Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-08


most conspicuous feature of the beef
cattle trade has been the small per-
centage of choice steers and oxen.
New England farmers have sold the
greater part Of their choice cattle
and have done little to replace them,
because of the high cost of feed.
There has been large supply of
cows for teof as during much of the
time poor COWS brought more for
beef than fonHmiIkf production. The
receipts Of these cows were especial
ly heavy during the fail, New York
supplying the greater part The
scarcity of steers and oxen made "a
good demand for choice beef cows.
and those sold we'll and sat compare
lively high figures At the opening
of the year choice cattle We're quoted
at about ne. from which level they
declined somewhat, but soon recov-
cred, and advanced quite steadily up
To the close of the year, when really
fancy cattle sold at &C., and No.
cattle at ~ and Sl2c. Occasionally
cattle nave been received that have
brought as high as Toe, but these
were premium stock. and the price
was above the quotable market. Beef
cows have ranged from Az and 6lsc
for the best quality. with some few
extra good COWS mp to &c. Bolognas
and Gamers have been in good sup
ply during&most of the year. but have
sold rather above the average for
1911.
The receipts Of sheep and lambs
We're the heaviest since 1904, being
over $4,000 in excess of the figures
for 1911. This has been the case in
other markets also. and the receipts
of sheep and lambs in Chicago brok =
all records. Prices have ruled low.
as compared with other classes of
stock, and the market during much of
the year was over supplied Sheep
have ranged from , to 712c.. and
/ lambs from to S13c., the high fig
ures being recorded in April. The
high price of beef turned the public
to lamb to a greater extent. and
helped to sustain the price of the
latter.
Hogs were in smaller supply.
though the decrease from the figures
of 1911 was only about 10000. Prices
averaged higher than during 1911,
and the low figures of that year were
not reached in 1912. The low level
for the past year was at the begin
ming. when the market was from 6
to csc. from which it advanced TO
81 to 9hc., early in October. with
subsequent reaction. Drovers report
that New England farmers have few
hogs left, as they have been market
ing young pigs as we'll as matured
hogs. Even now. with the price of
corn and other feed much lower than
ii was a year ago, the farmers are
not raising hogs to any great extent.
This doubtless will be corrected be-
fore long. and fortunately it does not
take long To restore the supply of
hogs, as they are rapid growers and
breeders.
The increase of about II 600 in the
receipts of calves was due To the fact
that farmers sold their calves rather
than raise them. which they claimed
was Improbable, either for mixers
or beef Under present conditions
however, there should be a profit in
cattle raising, and il is expected that
farmers will raise more stock than
during the past two years. Prices sof
calves have shown little change. and
more steady Good quality veal
calves have ranged from To Sc.
during the year. with extra choice
calves up to loo. and during the
greater part of the time there has
been good demand. Early in the
year there was an active agitation
against small calves. and these We're
almost unstable for a time, but they
have sold better of late. Small calves
sold at the price of the hides and
offal, and even lower in some cases,
as butchers were afraid to have them
in their possession, even though not
intended to kill for food. The de-
crease in the number of mich COWS
in Massachusetts and other states will
tend TO reduce the supply of calves.
The same causes that have served
to increase the marketing of other
lines of stock have increased the sup-
ply of milch COWS, and the differences
regarding the price of milk have
worked to the same end, number
of milk raisers having gone out of
business because they claim that they
could not make a profit at the prices
that distributors offered. Prices OF
mich cows during the greater part
of the year were comparatively low
and the demand for the ordinary cows
has been limited. Choice heavy
mixers have been in short supply,
and have sold readily at good prices.
The market has ranged from SIS to
$65 for the ordinary and good cows,
while fancy cows have brought up to
800, and in some cases higher
The cattle bureau has done It's
usual good work of inspection. OF
the cows arriving at Brighton and
WATERFOWL 1889 from outside of the
state were tested, as compared with
14,023 during 1911, and of these 36i
were condemned, as compared with
361 condemned in 1911, slightly
higher percentage, though the IN
crease was too small to be significant.
Each year gains added recognition Of
the value of these tests, and during
1912 the bureau inspected 259 cows in
the state at the request of their own
ers, as compared with only 81 in
spected during 1911. which is good
evidence that the value of the work is
appreciated.
Livestock Summary.
The, following tables are summary OF