Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

Understanding off big supply from
the country and also stimulating q
broader demand The inquiry Is still
Michigan, but rather liberal crop of
good light steers went into Ohio in re-
cent days. Philadelphia and other east
ern cities, however. have taken only a
small crop. The top this week was $S.15
for best feeders.
Receipts Falling OF.
How persistently western cattle re-
ceipts are shrinking Is indicated by the
fact that the six principal points have
received since January l only 1850, 900
head, against 100000 last year, 3.005,-
900 in 1912 and 3,393,000 in 1911, when
impending scarcity was ridiculed. Fort
Worth, which few weeks ago had So
900 to the good, compared with last
year, is now rolling up deficiency.
The June Texas run having been far
below expectancy:
Kansas City's shortage, compared
with the same period last year, is now
in excess. Of 100000 and promises to
increase, as less southern stuff went
into Kansas and Oklahoma pastures
than year ago. Existing shortage In
southwestern territory Is indicated by
the fact that Kansas City had only g.
900 cattle today, against 5000 year
ago, while ST. Joseph reported but 700,
against 2000S or the corresponding day
of 1913. year ago st. Louis had 5000
against $500 today. Omaha had 1000,
against $500 a year ago. The whole
situation is anything but beefy and
looks less so with each succeeding
week. After Pennsylvania cattle have
been run and the 'stiller crop has gone
into killers hands. good beef promises
Is 10 Vx,oc h,SyI ov q nj
year.
Big long-fed bullocks are gradually
dropping into an inconspicuous minor
ity and the trade has an impression
that feed lots have been all but depict
ed Of that kind. or course the relatively
few makers Of standard bullocks who
feed out regardless Of market condi-
tons or cost Of corn. will treat their
cattle in the usual manner, but the
rank and file Of operators have been
cashing in persistently under the In
centive Of high cost Of feed and lack Of
confidence in the summer and fall mar
ket owing to what happened last year
and the appropriately Of the heavy steer
in beef circles. Unless decided paucity
Of big cattle registers in July, August
and September, many people in the
trade are wrong in their reckoning. A
short corn crop never has filled the
stock yards with fat bullocks during
that period and it is unlikely that the
rule will be reversed this year. Deter
mination not to continue the pound
making process has been accumulated
by the slumpy markets Of April and
May.
Dry Weather Checked.
Alarm over dry weather in parts Of
sided and elsewhere grass is in good
condition. Over last weeks parched
area rain has fallen copiously and
neither at Kansas City nor st. Louis
are signs Of liquidation to be detected
this week. Just a year ago not only
parts of Illinois and practically all
Missouri and Kansas were in the
throes Of drought, but Texas was
short Of feed and was dumping low
dressing steers into the hopper at the
southwestern markets in price demor-
alizing manner. The drought had then
been running six weeks in many locali-
ties and the market was demoraliZed
in consequence. During the correspond
ing week Of 1913 steer values dropped
So 60 soc per cwt and the market for
Texas and light native stuff was shot
to pieces. That drought ran along un-
til Kansas was all but depleted Of cat
tie and a shortage of feed created that
made present fat cattle scarcity inevi-
table.
On supply basis present fat cattle
values ought to be on a much higher
level, in fact the spread between cheap
and high dressing steers has been IL
logically narrow all through the sea-
son, but generous eastern crop Of cat
tie, a deplorable Industrial situation
and lot Of Argentina and Australian
beef have all been bearish influences.
A year ago choice cattle were selling at
80, but $7.7568.50 took most Of the
crop.
The yearling has done pretty good
stunt this week. There has been ready
sale for little cattle eligible to bids
above 1925 and while cheaper grades
have sold slow. there has been an out
let for everything. Most Of the yearlings
are coming mixed as to sexes, and $50
S.65 has bought many of them. Where
ever possible, ;lnripe yearlings should
be held back and given an effective
corn crib cross. A tat yearling always
has better chance Of getting over the
scales than one in stocker condition.
A dry weather run Of cattle threaten
ed last week has been suspended by
timely rains in the parched area. So
serious was pasture deterioration in
some parts of Missouri that cattle
were shipped to Kansas grass. The last
thing the trade desires at1this juncture
is flood Of grassy or. dried out cattle.
Already enough of them have been
thrown overheard to affect prices adj
versely and steers selling below 1925
are bad handlers. Kansas pasturemen
are in optimistic mood as a drought
broken in June is usually followed by
adequate moisture.
Local receipts this week are less than
10000, a few less than last week, and
1900 less than year ago. Character
of supply denotes not unreasonable