Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-23
LIVE STOCK REVIEW
OF THE PAST WEEK
(From Saturdays Daily

Chicago, Dec. 20.-In cattle and hogs
this week an excessive supply has been
received and the market closes in de-
moraliZed state, hand weight cattle ex-
cepted. The movement Of sheep has
been less than anticipated for the
week but prices nevertheless show the
biggest decline of all stuff on hoof. The
extreme top of 1925 of last week failed
to hold and closing prices are from %
to 30c under that.
The unofficial figures for hogs this
week total 1885, 900 the largest since 1913
being almost 1000 in excess Of last
week. and some 10000 greater than a
year ago. - a., ..,. .-
Chicago for some time past has been
relatively higher on hogs than the Mis-
souri, river markets and this may &C
count in part to the excessive move
ment, though indications point toward
desire to reduce feed bills as more
prime factor for the enormous arrivals
With this over-suEply Of porkers, pack
ers have had things their own way and
only occasional strong spots have been
noted Throughout the week.
Handy Weight Cattle Strong.
Killers have shown evidence Of their
reeds this week for fancy beef and
have not hesitated to pay a premium
price. Yearlings> under 1000 as we'll as
heifers around tf1at-weight with a good
finish have been easy sellers at a ready
demand commanding as high as $10.25
and good many bringing from 500 to
1915. The lesser grades however were
less fortunate and show a decline this
week.
1t was another case of short beer
steer runs west and this helped to give
the local trade decent tone, though
there were fair supplies east. In the
east, however, fat cattle are forming a
short quota Of the current receipts, and
with few Canadians crossing the line,
the eastern shippers are compelled to
make Chicago their fat beef headquar-
ters. Argentina beef is moving into N eW
York In fair Volume. however, and
every carcass Of that stuff there takes
the place Of one that would otherwise
come here,
Christmas Demand Over.
That there will be more Of these
fancy prices this year no buyers asser-
ton. Christmas demands are now filed
and the trade looks for a decided drop
In top prices next week, though 1t IS
only reasonable to expect conspicu-
Gus absence of fancy goods then and
thereafter for months. Short feds will
predominant for a long time to come,
and the fact that high priced corn is
worrying feeders and also that many
of them have corn supplies far snort or
normal will probably mean free
movement Of light and middle weight
short corn eaters.
Volume of general business in feeder
trade is moderate, since no very big
proportion of the receipts this week
has comprised feeder cattle. Still, there
are fully enough here for the country
demands. Not much Of a call is coming
from the east, it being mainly a demand
from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. West
ern inquiry is light and there are few
Michigan buyers in the trade.
AS compared with last weeks closing
most Of the COW stuff above cutter class
with the possible exception of the lew
prime corn fed cows coming, shows q
15@25c decline from late last week, a
loss that has also been effected on the
major Of the medium and plain killing
heifers, while choice to prime fed heif-
ers Of handy weight and especially the
yearling kinds which were Of strong to
higher sale early in the week, are clos
ing on much the same price levels as
week ago. Gamers and cutters have
not shown the declines quoted on the
medium to good butcher cows, but have
moved to sluggish demand through
out and most Of them are selling lit
tie lower than a week ago.
Bull trade has been good. Some of
the medium priced bolognas and COM
mon light bulls on the canning order as
Well as stocker grades cashed at close
to steady prices, but lot Of heavy
bulls, both big weight bolognas and
plain fat class weighing upwards OF
1900 lbs, were laying around on which
bids were hard to get The market
shows very irregular basis of prices
as compared with late last week.
Calves have been in ample supply
this week and while prices are steady
on choice class the heavier stock Is
about 10W25c under last week. The
extreme high this week was $il.25
compared with $11.50 On last Saturday,
the bulk of the fancy however failed to
reach Sill. About s10.25M10.75 is bet
ter basis for the bulk.
Heavy calves are quoted at $50 6.T5,
compared with $5.50@7 last Saturday,
or 75c to 81 from last week. The unOf-
fetal receipts this week are 5000 in ex-
cess of expectations for the week and
about 5000 greater than last week, the
total this week being $1,000 head.
Prices in comparison are: Choice to
prime steers and yearlings selling at
sSS5m96O last Saturday brought s91
@10.25 yesterday; medium to good
steers sS@S.65 the close last week are
off 10@15c for the week and closed at
$7.S5@S50 inferior to ordinary steers
have q wider range than the close last