Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-10
INCREASED DEMAND FOR FEEDERS IS
BIC FACTOR IN ADVANCING PRICES

a year ago. Cattle receipts decreased
| 40671, hogs increased ,7S1, while sheel
increas ed 106592 being enough to make
the grand total larger Chicago ano
Sioux City were the only markets to
show a gain in cattle receipts for the
month. Chicago had 3.137 more hogs
this year and Kansas City had 25, 756
less than a year ago. Chicago showed
tn largest increase in sheep for the
| month, this market having 10000 more
than year ago. Sioux City had twice
as many during February of this year
| as a year ago.
For the first two months of the year
combined receipts at these markets
were not as large as corresponding
period year ago. Cattle and hogs both
decreased sharply, and while sheep IN
creased 206.334, it was not large
enough to offset the cattle and hog de-
crease, and therefore the combined re-
ceipts decreased over $4,000 head All
markets except Sioux City had less cat
tie and all but st. Louis had less hoss
70, the first two months. Chicago alone
had a gain Of 14O,697 sheep and re-
c. ipts at Sioux City more than doubled
those for the first two months or last
year.
other than 1T Chicago killers are not
getting enough beef to fill a One-seated
buggy. Fat cattle are on y S9M9.1a basis
TT Chicago the highest level on record
at this and only dogs are to be had
- eS while an old Gamer COW is
worth $3.50 ard a bologna close to 81.
Even sheen are on 4 S6-25 basis, or 81
higher than last fall and lambs nave
crossed S., consequently even the sug-
gestion of cheap hogs is absurd. Much
hullabaloo, has been made OF foreign
beef, chilled and frozen during January
and February has been equivalent 10
American frozen beef is unfit for shop
trade. Some Mexican cattle are crossing
the Rio Grande but their product IS
mainly canning stock and load or
Mexican steers equal to a S6 perform
ance is q novelty.
Aggregate receipts Of cattle this week
not including calves amount to 1880
against $4,000, estimated for the week
and compared with 40, 9S5 last week and
42795 q wear ago for the same period.
The top this week is 4oc under year
ago and for the same period two years
ago prime beeves were selling at $3.50.
Hogs Barely Steady.
What practically amounts to dead
lock exists in the hog ma rket. A trial OF
strength between packers and speculat-
ors is in progress. Packers take the
position that hogs are not worth cur
rent cost and if stock yard scalpers
want to apprase them on that basis
they will refuse to endorse their policy.
For the moment spectators are minus
the support Of a normal shipping de-
mand, and have been forced to accu-
mulate a heavy stale stock, but the
eastern storm is responsible for this
and present conditions may be regard
ed as abnormal. The country. mean
while, is very bulish in it's ideas of
values and shippers at interior points
assert that bids of $S.25 are necessary
to dislodge hogs from growers hands.
Packers and SPECTATORS have locked
horns frequently in the past, but the
Spectator is still in the game, although
his exclusion has often been decreed.
The future Of the market depends who'll
w on eastern orders, as trade is on a
fresh meat basis. After this week Mis-
souri, river receipts viii fall off, as
those markets have been getting run
of storm delayed stock.
Missouri river markets had lot OF
storm delayed stuff this week. but the
run suggested several possibilities, one
being that it was a premonition of scar
city, another that growers do not like
present prices and are keeping stock
under lock and key. The big packers
had no alternative but keep out of the
market, as a buying policy would have
speedily introduced the 9-cent hog.
Every country buyer coming to Chicago
is talking scarcity and predicting light
spring supplies.
There are so many reasons why hogs
must remain on high level basis, and
they are SO obvious that enumeration
would be as tiresome as unnecessary
Hog products will be called upon before
the end of the year to fill a bigger de-
mand than distributive trade has ever
known. Pork is the only article of diet
that comes anywhere near being re-
liable substitute for beef and 1914 is to
be the year Of acute cattle scarcity.
" Country sentiment is decidedly bull
ish and many hogs are being held for
$S.25 at interior loading points. Growers
are aware of the security OF their posi-
ton and are not likely to be readily
shaken out.
Consumers are baking at high cost Of
beef and expectancy of higher prices is
not warranted. Good and choice steers
are on an 1915 and $3.50 basis. and
such grades as commonly sold at 81 so
and S. few years ago are now worth
IS and $S.25. Just three years ago fat
cattle were abundant at Sc and $3.50
per- cwt on the Chicago market and
scarcity theorists were treated with
During that period cattle sup
plv at the principal markets Of the
United States has decreased 35 per
cent, while Canada is not in much bet
ter position. Hog supply has also been
cut and only comparative plentitude of
mutton has prevented the country from
becoming meat hungry. And the present
somewhat generous supply of that COM
modify cannot last long.
Eugene Grub. who has purchased al
ranch in the Sacramento Valley, wasl
here a few days ago and outlined al
feeding enterprise he proposes toI
la unch. Cattle are to be fattened during
the winter months on alfalfa and barley
for the San Francisco and Los Angeles
markets. Under present conditions the
Pacific coast has no fat beef during the
late winter and spring months, COM
polling killers to go far inland for al
supply.
There is a general disposition all
ov.r the trans Missouri region to get
back into cattle and the restocking
process will tax the producing capacity
of the breeders of improved cattle for
til next ten years.
Chicago receipts this week. unofficial
ly reported aggregate 120.753 against
10 estimated and compared with 151.-
SIS last week and 129,766 for the same
period a year ago.
Tuesdays market bore the healthiest
TO tn hai 1,,,f