ADDINGTON MARKETS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 16 October 1942, Page 4

ADDINGTON MARKETS

RAXGK OF PRICES Christchurch. Oct. 14 Fat cattle advanced by about to a head at to-day'. Addington market, prices being the highest for some years. Entries generally were small in other sections and prices were firmer. Im- : proved feed conditions resulted in a small yarding of store sheep numbering , about 2000. against 4000 last week. The j yarding was mainly confined to shipped lour, six and eight-tooth wethers, which were offered in belter cider than the : previous consignment and sold readily from 22s Gd to 235. A few pen.- of good Romney ewe hoggets sold readily from 2Gs to 40s. Ewes and iambs were also in short supply and they sold at from 14s to 18s. all counted. The fat sheep entry was slightly larger than usual, but there was again a good sale. Eight hundred shipped shorn wethers were included. Both ewes and wethers increased in price on last week's rates by 3s a head: best wethers 45s to 50s. tops to 555: medium 39s to 445; best shorn to 40s: prime woolly ewes 38s to 435, tops 51s: medium 30s to 345. Fat cattle showed the smallest entry for some years, numbering 262 head, and this resulted in a record sale. The quality was not as good as in recent weeks, much of the yarding being on the plain side and apparently the tailend of drafts which have been in steady supply for some time. The mild winter no doubt enabled many steers to be sent forward which ordinarily would be held over till later for finishing off, and the improved feed conditions in the last week have encouraged graziers to hold on lor a little longer. An advance of about £3 a head was recorded all round. Best beef sold at from 57s to 60s 1001 b; special to 625; medium to good 53s to 565: heavy to 52s 6d: inferior to 435. One line of 19 steers averaged 1126 2s fid. and another of 15 averaged L 24 17s. There was a medium yarding of porkers. and prices showed a slight decrease of from 2s to 4s a head, with the average price a lb 9*.d to lid. Choppers were also in medium supply and values ranged from £3 10s to £5 3s fid. being easier by 5s to 10s a head. The yarding in the bacon section was smaller than usual. Competition was exceedingly keen and prices showed a further rise of about 5s a head, ranging from £4 19s 6d to £7 Is; average Bid to lOd a lb.—P.A.