LIVESTOCK MARKET.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2211, 11 March 1886, Page 2

LIVESTOCK MARKET.

Messrs H. Matson and Co. report on the live stock markets, &c„ for the week ending Thursday, March 4, 1886, as follows Yesterday's sheep sale at Addington was rather above the average of late in point of numbers, though it was more in stores than butchers' lines that the increase teok place. In the quality of latter considerable variation was notice- V able, the major portion of the entry consisting of lightweights, aged swfss, and secoud class lots, prime cross-bred wethers being; comparatively-;; scarce. Owing, probably to this cause,tWo was just a slight improvement in the tone of the marked for the best lines; but it cannot be said, that the demand, for other descriptions exhibited any .change or alteration from the exceptionally low rates lately ruling. If any evidence were wanted of the scarcity of feed in the country, and the inability' of owners to hold anything like.their usual quantity of stock through the coming' winter, it ig plainly proved by the fact of such a comparatively large number of half-fat cattle being put on the market in face of the unprecedently low values now current for tliosame. While some extra few good •wethers sold yesterday up to as high as 9s and 10s, a number of sheep, notably light weight 2-tooth cross-bred wethers, • were taken by the trade at about Gs and (is lid per head; aged cross-bred owes, 4i and upwards. The best wether mutton may be quoted up to l|d per lb, other i classes at l|d. • itt In storo Bheep, there'' were offered than for many 1 weeks past, aged ' lines and cross-bred lambs predominating. The result of the sale fully bore out our remarks above—tint it must have been * necessity for want of feed which induped owners to send their stock' forward and " dispose of the same at such ruinous prices as were current on Wednesday. Really > good well-gpwn lines of crosß-bred lamb's sold at from 3s to 3a Gd; merino wether§ ■ from Is 7d to 3s 3d, the latter pripe being ' for three-quarter fat sheep; two-too.tli :: cross bred ewes at 5s id; and aged ; | cross-bred ewe 3 at Is sd, Is lid, &c. T/re fat lamb season is now pretty well p,ver, ■ and each succeeding week there are buyers operating at the salei bo that it is difficult to get over 5s per Head for fairly good trade lines, an occassional shipp'or now and then paying an additional lq or Is Cd per head for the. pick of the market, 'n beef tho entry was but a modern oiiej including some few fairly good quality, though the major poiftoji p«. second-rate.' There was the u?'ual attendance during the sale, b«t prices weje un- fl| altered from last weelt's quotations—m,' 18sto 18s'6dper 1001b,according to ftS' scription, '' ' ■ The store cattle taarket continues tp, bp governed by the same'dull and'jnaninjatii trade whic|i..l\as characterised its proceed ings for many weeKs past,' At the com' menceiipt of the aqction tliere if fTfraie attendance pf those inf«reste(l, b\it lpw prices only induce them. to.qperate. ■ With beef at 17a (Jd and little oi 50 feed in the country, and with winter close'""'' oin thiis be 'wondered at J We

scarcely tlunk so. Thoro 13 0110 excoptioivhowover, to thesu remarks which fflwanMbo overlooked, viz., stock, whRtMS ut tho present ' timo is in ssrong demand. The price of butter has risen considerably of late, hence tho desire to acquire good dairy ■ cows, which may tie quoted up to £8 and £9 for really first-class springers or fresh calved cows; medium sorts £5 upwards. ' In pigs thoro was a fairly largo entry, and if tho sale was not quite as dragging as in sheep and cattle, prices were certainly not vory tempting. Good strong wellgrown slips sold at from 13s' to lGs; medium sizes, 7s to 8s Gd ; others, but % 'till of sufficient size to make good stubW Mors, 5s to Gd.