VALUES AT ADDINGTON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 11

VALUES AT ADDINGTON

SLIGHT RECOVERY EVIDENT IMPROVED DEMAND FOR STORE SHEEP I Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 1. There was a slight recovery in values at the weekly stock market at Addington to-day, partly because of smaller yardings. This recovery, in the store sheep pens, was due to some extent to the promise of rain which however, has not materialised.

There wasj an improved demand for store sheep, both lambs and ewes hardening. Lamb prices were somewhat unexpected, but possibly a factor was that the entries have been exceedingly heavy during the last few weeks and as a good few light lambs have been sent to the works there may not be so many about as was expected. However, the sale was a buoyant one for the comparatively small entry of about 2000 and values were fully Is a head better than a week ago and the better classes more. Good rape lambs sold to 14s, with average 10s to 12s 6d. Ewes also met a freer demand than a week ago and were bettei- than the Amberley fair parity. A feature of the sale was the entry of a line oi two-tooth Romney ewes from South Otago, which made 32s 3d. Best twotooths sold up to 245, and others to 17s 3d, and the better of soundmouth at up to 13s 6d. In the fat lamb section there was little change in values for better class lambs, butchers paying more than schedule and competing keenly for quality pens. The export schedule remained unaltered at 7»d and the works operated freely. Seconds suffered badly and there were several pens of this class that sold near 6d a lb. The yarding totalled about 1500, compared with 2000 last week. The fat sheep entry was slightly less than 5000—a few less than last week. There was a fair showing of quality wethers and the comparatively small entry lor the second week in succession was reflected by an improvement in values. In the early part of the sale best butchers' ewes sold at Is to Is 6d a head better and wethers by Is better than last week’s rates, but lighter sorts, both ewes and wethers, were inclined to ease. The market generally slackened as the sale progressed, although wethers were gain in improved demand at the end of the sale. Freezing ewes generally were about 6d a head cheaper. Extra prime heavy methers to 24s 7d, prime heavy 21s to 22s 6d, prime medium ISs to 20s 6d, light to 16s 6d; extra prime heavy ewes to 17s 7d, prime heavy 13s 6d to 15s 6d, prime medium Ils 6d to 13s, light to Bs. A substantial drop in the entry of fat cattle enabled the beef market to steady to some extent. The total forward was 445, compared with 510 last week. Quality was very mixed and not up to recent standards. Some good drafts of well-bred Herefords and Black Polls were included, but aged and inferior cows formed a big proportion of the total. The heavy entry last week caused a sharp decline and to-day the price remained at about last week’s level to a shade better for good quality, with inferior sorts inclined to be still weaker. There were a few cases of particularly good medium weight steers selling at up to 35s per 1001 b., but the bulk of the better beef kept round about 30s to 325. Cows failed to reach the £5 mark in numerous cases. Extra prime heavy steers sold to £l5 2s 6d, prime heavy £l2 15s to £l3 15s, prime medium £lO 15s to £l3 15s, ordinary £8 to £lO ss; extra prime heifers to £lO 2s 6d, prime £8 10s to £9 10s, medium £6 10s to £B, light to £6 ss, ppme cows £6 10s to £8 12s 6d, medium £5 to £6, light and aged to £4 10s. At the beginning of the fat pig sale there was only a medium entry of porkers but with late arrivals the total was one of the largest this year. For the first three races values were on a parity with those of last week but for the remainder of tire sale an easing of 2s to 4s took place. Choppers were in fairly heavy supply and again met a good sale. The bacon entry was the largest so far this year, between 400 and 450 being penned. Values from the outset were 3s to 4s easier than last week and remained so throughout the auction. Porkers 42s 6d to 55s 6d, average price per lb. 6-ld to id; baconers 05. s 6d to £4 2s 6d .average price per lb. 53d to 61d; choppers £3 3s 6d to £5 6s.