Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-03
BEGINNING OF LENT PROMPTS
CAUTION IN SHIPMENTS At
INTERIOR POINTS.
HOGS SELL UP IS CENTS,
BULK At $3.50 TO s7.65
Cattle and Sheep Trade Steady to
Strong, Supplies Being About Suited
conditions-current Quotations at
Livestock centers.

was about suited to the trade require
ments. less than 1880 cars being
scheduled to arrive. Hogs We're cents
higher, selling largely at S76007.65.
Receipts Of hogs at the Chicago stock
yards last week totaled 10000, or 900
less than the previous week, 27,700 less
than a year ago and $500 more than
the corresponding week two years ago.
Estimated week weight of hogs at
Chicago last week was 227 pounds, or
one pound heavier than the previous
week, eleven pounds heavier than the
same week year ago and two pounds
lighter than the corresponding week
two years ago. Hogs only averaged 204
pounds the corresponding week in 1909.
Top hogs at Chicago last week made
$3.50. or 1919 cents higher than the
previous week, sl.40, higher than a
year ago and 80 cents lower than two
years ago. Average price last week
figured s7.62, or Il cents higher than
the previous week. sl.41 higher than
the same week last year and cents
higher than the corresponding week
two years ago, when the range OF prices
was wider than at present.
Nearly $4,000 hogs were received at
eleven markets Saturday, making 6ls,-
coo for the lost. or 1900 less than the
previous week. 1900 more than a year
ago, and $4,000 more than two years
ago. Total supply for 1918 to date ag-
gregated 2,691,0OO, or $4,000 less than
the same period in 1912 and $4,000
,l1a
1911.
Cattle.
Cattle and other branches Of the
trade were steady to strong. The be-
ginning OF Lent this week doubtless
prompted caution in loading at inter
ior points.
The opening of Lent next W. lnesday
should serve as another argument Tor
conserving beef supplies on the farms
rather than shooting them into the
market when it is reasonably certain
there will be restricted demand in
many quarters.
The narrow spread between good AMI
choice steers and the plain and good
kinds certainly serves as some logical
reason for holding back the runs until
the quality kinds are able to get more
killer appreciation, but in many quar-
tiers the belief exists that price spread
will continue narrow for many weeks
because of the big feeding of all grades
of cattle now that corn is cheap. KILL
ing percentages are bound to be much
better in the next few weeks than in
corresponding periods a year ago. and
usually when the general run OF steers
dress out we'll the cheaper and medium
priced grades get relatively better
favor from slaughterers than the long
fed sorts.
The past week, however, the lower
priced grads have done we'll to hold
their own with a week ago in view OF
the Indifferent packer demand for them.
Killers have claimed the cheaper priced
steers showed poorer dressing percent
ages than in recent weeks. and in con-
sequence were costing relatively more
than right good grades, but the fact
that feeder buyers have taken fairy
liberal quota Of the 1000-lb and bigger
cattle was a force in checking packer
bearish attitude toward these classes
General quality Of supplies continues
to run merely fair. a short quota OF
long feds having been had this week,
and same was true OF all during Janu-
airy, indicating that comparatively few
owners of long-fed beeves oyerstayed
the market. The high prices OF Novem-
Der and early December attracted the
bulk of weighty fat steers in the coun-
try and for period Of many weeks
ahead no very liberal percentage OF
these grades is looked for.
This seasons crop is q hurriedly
made sort the feeders having cost high
and with cheap corn and wonderful
crop Of roughage availa BILE, policy is &c
feed full rations and crowd the cattle
along to good beef flesh in the mini
mum space Of time. This accounts fol
the big percentage of medium to jus,
pretty good steers now coming ant
likewise is responsible for the narrow
snraad in values while ideal beef max
ing weather is another factor working
for good weight gains in feed yards.
That the market can get along nicely
on a light run this week is the hrn
belief Of traders. and surely the SINAI
gains in prices last week where noteC
should not serve as an inducement fol
liberal shipping in face Of the probable
weakness in demand consequent to the
I,enten seasons opening. Beef at retail
fails to come down in cost proportion
ate to the decline for steers from higf
point of the winter, and Until the re-
tail butchers are willing to pass pros
perity around" but cutting cost to the
consumers there can hardly be ex-
pected any very generous demand fol
beef, and especially as long as pork ant
mutton remain relatively cheaper.
Sheep.
Chicago sheep and lamb receipts las
! week total only about $4,000 head
against 95,ss1 the previous week ant
11t.13o year ago. The six-marke
supply foots up $4,000 for the week, o.
| 81 900 less than the previous and s5,OO'
| less than a year ago.
| Feeding stock at market centers u
practically not to be had. The grea
| bulk Of the supplies is coming in Gle
sirable killing flesh and killers. hav
been taking light fieshed and Gull EN-"
all winter at prices relatively close t
top classes, giving country buyers D
feeders access to almost nothing. tn
s7.50mS.1O has been readily paid tn
pas. week for the few fairly decent tt
good feeding lambs that feeder buyer
| could get to.