The Daily Missoulian., 1912-08-05
SUMMARY OF CROP
CONDITIONS
INF FORMATION FROM THE FEED.
ING STATES OF INTEREST
TO srockcRowERs.

The stockgrowers of the west are
.Vftally concerned with the crop situa-
tion In the feeding states and espe-
cially at this time Will be Interested
IN the following brief sufHmary Of con-
ditions now prevailing IN Nebraska,
Iowa, Illinois. northern Missouri and
the territory which looks to Omaha and
western markets for Its supplies of
feeder cattle and sheep.
Harvesting of small grain will soon
be over and yields are running better
than early estimates Indicated. The
wheat crop is better than the average
Tor the past several years. Oats IL 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 he the largest for
many years. Corn. while generally
backward Il month ago. Is In growth
nearly up to the average for this sea-
son or the year and the present con-
ditlon IL highly satisfactory. with
favorable weather from now on there
VIII be more corn In these states than
there has been IN recent years.
Every one Of the states mentioned Is
seriously short of all classics of cattle.
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 winter months which
otherwise would have been In pastures
TINS summer for feeding out the com
ing fall and winter Prospective high
prices Tor meat foods next year will
naturally stimulate feeding operations
ana. coupled with the prospects for
plenty of feed. will insure heavy de-
mand 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
100000 feeder sheep. IT supplies are
available II Is safe TO predict that this
number will be exceeded this year.
Range cattle and sheep will come to
market In good flesh. In consequence OF
which there Will be greater competition
for offerings among packers and feed
er buyers. especially at those markets
which enjoy n heavy feeder trade The
outlook is therefore. encouraging to
the man who viii have cattle or sheep
to market this fail.
Regarding the situation the follow
ing extracts are quoted from n recent
issue of the Breeders Gazette:
AT the inception of the feeder sea-
son mutton iinishers are concerned
about prices. The western lamb crop
Is undoubtedly short, thin cattle are
scarce and sheep feeders have had n
profitable season. Iowa will be II
heavier purchaser than ever before
and Missouri. practically out of buA-
ness last year. owing to drouth, will
again be contender at Omaha. Ten
years ago neither Iowa nor Missouri
was factor in the feeding sheep
market - sts The main rea-
son higher feeder market is pre-
dicted Is the fact that the light end of
tie western movement will be small
and packers will buy everything fit to
Kill. With short lamb crop and an
abundance Of feed the west will send
mutton. not thin stock to market. The
east IL no longer the only market
open To the western breeder for thin
sheep and lambs. Feeder trade has
barely opened yet mainly because lit
tie is available, but Michigan buyers
are already operating nj Missouri river
markets and scramble Is not i'm
probable little later on"