f. and f. wethers. 22s 7d to 265; 2- ! tooth wethers, 18s 9d to 225.