The Coconino sun., 1917-06-01
Range and Market News Pertaining the Livestock Industry Arizona
 Market Letter for the Past Week.
NO CHANCE FOR CHAPTER MEAT

Much misconception exists concern ing present cattle market conditions. Skepticism as to legitimacy of prices is rife. The European war is credited with responsibility for imitation of values, an erroneous idea without the least foundation in fact. While the feed bill has been a factor, it has actually been detrimental to the win ter market, causing liquidation that has exerted a depressing influence on prices. This was especially the case during April when thousands of light and yearling steers were sacrificed owing to an advancing corn market and apprehension of government price fixing. That prices withstood this liquidation so effectively and reacted promptly when supply pressure was removed ought to be convincing of un- deriving strength.
 During the past three months, thou sands of steers that under normal conditions would not have reached the stock yards until the June to Septem- Der period have gone to the butcher and been eliminated from the visible beef supply. We have witnessed the unprecedented spectacle of light thin cattle selling on high basis during a period of feed scarcity, killers pay ing prices for trash that would have been absurd recently. No more con- vincing evidence of actual and im- pending scarcity could be desired. The worlds beef trade has been revolutionized during the past five years. For this the war has been partly responsible, but climatic vicis- situde and diminishing cattle supply have been the principal factors. For years the grazing industry went on a steer basis until the steer man awoke to realization that he could no long CT replenish his pastures at prices that made a point in the finality of the transaction possible. This season there has been veritable scramble for aged steers in the west, pasture men being compelled to take yearlings and two year olds, owing to scarcity of threes and fours. Each year wit. nesses the slaughter of larger per. centage of yearlings, which means material reduction of beef tonnage.
 The calf crop in the West has beer diminishing until the COW man is again in the saddle. All of the signs point to steady recuperation of the cattle industry west of the Missouri river, but it is not keeping place witf consumptive demand and neither ir the corn belt not the East is commer. cial cattle breeding gaining in volume while the beef eating population re ceives large accessions annually.
 Some five years ago when the duty was taken off meats and live stocl that measure was announced sane in surance of cheaper meats. While tn, war may have been an adverse influ ence, those who propounded the fire, trade remedy miscalculated to say thu least.
 Mexico is furnishing the Unite, States neither stock cattle nor bee and Canada is having difficulty in sup plying domestic requirements. Droutl in Argentine and Australia has great ly restricted beef production in thos, areas. Brazil was advertised as a nev source of supply recently, but has no risen to the occasion
 | A broad view of the situation an, the prospect warrants the assertion that cheap beef is not possible. Pres ent feeding conditions would be ma terially alleviated by one good cro] season, but cattle are not made in few months and the prospect of tn breeders is all that could be desired | During the coming summer an, fall, fat cattle must command goo, prices, as liquidation of the last thre, months has made a serious draft ol visible supply and the most sever, winter in the Northwest in 30 years means a short and late run of bee from that quarter. Regardless oi peace or war, signs are optimistic domestic prouction not being equal tc home demand. Peace in Europe doe. not mean cheap meats, as worlds shortage exists and years will be re quired to remedy it.