STOCK MARKET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1938, Page 2

STOCK MARKET

ADDINGTON VALUES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 14. There was a stronger market for fat lambs and fat sheep at the weekly stock market at Addington today, but fat cattle, store sheep, fat pigs and vealers were easier. The entry of store sheep was the lightest for some sales, and produced a glut of wethers with correspondingly lower prices. The annual draft from Marlborough sold disappointingly from 14s 7d down' to B.s lid, these prices being about 4s cheaper than for a similar draft sold last year. On an average wethers were about 2s easier than a week ago, and a line of young wethers from the Plains made to 17s Id. Another truck lot sold to 16s 7d; medium sorts sold at 12s to 14s lOd; culls, down to ss; ewes and lambs, Ils Id to Us 6d;; cull wether hoggets, 6s 3d to 6s 9d. A pen of ewe hoggets sold under brisk competition at 19s. For the fat lamb entry of more than 1000, quality was above the average, and butchers paid fully BJd a lb for a substantial proportion of iambs suitable for their requirements, and exporters operated freely at full schedule rates, and in some cases a fraction more. The schedule remained unchanged from the opening rates of 8d .for 361 b and under.

The entry of fat sheep was about 5000 head, practically the same number as last week, but quality was the best of the season, some particularly good lines of wethers being penned. With export buyers operating, medium and light lambs in this class fully maintained last week’s rates, and but--1 chers’ wethers sold at fully last week’s standard. Though the market was erratic, exporters paid to 18s 4d for export wethers. Butchers’ ewes sold about Is 6d better than a week ago, and extra prime heavy wethers to 28s lOd; prime heavy, 21s to 245; prime medium, 18s 6d to 20s 6d; light, to 15s 6d; prime ewes, 18s to 21s lOd; prime medium, 15s 6d to 17s 6d; light, to 10s 6d. The entry of faT cattle was the largest for some time, comprising 545, compared with 455 last week. These pennings have proved too much for the buying capacity of the trade at this time of the year, and there was a further easing on •, average values. The price for best beef was down 10s to 15s, and cows a full 15s. Best beef ranged round 36s to 37s 6d a 1001 b; medium, about 355. Extra prime heavy steers, to £lB 7s 6d; prime heavy, £l4 15s to £l6; prime medium, £l3 10s to £l4 ss; ;light, to £10; extra prime heifers, to £l3 12s 6d; prime, £lO to £ll ss; medium, £8 to £9 10s; light, to £7 15s; extra prime cows,' to £l2 7s 6d; prime. £7 5s to £9 10s; medium, £5 10s to £6 15s; light, to £5 ss. The porker entry in the fat pig section .was the largest this season, and competition was exceedingly slow, and except for best quality and conditioned pigs, prices eased all round, except for best sorts, by 2s to 3s a head. For a medium entry of choppers, prices, if anything, were a shade better than last week Baconers came forward in heavier supply, and prices showed an all-round easing, representing up to 5s a head in most cases. Porkers realised 34s 6d to 58s 6d, average price a lb, 6Jd to 6ijd; baconers, 54s 6d to £4 15s 6d, average price a lb, 6d to 61d.