Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-30

calves has been made this week. Good
to prime vealers are selling up to $1e53
OIL compared with $9.75110.25 the
close last Saturday; fair to good veal
ers $1O@10.50 compared with $925@
s.75 last weeks close. From the poorer
Light Hogs in Abunesr~-.
Reports are current this y eek that
the continued excessive movement OF
light weight hogs is not meeting with
the approval of the interior packers.
Large cOnsignments Of these hogs from
Iowa shippers have been received IN
Chicago with the explanation that the
Iowa packers had put a bar against the
underweight hog. While this state Of
affairs is in evidence everywhere, it is
apparently more pronounced in the
western market centGrS Growers seem
to be impatient to cash in their stock
and equally fear the spread of cholera
Eastern markets are reported as being
so short on heavy weight hogs that
they are forced to take in sows to fill
out orders. st Louis has been OVERRIDE
ding this week on hogs with Kansas
City and Omaha only about 10c unde-'
for the desirable kinds.
The fancy prices paid for roasting
pigs last week has brought about
more liberal movement this week and
prices are lower The extreme range
for a load Of 40-pound average pigs
brought $7.S5 on Tuesday but the gen.
eral trend is soc under last weeks best.
Mixed hogs bringing s7.40@760 last
Saturday closed yesterday at $7.550 1850
gain Of 10000 for the week: medium
weights-$7.55@D7 80 a week ago closed
the week at $7.75@7S5; light butchers
and shippers $7.45@7.60 last week are
quoted at $7.65@7.S5 yesterday; heavy
shippers and butchers $7.60@7.65
week ago brought $7S5@7.95 to IS yes
terday, the best advance; good heavy
packers that brought $7.50@7.65 a week
ago close the week at s7.7O@7.S5; light
weights $7.15Q7.50 a week ago compar-
ed with $7.35@7.7O yesterday; pigs, fair
to fancy brought $6.25@7.50 Friday
| compared with ss@7.40 a week ago. !
Sheep in Good Demand. &
Good demand combined with a decidar
ed curtailment of receipts brought tfs&
price Of lambs and sheep back to
level with last July and has been wes
maintained throughout the week, thS
| gain In some instances being soc above
week ago yesterday with the extreme
| top at $685. for lambs and western
wethers at Sc. Fat and feeding stuff
| however has not followed the advance
Of the finished article and prices ART
but steady and not as good an outlet.
Eastern lambs have again taken on
| lClle COloI anu d lop VI $o.Ao was L.
| corded there.
! To what extent 1913 liquidation has
reduced western sheep holdings is
problematic, but shrinkage in Montana
| and Wyoming must have been enor-
nous Many Of the big outfits have
closed out entirely. Others are not run
ming two sheep where they formerly
had FIVE This liquidation has been at J
| tribunal BILE to many causces, amonsA
which may be enumerated tight moneNol
fear Of free trade effects. contractiont
Of open range, owing to continued in-f
vasion Of settlers, disposition to get
back into cattle in consequence Of AMI
impression that beef trade is in the in
ception stage Of a boom and to evadel
| the steadily increasing cost Of flock
| care. Marketing Of eve lambs has been{
unrestrained and the manner in which
young females have been sacrificed in!
, recent years is considered q menace tor
| future supply, as it has prevented main-t
| tenance Of breeding flocks at stand-f
ard essential to insuring normal lamb
crops. While continued liquidation hasS
caused liberal receipts of old ewes and
aged wethers, the yearling has all but
disappeared from the market, save at
intervals. This liquidation is construct
by many as an indication Of abundance {
but tho public takes much the same Ell
roneous view Of the supply prospect
when western cattle were being cash
in. A rude awakening is not improbab)