Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-26

son from feed lots to pastures 10 here
If packers desire to stimulate cattle
breeding and feeding operations in the
corn belt they must make markets
more attractive tan recently. Expect
ancy among flnishers has not been re-
tlized and 8 large proportion of the
winter fattened crop Of bnllocks has
not reimbursed owners to the extent
Of the board bill. Recent depression has
created decidedly prejudicial effect
grazing operations. The country has
practically abandoned its customary
policy Of 3uying fleshy steers to put on
grass although light stockers are re-
garded as prize packages.
Chicago's total Of cattle this week
figures unofficially, 1900 or thou
sand more than estimated to arrive
and compared with 40,119 for the cor
at $3.50 Is forty cents above that of a
year ago.
Light Run Expected.
Not to exceed 1926 carloads Of fed
sheep and lambs are left at the big
feeding stations around Chicago. and
of these hardly more than 80 doubles
will be ready to come next week, while
the railroads WIFI get very little more
tonnage from the west until western
spring lambs and grass stuff start
marketward. Unless the native supply
swells up heavier than expected and
Tennessee stock runs In heavy volume
through the Louisville gateway, 1t looks
like light receipts next week, but 1t
does not appear probable ~.lat packers
will permit the lid to be Topped off the
trade again soon.
Colorado feeders are threatening not
! to buy thin lambs next fall unless they
get them dollar lower. The chances
are they will have to go the same old
price as in the past as the corn belt will
be In the market as keen competitor.
Scarcity Of stock cattle will force
Iowa to get in another strong army of
western sheep and lambs and II Mis-
souri, gets big corn crop 1t will adopt
the same policy.
The week is closing with prices on
shade to unevenly lower basis than
week ago and everything on the list
ranging from 100 40c lower than Tues
days best levels when matured lambs
and shorn sheep sold up@to the years
best levels, lambs at the best prices
paid since May, 1912.
Decline from week ago is least in
the top grades Of wooded Colorado-fed
lambs, which sold Friday within SD
10c Of last weeks closing levels. Shorn
lambs show 10@25c declines from late
dressers being off most, choice the
least. while the bulk sell 2O@40c below
last Tuesdays high spot. Spring lambs
look about 15@25c lower for the week.
Native ewes, now coming more freely,
but still below normal supply for this
time Of the year, have been hit for ESQ
35c declines this week, while 10@15c
covers the decline on wethers and
yearlings.
Declines above noted come as no
surprise to the<trade and were effected
under materially increased runs OF
southern lambs through the Louisville
gateway, a modern but seasonable In
crease Of corn-belt natives, a slump in
eastern shipping demand, following the
failure Of dressed markets to continue
to absorb the offerings at recent sharp
,, advances. and continued good move
ment to southwestern marketsIof Tex
as grass muttons
At weekend hardly to exceed 100
carloads Of fed westerns and Colorado
lambs remain at the big feeding sta
lions around Chicago and very little
more is known to be enroute from the
west or likely to develop from that
source until range grass stuff and
western lambs Of the new crop start
running. This will leave killers depend
ent to very large extent for the next
few weeks on southern springs. native
stock and southwestern grass sheep
and the latter have about run their
course. The southern spring lamb
movement will expand materially, but
there is no luminous prospect con-
fronting killers Of anything like liberal
supplies in the aggregate until the
western range movement gets under
Roadway, probably in July, and highly
remunerative prices to native and
southern breeders promise to prevail
meanwhile.
Total arrivals Of sheep and lambs
this week were $500, against 49,
246 for the corresponding period year
ago. Top on lambs at $3.50 for the week
is a dollar above that Of year ago.
On sheep $3.50 was top against 1925 a
year ago.