Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-30
IMPROVED DEMAND
FROM Shippers
HOGS IN ACTIVE REQUEST AND
PRICES GO TO HIGHER
LEVELS.
LIFTS AMOUNTS TO
5 AND 10 CENTS
Call For Cattle Slow and Offerings Un-
attractive - Jewish Holiday Affects
Trade-sheep and Lambs Scarce
Review Of Market conditions-cur-


mand from shippers helped today to
lift the hog market.
Hog values have been hugging the
low point of the year. Packers are
complacent. They have been tucking
the stuff away in their cavernous cell
lars on basis of s660d670 for live
hogs, satisfied that the money is well
invested Chicago has been closed to
the eastward for several weeks throw
ing the market into the hands of the
big packers, who never neglect to take
advantage OF a trading opportunity
Supply continues heavy at all primary
receiving points altho in Chicago and
Kansas City territory the movement
is diminishing. The big end of the
visible supply of hogs is now in west
ern Iowa, southern Minnesota, Nebras-
ka and eastern South Dakota. Pitts
burgh and Buffalo have been radically
out of line with western markets and If
the eastern outlet at Chicago could
be opened a so cent spread between
light butchers and heavy packers
would promptly ensue as fresh meat
demand is broad while packers cellars
are full of product which is decidedly
TO the disadvantage of the big hog. The
heavy winter accumulation of pro-
visions has ceased and export trade
has developed large volume, but the
southern outlet is still narrow. The
March rise is several weeks behind its
schedule and the only bullish infiu-
ence possible is curtailed receipts.
Cattle.
The call for cattle was slow and or
terings were unattractiTe.
There were plenty of cattle all
around the western market circle, APP
proXimately 10000 reporting at the six
points. Packers are dressing iut oi
beef AT the river" and the excess over
local requirements is going to the At
lantic seaboard for export to England
and France. But for this outlet cattle
values would probably have beesl much
lower Approximately 150.G0Q,0oO
pounds Of fresh canned and cured beef
have been exported since the Euro
pean war began. AT the same time the
American market has not been under
the necessity Of absorbing the liberal
quantities of Australian and South
American product that caused such
congestion q year ago. Since Jan. l,
the six western markets have received
approxima tely 1900, 900 cattle, or about
10000 less than year ago, but the
increase in beef tonnage has been
heavy, owing to partial closure of the
feeder outlet.
Feeders on the market are eloquent
in describing muddy feed-lot condi-
lions west of the Mississippi river. One.
who has reputation for veracity. as
serts that in hauling feed it was neccs-
sary to use periscopes to locate feed
troughs. To prevent cattle from mir
ing troughs must be moved to new
locations at frequent intervals. Even
feed lots in locations where such
trouble Is rarely encountered have
been deep in muck.
Now that Lenten influence is over
the trade expects more activity. but
cheap pork is still serious handicap
to free distribution Of beef. which is
relatively high. Pork is being pushed
on the public by distributors, while
beef has to hoe its own row.
New York received no foreign beef
last week. but a jag OF considerable
proportions is on it's way from the
River Plate.
Sheep.
Sheep and lambs We're scarce.
In a commercial sense the fat sheep
has all but disappeared from the mar
ket centers. Live mutton trade is
now on a lamb and-ewe basis, and
will be for the reason that lambs COM
rnand prices too attractive to war
rant raising them. Winter prices of
lambs are not up to feeders expecta-
tons, but fnishers OF sheep and ewes
have been richly rewarded. The pub
lie wants but little heavy mutton, but
needs that little badly. At the end
of February the only considerable
supply of fat lambs in the United
States was located in northern Col
orado, and when that has disap-
peared packers will be awaiting the
Tennessee movement. Texas has
few bands OF grass fat sheep. for
which killers will be avid bidders.