The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-12-27
LIVE STOCK REPORT
National Stock Yards, Dec. "a.
Receipts

Tugs '..'.'..... .oooo
Sheep ............ l0O
CATTLE.-The intervening Christ
mas holiday was directly responsible
for a shrinkage in receipts and the
consequent up-turn in values that fol-
lowed as a result of this circumstance.
Today's trade was in very vigor-
out condition due to the fact that the
available supply of 400 lasted but a
short while, and through the compe-
tition that resulted, steers of killing
value $1,000 upward sold fully 15c to
25c higher than last weeks close, al
though the cheaper priced killing
steers and the stockers and feeders
being partially responsible to the in
activity of feeder buyers owing to to-
morrow's holiday, and packers were
not forced to exert themselves as
much upon these kinds as the fat
classes. Cows, heifers, bulls and all
mixed cattle sold very well, also av-
craging 15c to Csc higher than week
ago, and as an illustration as to the
conditiono the market, it would be
we'll to mention the fact that :, the
commonest sort of canneH$ brought
$6.75. hTe .'...
There is just one question about the
future market, and that question is;
Will the country handle the situation
with sense? There is good demand
for cattle and normal supplies can be
handled to advantage, but just the
moment that over-supplies are forced
upon the market but one result can be
expected-lower values.
! HOGS.-It is absolutely useless to
try to go into detail concerning the
hog market, because we could write
three or four columns concerning this
trade and then half of it would be i'm
possible to cover. To make long
story short, the country has just
simply swampeds the market with re-
ceipts, not only in St. Louis, but ev-
cry market in the West. The result
is that the trade has been in the worst
condition it has been in a mighty long
time. There are thousands of hogs
in the yards today, many Of which
have been carried from last week, that
it is impossible to move. They have
been in the sheep house and in the
cattle yards waiting pen room. Why
the country has insisted on swapping
the markets is not hard to define. One
reason is the lack Of knowledge of
the fact that the January price has
been set for St. Louis at $17.40, the
same as it is at the present month.
The second reason is inability to buy
corn in some localities and in other
sections where it could be bought,
they are not inclined, in fact, they are
skeptical of paying the present corn
value to feed to the hogs. This is a
mistaken idea, however, because if the
light, hogs are kept at home and ma
tured for another thirty to forty days,
it will mean money in the feeders
pockets rather than sacrifice the light
hogs and pigs, as he is doing at pres
ent. The minimum average of S17.40
has maintained the market on the
strictly good fat good quality hogs and
these were sc to Zoe higher today.
with p top of $17.70. With a top of
only 30c above the minimum average,
packers have not much lee-way when
it comes to buyingthe lower class, be-
cause their daily buy cannot show less
Jnan S17.40, and when it gets down to
that basis. then it is not a question
on the light hogs and pigs, as to how
cheap they are. but it is the sole ques-
ton that they cannot buy them be-
cause their price average would go
below Government requirements.
VIVA. is the result? Hogs have laid
around the yards ard have been sac
.ihccd to outside buyers where they
could be sold, but the worst feature
w@5 the fact that as previously men
toned, thousands upon thousands have
been carried from day to day waiting
rheir turn for favorable conditions
when they could be sold The country
must not retain that pessimistic trend |
that they have SO clearly indicated of
late, and if they do not, it is to be
burdened with embargoes, lighter
shipping operations must be followed, |
Or that is what they can expect.
SHEEP.-The trade in this depart-
ment during the past week has been
inconsequential due to the fact that
during Christmas week supplies of
mutton stock dwindles to very mea-
ger proportions because there is very
little outlet on sheep ard lambs out
side of dire necessity at this time, as
a result the market has held a CON-
p2ratively strong basis On the very
meGger showing.
National Live Stock Com. Co.