Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-03
CO. OPERATIVE MARKETING
ASSOCIATIONS Becoming
IMPORTANT FACTORS

i
Marked variation in methods Of mar
keting meat animals in different sec
| lions of the United States and in meth,
DDS Of marketing different classes G.
animals In the country as whole has
been found by specialists of the de-
partment from survey of the live
stock marketing conditions of the
country. The data obtained by the
survey have been published as Part v
of report Of an exhaustive study
of the meat situation in the United
States.
| The three general methods of mar
keting found to be in most common
use are: Shipping to the large central
! lied markets, selling to local butchers
/ and packers, and the sale OF farm pre-
pared meats to dealers or consumers.
The bulk OF the animals from the CEN
trail states, 1t was found, is sold thru
the centralized markets. while some
form OF local marketing predominates
in the extreme eastern. western, and
southern sections.
The great central markets handle
|
two-thirds OF the hogs, and approx
Inately one-half of the beef cattle. For
local slaughter about one-third of the
beef cattle one-eighth of the sheep and
lambs, and one-twelfth Of the hogs are
sold. Nearly one-third of the hogs and
about one-t tenth of the beef cattle and
one twentieth of the sheep and lambs
are slaughtered on farms and ranges.
Relatively more sheep are shipped in
carload lots by owners>than any other
class Of live stock. Cattle, hogs. and
calves follow in the order named. In
sales to local buyers hogs lead. with
calves, cattle, and sheep following II,
order. q
The study discl6ses that the time Of
buying stockcrs and feeders and the
selling of finished animals is restricted
too generally to a few months of the
year. Should stock feeding operations
be better adjusted to market condi-
tions, decided influence toward a
more even distribution Of the supply
would be the result
Cooperative associations of cattle
raisers are becoming an important fac
! tor in marketing, the report shows.
tSeven hundred fifty organizations
which market cattle In cooperative
way now exist In fifteen states. Four
hundred thirty of these organizations
are primarily live stock shipping as
socia TONS, The greatest activity OF
this sort is found in Minnesota. where
215 cooperative live stock shipping as
sociati are located. The department
specialists declare that these associa-
tons bring greater returns to the far
mers because of the reduction Of mar.
keting expenses and the realization Of
the prevailing prices at the centralized
markets, and that they are also vau-'
a BILE because OF their educational feat
ures.
The system Of centralized live stock
markets in the United States is the
largest single factor in the marketing
Of meat animals. 1t is noteworthy that
this system is peculiar to the Unitel
States, no other country having de-
lveloped such markets for their live
stock. Not only is live stock sold for
slaughter at the centralized markets.
but large proportion Of stocker and
feeder cattle passes thru these mar
ket centers Rt
The chief outlet for food producing
l dulIldlS Ill ILLS luC sStuuy FuAS-
closes. is wholesale Strengthening and
meat packing. Such industries usually
are associated with the great central
lied markets. More than 1000 slaugh-
tering and meat packing establish
ments' were operating in the United
States in 1914, and turned out products
worth 1861, 765,424. The specialists re-
port that one OF the striking features
CT the industry Is the concentration OF
ownership. Packing establishments buy
directly from the producer In Califor-
MIA to a greater extent than in any
other state or section. This practice.
which, in the opinion Of the specialists,
! will continue to be important in those
parts Of the country remote from CEN
tralized markets, is most characteristic
Of the western group of states in gen.
eral There Is a decided difference oc
opinion among producers, marketmen.
and packers as to the effects Of this
practice in sections supplied with CEN
trail markets on the general market
prices of live stock and on the prosper
ity of cattle raisers.
Municipality owned or controlled
abattoirs are becoming increasingly
important in the local marketing of
hive stock, the report shows, and are
displacing rapidly the old type Of
l slaughter house. Public-abbatoirs have
been esta blished in twenty-five cities
land thirteen states. Local conditions
should determine whether or not city
should build it's own abattoir, and q
thorough examination Of conditions.
Therefore should be made before def
Unite action Is taken.
Great variations were found to ex-
Fist in the losses of and damage to live
| stock in transit on different railroads.
On one road the claims pdid amounted
]to.1s per cent Of the revenue during
certain period. and on another to less
Ethan 5 per cent. The total claims for
such loss and damage In 1884 on
twenty-seven railroads were $1.245-
E477.S1.4 The average rates on live stock
for the years 1911 to 1913 were found
Ito be 10 cents per hundred pounds for
eastern or official territory, 11.9 cents
for southern territory. and 14.s cents
for western territory.
The correlation between average live
stock and meat prices over relatively
! long periods is closer than is generally
understood. When the price OF live
stock rises or falls meat prices tend
to schange in the same directions. shut
| the meat prices are not subject to
lsbrupt daily fluctuations, which are
one OF the most adverse features OF
live stock market conditions.
In order to ure-information as to