Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-21
VALUES HAVE A SHARP BREAK
DUE TO DULL TRADE IN
CASH PORK PRODUCTS
CALVES HIT SNAG
Advance Scored During Easter Week
for Veal Checks Demand and
Sellers Profits Are Cut
Accordingly.

Only the prime grades Of bee1 on
foot at the Union Stock yards come IN
for a favorable comparison this week
while irregular changes are noted IN
the other classes. The veal calf mar
ket has been hit hard and severe oe-
clines have been recorded.
Another bear raid has reached the
hog market and declines for the week
will measure up 25@35c and the mar
ket wearing a topheavy appearance.
A change in the extreme top for
lambs Of fifteen cents over last Week.
reached on Wednesday this week, mas
failed to hold. All the bloom or early
in the week has been gradually el1m1n-
ated and the closing prices are about
the lowest of the week. Compared
with last week most offerings are
about steady with some lower
Scarcity of good cattle selling above
50 has brought an advance OF full
dime this week and Iowa Herefords
selling at 1885 topped the market.
Another light supply this week had the
effect Of arresting the spread widening
process but tho trade is convinced that
this gap will become more conspicu-
Gus as the season works along, tnat
movement depending to some extent on
the freedom with which Texas cattle
move.
Net price changes for the week are
hard to detect. On Monday the bulk
of supply was caught by 10@l5c de-
cline and subsequent appreciation has
practically restored last weeks clos
ing prices. Steers under $500 are
called about q dime OF.
Butcher Cattle Downward.
Under a narrow outside demand on
Indifferent packer bidding the trade In
butcher cattle shows a droopy tenden-
cy, prices being downward on most OF
the supply a dime or fifteen cents, for
classes that are not up to require
ments. The general tone Of the mar
ket is not as good as a week ago and
though the better grades Of heifer stuff
and some of the best fat cows showed
strength during the first half OF the
week. price changes in this class are
hard to find.
Bull trade was badly off the hooks
and irregularly lower, full Of 15@25c
declines from the general market APP
plying, outside Of a few Of the best
handy butchers. Most Of the heavy
beef bulls and bologna classes, to-
gether with common light bulls.
showed 25@35c declines from week
ago Handy fat butchers are off less
and stocker bulls Of decent to good
quality held up well under compare
lively good call for such classes.
A light supply of stock and feeding
held a steady basis with the advances
noted during the first half of the week.
Yard dealers have effected good
clearance each day this week and the
layover for next weeks market will be
very small Trade during the week
has been based on light supply, and
under a good demand, broadened by
the appearance of grass, stocker
classeS and the medium grades Of
feedTs have been advanced to the
best levels Of the year, such classes
showing most of an advance of most
ly 10@25c over a week ago. The best
grades Of fieshy heavy feeders have
showed the short end Of the price bet
terment and are selling hardly more
than 10@15c higher than at last weeks
closing.
The trade Is for the most part COM
mitted to the belief that, regardless
Of the high level Of prices ruling on
stock and feeding cattle, receipts will
be light to moderate for some weeks
ahead. The time of year has arrived
when these cattle have drifted into the
hands of people who do not figure on
selling them for some time ahead and
no material increase in receipts Is an
ticipated previous to July. The run at
that juncture will depend largely on
grazing conditions. Around July. how
ever, numerous dry spots usually ap-
pear, causing swelling movement Of
supplies of thin and light -fleshed cat
tie marketward.
Qualified classes Of calves and year.
lings are in particularly strong de-
mand, but have shown no more adj
vance this week than the medium
grades of 500 to 9oO-lb. steers of graz
Ing class. Virginia, Ohio, indiana and
Illinois have been good buyers and