LIVESTOCK MARKETS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 11

LIVESTOCK MARKETS

DISASTROUS PRICES VALUES AT ADDINGTON EWES SELL VERY CHEAPLY [ Per Press Association.! CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 22. If to-day’s stock market at Addington is taken as an indication, ewe prices will be very cheap this year. Prices were the lowest for some years and were on about the same basis of some slump seasons. The entry of store sheep was about 21,000, including about 6000 lambs. An excellent selection of sheep was offerr.-l but there appeared to be very few buyers in the large crowd of farmers attending. The best of the lambs made about last week's rates but inferior sorts were down about Is 6d a head. Good rape lambs made 10s to 13s with average sorts 7s 6d to 9s 6d. Hold-over lambs showing signs of quality made 4s to 7s, and light and plain types that made 6s to 7s a fortnight ago were back to 2s to 3s 6d. Prices were almost as disastrous in the adult sheep section. The selection of ewes was good and contained many of the standard lines regularly seen at Addington at this time of the year. For crossbreds and the few Ramneys entered there was a good demand at reasonable prices but finewoolled sheep were difficult to sell. It took exceptional four-year halfbreds to make Ils and best five-year ewes made to 9s 6d. Best two-tooths made to 25s 6d but the great bulk sold at 13s to 16s, and good aged ewes sold at 4s to 6s. Values were lower than for some years. The fat lamb entry of about 2000 compared with 1800 last week. Quality generally was spoilt by too big a proportion of light lambs. Good butchers’ lambs met keen competition at full schedule rates and in cases a trifle more. The fat sheep entry of about 5000 was about the same as last week but quality was better. At the outset there was a marked decline in the price of both ewes and wethers but as the sale progressed buyers warmed up and prices returned to about the same levels as last week except for light freezing ewes, which were about 6d cheaper. Over all the sale was slightly easier than last week but not quotably so. Extra prime heavy wethers to 24s 7d, prime heavy 20s 6d to 225, prime medium 18s to 20s, light to 15s; extra prime heavy ewes to 16s 4d, prime heavy 13s to 14s 9d, prime medium Ils 3d to 12s 9d, light to 8s 6d. The entry of fat cattle, which numbered 540 against 460 last week, was considered too large for requirements and though quality was better than for some weeks, the sale was dull and values were down £1 a head all round Much of the best steer beef failed to make 30s per lOOlbs, and choicest did not exceed 32s 6d. Extra prime heavy steers sold to £l5 17s 6d, prime heavy £l2 10s to £l3 10s, prime medium £lO 10s to £l3. light to £7 15s; extra prime heifers to £lO 7s 6d, prime £8 10s to £9 10s, medium £6 10s to £B, light to £6: extra prime cows to £9 17s 6, prime £6 10s to £B, medium £4 15s to £6, light to £4 10s. In the fat pig section the entry of porkers was smail at the start but the numbers increased later, making a practically normal offeMig. From th’ outset values maintained the high level of last week until the last race was reached, when a drop of 2s to 3s a head developed. Choppers were in medium supply and again met a good sab’. Baconers were forward in medium numbers and prices fullv maintained last week s rates. Porkers 44s 6d to 56s '3d; average price per lb 6Jd to 71d, baconers 59s 6d to £4 12s 6d; average price per lb 6cl tc G'-d’ choppers £3 3s Gd to £5 3s 6d

THE WESTFIELD SALE

SHARP DROP IN BEEF PRICES I Per Press Association.! AUCKLAND, Feb. 22. Heavily over-supplied with both store and beef cattle, the market declined sharply at the Westfield stock sales to the lowest levels for about a year. Ox beef lost 2s per 1001 b. and cow beef Is to 3s. Extra choice ox beef sold at 36s per 1001 b., choice and piime o3s to 355, choice and prime cow and heifer 27s to 30s, boner and rough 16s to 265; extra heavy prime steers £l2 10s to £l4. heavy £ll 10s to £l2 15s, medium £lO 10s to £ll 15s, light £9 to £lO 10s; extra heavy prime cows and heifers £9 to £lO 2s 6d, heavy £8 to £9. medium £6 10s to £B, light and unfinished £2 10s to £6 10s. Entries of sheep were about average in number and under steady competition fully firm late rates were maintained with slight increases in some cases. Extra heavy prime wethers 22s 6d to 245, heavy 20s to 22s 3d, medium 17s 6d to 19s 9d, light 12s 6d to 17s; extra heavy prime ewes 13s to 14s 9d, heavy 12s to 13s; medium Ils to 12s 3d, light 9s 6d to 10s 6d. unfinished 2s 6d to 9s. Lambs in average numbers sold steadily at late rates, prime lambs making 17s 6d to 28s, others 5s to 17s. The sale was lifeless for a heavy entry of calves and only prime quality runners and vealers made late rates, other sections losing as much as 5s a head. Runners £3 to £8 ss, heavy vealers £3 15s to £5 ss, medium £2 10s to £4. light £1 12s to £2 Bs, smaller 20s to £1 10s, small 14s to 19s, bobby and rough 3s to 15s. Steady competition was responsible for a firm tendency in the sale of an average entry of fat pigs. Heavy baconers £3 13s to £3 19s, medium £3 8s to £3 11s, light £3 Is to £3 6s, heavy porkers £2 14s to £2 18s, medium £2 6s to £2 11s, light £1 18s to £2 3s. Average quotes were 6-id to 6id per lb. for baconers and 6£d to 7d for porkers.

THE MARTON SALE

The New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. Distributing Co., Ltd., report an entry of 3100 sheep and 54 pigs at the abOVft calo hold vaefordav Thoi-tJ

were some good lines of 6-year ewes yarded, notably a thousand head on account of Mr, J. Brice. These sheep had goorl 6-year mouths and realised Ils. There was a good attendance of local farmers but bidding was dull, which has been the case at most recent sales. Top price for 5 and 6-ycar ewes was 12s 7d, this being paid for a line of 150 on account of Mrs. M. S. Grice, Turakina Valley. Prices: 5 and 6-year ewes, 12s 7d; 6-year ewes, Ils to Ils Id; 2-tooth ewes (Corriedale cross), 17s 6cl; small Romney cross 2-tooth ewes, 16s; fattening ewes, 4s Id to Ss 6d; forward 2-tooth wethers, 17s sd; small 2-toolh wethers, 14s; medium wether lambs, Ils lOd; shorn b.f. lambs, 10s 6d to Ils 4d; medium Corriedale cross wether lambs, 8s 4d to 9s 6d; good 4-tooth ewes, passed at 245; store pigs, 14s 6d to 17s 6d; weaners, 7s 6d to Ils.

RANGIWAHIA SALE The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd. (inc. in England), report having offered a yarding of 2000 sheep at Rangiwahia sale on the 20th instant to a fair attendance of buyers. The sale, which commenced on the two-tooth ewes, was slow at the outset but as the sale progressed a better demand was in evidence, but the offering of ewes, which were of a poorer class, were hard to dispose of at vendors’ reserves. Several pens of two-tooth wethers were all sold at auction at prices fully up to late realisations. Lambs met with a much better demand, a practically total clearance resulting, with

prices fully firm on earlier sales. A total of 75. Southdown and Romney rams was offered and met with keen competition at prices in advance of those received at earlier sales, a total clearance being effected in this section. The range of prices is as follows: Two-tooth ewes, 17s 6d, 22s 9d, 24s to 26s 2d; m.a. ewes, 17s; five-year ewes, 11s 9d, 12s 3d, 14s 6d, 15s 7d; six-year ewes, 8s 6d, 9s, 10s 7d, Ils 9d to 12s; two-tooth wethers, 12s Is, 14s 6d, 14s 9d, 15s 6d to 15s lOd; fat wethers, 18s 6d; cull wether lambs, 5s 9d. 5s lOd, 7s 3d, 7s 6d to 9s 6d; wether lambs, 10s 3d, Ils 6d. Ils 9d, 12s 6d; b.f. lamb, 9s 9d, 10s; oneshear Romney rams, Ign. IJgns., 2gns., 3gns. to 4gns.; one-shear Southdown rams, Ugns.. 2gns., 21g.ns., 2Jgns., 3gns., 33gns., 4gns. to 4?,gns.