Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-07
SMALLEST HOG MOVEMENT IN OVER A
YEAR HELPS IN RAISING LIMITS

This shipment also includes a lot of
I case goods This stuff will reach New
York about the time hot wea ther sets
in and distribution may be difficult. "A
Philadelphia soup manufacturer has
contracted lot of this product and
such trade may take care of It.
Lancaster. Pa, advises that killers
buyers are looking over cattle in east
FERN Pennsylvania feed lots, but that
bids arc low and feeders show no dls'
position to cut loose. Stock cattle were
put in high last fall and current prices
Will not let feeders out whole, In TACT
most bids have been 50M75c below a
break even basis. BY the middle OF
April, however, Pennsylvania cattle
will be running freely. furnishing west
ern stuff considerable competition.
During May and June the big end of
the Pennsylvania crop will move and
there will be & delegation Of stragglers
to cash in March.
Argentina competition next week
will be heavier than any time since the
tariff came off the imports on the way
being Of new record volume, $4,000
quarters OF beef. which left Argentina
p little over two weeks ago, being due
to hit the market in holy week. when
beef demand is naturally at low ebb.
Much Of this crop will doubtless be
carried over for the following week s
trade, and this should have influence
In checking the fresh demand next
week for other than the choicest grade
steers.
Back in March 1889 the top price on
cattle was $4S5 and s3.50m4.25 bought
steers by the thousand. This condition
is evidently What the retailer fondly
hoped would fe restored when foreign
beef was admitted free, but the hope is
dying unfruitioned
Wholesale Prices are Lowered.
Beef prices at wholesale have been
marked down point in the local trade,
No. ! and No. 2 ribs being quoted now
at 151ac and 141sc, respectively, Nc
drop from early this week. while No. I
and No 2 loins at 221ac and 17kc, re-
spectively. also showed this decline,
and No. ! chucks, too, were hc lower,
the other cuts remaining stationary in
price, but all are claimed to be getting
very short demand. Eastern beef
trade reports were still unfavorable.
though the fact that small quota Of
beef has gone there recently should not
have proved as big burden as heavy
supplies a short time ago, and any lit
tie Improvement in the industrial sit
uation which would strengthen con-
sumers' purchasing power ought to
have effect in crea ting stronger sit
uation in the market.
If trade conditions were normal the
moderate cattle supply reaching Chi
cago this week would have found a
good reception, but so many adverse
influences are effective at present that
the patients case is puzZling. Pack
ers content themselves with the ex-
PLANTATION that beef is not entering dis
tributive channels with oldtime facility,
consequently they are unable to sustain
cattle values. For the first time In
market history cattle cost is high dur
ing a period Of industrial depression.
beef prohibitive. What influence
Argentine importations have exerted
IS open to dispute. but limited demand
for domestic product is due mainly
to an unsatisfactory industrial condi-
ton.
An unprecedented boom in values of
pure bred beef cattle is now in pro-
gress all over the United States. Cur
rent sales are realizing 100 per cent
more than was possible two years ago.
A 20 per cent advance has been re-
corded this year. Western ranchmen
are buying bulls that will not be need
ed for service before midsummer in
anticipat ton Of inability to satisfy their
requirements at the usual time. All
breeds are participating in the ad-
vance and many breeders who sold out
early in January are making strenuous
efforts to replace herds. Thousands
of bulls are going into Texas. Arizona,
and New Mexico, and other thousands
will be required for the northwest
The 1913 calf crop In the corn belt
has already disappeared and the 1914
crop will be contracted before weaving
time. Only year ago registered bulls
were fetching s2Oo625O per head.
Herds that were a liability two years
ago are now earning so per cent divi-
dends annually.
7. F. B. Sotham. the American au-
thorty on Hereford cattle, predicts a
sharp appreciation in values of female
stock, as the whole country is imbued
with determination to get back into
cattle. The Chicago office of the
American Shorthorn association is
recording over 400 pedigrees daily and
is six weeks behind in it's work
Arrivals Of cattle this week are about
within the estimates Of 10000 against
1861 for the Same period a year ago.
The top this week is soc below that of
a year ago.
Hog Movement CurtaiIed
Arrivals of porkers this week at the
Chicago yards is the lightest since
October. 1912. excepting the five days
run for July s. last year. The prelrn-
mary estimate was placed at $4,000
for the week though only about $4,000
showed up against 167.SO1 for the
same period a year ago and 92.722 for
the week ending October %. 1912, and
90,1G2 for the five Gays ending July 5,
last year.
March receipts of hogs. a about 544,-
600 were around 10000 smaller than
in February close to 1890 smaller
than in January and over $4,000 be-
low the total Of last December, being
smallest monthly total since last July.
The total was close to $4,000 smaller
than in March, 1913. there being only
one March smaller since 1903.
While receipts were Of small pro-
portions, the average weight-around
2S3 lbs was heaviest since last Au-
gust, nearly 10 lbs heavier than for
February and I lbs lighter than in
March IS.
During past month prices were COM
paratively steady with opening and
closing quotations for the month, only
2ac apart. Best sold opening day at
$50. with the average $3.50, while the
closing day the top was $S.671a and
/; erage $s.51. March 10 50 was paid
and the first Thursday of the month
$3.50 was top, being high and low days.
Hog Values Slightly Higher.