Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-08-10
Allg10-31
MARKET LETTER

The stockgrowers of the West are
vitally concerned with the crop situa-
ton in the feeding states and espec-
tally at this time will be interested
in the t lowing brief summary of con-
ditions now prevailing in Nebraska,
Iowa, Illinois, northern Missouri, and
the territory which looks to Omaha
and western markets for it's supplies
o. feeder cattle and sheep.
Harvesting of small grain will soon
be over and yields are running better
than early estimates indicated. The
VI eat crop is better than the aver
age fer the past several years. Oats
is$a good crop and in some sections
there will be bumper yields Prairie
hay will be more plentiful, while the
supply of alfalfa promises to be the
largest for many years. Corn, while
generally backward a month ago, is
in growth nearly up to the average
for this season of the year and the
present condition is highly satisfact-
DRY. Wi favorable weatherfrom now
on there will be more corn in these
s ates, than there has been in recent
years
Every one of the states mentioned
is ser.ocsly short of all classes of
cat lie, due to drouthy conditions of
last year curtailing the feed supply
and to the severest winter in many
years. which forced the marketing
of thousands of cattle during the
w'n ter months which otherwise would
have been in pastures this summer
for feeding out the coming fall and
win er Prospective high prices for
meat foods next year will fIrurally
s imulate feeding operations and,
coupled wi h the prospects for plenty
of feed, will insure heavy demand
at western markets for cattle and
sheep. Last year there were sold
to country buyers at South Omaha
nearly 100000 feeder cattle and more
than 1900, 900 feeder sheep. If sup
plies are available it is safe to pre-
dict that this number will be exceed
ed this year. Range cattle and
sheep will come to market in good
flesh, in consequence of which there
wi he greater competition for Of
ferings am ng packers and feeder buy
ers espeC tally at those markes which
enjoy a heavy feeder trade. The
outlc ok is therefore encouraging to
the man who will have cattle or
sheep to market tbs fall.i
Regarding the situation the follow
ing extracts are quoted from re-
cent issue of the Breeders Gazette:
Eat the inception of the feeder
season mutton finishers are con-
cerned about prices. The west
ern lamb crop is undoubtedly short,
thin cattle are scarce and sheep
feeders have had a profitable season.
Iowa will be heavier purchaser than
ever before and Missouri, practically
out of business last year owing to
drowth, will be a contender.
Omaha. Ten years ago neither
Iowa or M ssouri was factor in the
feeding sheep market. The main rea
son a higher feeder market is pre-
dicted is the fact that the light end
of the western movement will be
small and packers will buy every
thing fit to kill. With a short lamb
crop and an abundance Of feed the
West will send mutton, not thin stock
to market. The east is no longer
the only market open to the west
ern breeder for thin sheep and lambs
Feeder trade has barely opened yet,
mainly because little is available,
but Michigan buyers are already op-
Grating at Missouri River markets
and a scramble is not improbable
little later on"