Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02
SHEEP MARKET
OVERCROWDED
Sheep Receipts for the Month Ending
November goth the Heaviest Ever
Known in Chicago.
THE OUTLOOK is FLATTERING
The American Sheep Breeder Takes
Roseate View of the Situation
Scab Must be E~radicated.

Receipts for the four weeks ended
Nov. 20 foot up the enormous total
of, in round numbers, 100000, or
about $4,000 more than arrived dur
ing the corresponding period a month
ago. 1t has been one OF the heaviest
months business In the history of
this market. Prices, naturally, have
been forced sharply downward by
sheer weight of numbers, although
the market has been in healthy con-
dition, and the decline on the whole,
Is less than might have reasonably
been expected under the tremendous
supply. A comparison of current
prices with those ruling a month ago
shows the following result:
Choice western wethers are IS to 40
cents lower; choice western year
lings, steady; western ewes, 10 cents
lower; fat western lambs, Is to rs
cents lower; fat native wethers, 20 10
80 cents lower; fat native ewes, 10
cents lower; fat native lambs, 40
cents lower; western feeding sheep
rs to 40 cents lower; feeding year
lings, Is to 20 cents lower; feeding
lambs, rs to SO cens lower. Follow
ing are present ruling quotations:
Choice western (export) wethers So.
so to s3.75; fair to good western weth
ers. $3.50 to $3.50; choice western
yearlings, s4.15 to $4.25; fair to good
$3.75 to 81; good to choice western
ewes, 1910 to $3.50; good to choice
western lambs, SASS to $5.25; choice
native wethers, $500 to $3.75; choic,
native ewes. 1925 to $685.; fair t
good native ewes, SO to 1910: choic
fat native lambs, s5.25 to $3.50; fai
to good native lambs, SASS to $5.l0
western feeding sheep, SO to 1925
feeding yearlings, $685. to $3.50
choice feeding lambs, $40 to $3.50
fair to good feeding lambs, $3.50 I
s4.25.
J The sheep outlook is more flattel
ing for the feeder. Australia is stiI
out of the business, the wool marke
is strong. big operators are shy an
! the country is eating mutton as
never did before. Chicago receive
nearly 10000 sheep last week an
not one failed to find a buyer. Las
night killers did not possess a lv
sheep, mutton going into consumptiv
channels as fast as 1t can be dressed
The range season Is nearly over an
; native stocks are about cleaned NJ
the fee lot being the only apparer
source of supply. About a millio
l sheep are on feed in various parts
the country and these constitute tn
. visible winter supply of mutton
I Chicago American.
The above estimate of the numbe
: of sheep on feed is altogether to
| modest. If there are not two mi
!, lions, or two and a quarter million
! of sheep and lambs now feeding b.
= tween the foothills and the lowe
d lakes we have kept tab on the shee
movement to no purpose. But eve
: this number does not necessarily pr,
| sage an o~verstocked or heavy mutto
and lamb market for the next fv
months. At the present rate of col
: sumption, the mutton eaters of tn
country will two millio
sheep and lambs long before tn
southwestern grassfeds can reach tn
. market. We have come to be a mu
ton eating people and there are eight
millions Of us to feed. and this Shee
Breeder cordially entertains the b,
lief that there will never again be
, %surfeit of good mutton and lamb /
the American MARKETED.