Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-02
WAR CONDITIONS
PREVAILED IN
's1ock MARKETS
Prices Ruled High On
All Classes of Stock
Offerings Consider
ably Smaller - Gov
eminent Placed No
Price Restrictions Up
on Live-Stock-Hogs
In Active Demand.

In Active Demand.
Brighton, Mass, January ], l91S.-
War conditions have prevailed in the
livestock market during the past year,
and prices have ruled high on all class
es Of stock. with the offerings consid-
erably smaller. except for calves. The
Government has placed no price re-
strictions upon live stock and farmers
ard rasers state that with prices OF
feed SO high, and all other expenses SO
far above the average for previous
wears. they cannot raise stock to sell at
any lower prices: in fact, they assert
that the margin of profit today IS small l.
or than for many years past. Exports or
gran to Europe have reduced the sup
ply here, and has advanced prices. NO
figures of expectation of livestock or
Of packing products are at hand. as the
government does not make these pubic.
Shipments Of live cattle probably have
been small, although earlier in the year
il is thought that considerable num-
Der was exported.
Receipts of cattle were fairly large,
although below tho figures fer 1915.
1915 AT the opening of the year tho
best steers We're selling at about Sc and
9i.c, with the best heavy cows and
heifers 6ia and 7lac. The market has
beer strong throughout the year, and
the present range of prices is not far
from the top, which is also the highest
for many years, probably since the Civil
war. If cattle have not been quoted DIS
high recently it Is because no fancy
cattle have been received. and not be-
cause the market for these is any weak
er. The scarcity Of good steers and
oxen has brought an increased demand
for the best heavy cows and heifers,
and these sold about as high as aver
age steers and oxen. The best steers
and oxen at present would bring II and
13c, with even more for extra fancy
cattle Good average cattle sell at 10
and 11l2c, and the best heavy cows and
heifers 81: and GAG, with some tlp to
loc. During the early summer prices
of hdfogna and Gamer COWS made a
sharp advance, with the demand active,
but prices have declined since then, re-
ceipts of poor cows having been heavy
during the autumn. The high level for
the year was Glac, which is q cent
above the present range for these cows
The market for veal calves, as usual,
was steady with the range of prices
comparatively narrow. The oXtren,eS
for good quality veals were about 10 and
lic. with fancy heavy veals higher
Milk raisers sold their small calves
freely throughout the,.year. and thes.s,
we're in good supply, bringing about
tho same prices as in previous years.
from So to S. each, according to size
and quality. Nothing was said by the
authorities in opposition to the sale Of
small calves.
Hogs have been in active demand,
and have sold at the highest prices in
generation, since the Civil War. in
fact. The receipts have been heavy.
although below the total for 1916. At
the opening Of the year live hogs were
quoted at 1oa and 1osc, and dressed
hogs at 49, and 13sc The mar
ket advanced with only small tenn
porary reactions until late in August,
when live hogs sold at 1914 and zoe.
and dressed hogs at "a and 24s. This
nigh level brought large receipts. and
the market declined about three cents.
the low being recorded late in October.
Since then prices have advanced. and
again declined, the present quotations
being 163 and 17c for live hogs and
10 and &c for dressed hogs. At times
the demand for hogs has been so great
that buyers have paid quite little
more than the quoted prices for extra
stock
Receipts for sheep and lambs have
been smaller than for many years. and
at the yards have been extremely light.
most OF the receipts having gone d.
rectiy to the slaughter houses. There
has been scarcely any quotable market
at the yards at any time At the be-
ginning of the year sheep sold at anou.
&C and SIC, and lambs at about 81 and
1Vc. During the year4they advanced to
1Oc and 12c and lac and 1Sc respective
~. There has been a great falling off
IN sheep raising, not only in New Eng
land, but in the West.
Despite some serious obstacles the
market for mich cows has heen strono
and prices have been higher than in
past years. This. of course, was nee
essary, owing to the very high cost of
iced. which, on the other hand. re-
strlcted the demand. Offerings have
been smaller, but the quality has aver
aged rather better because the poorer
cows have been sold for beef. bringing
more IN that way. Good average cows
bring from $50 to 1925. while choice
heavy mixers up 10 s175 or even high
er IN some cases. Poor cows sell
down to about SIS. During the wear
the new concrete barn for the miIch
cows has been placed in commission
and is a great Improvement, although
having some minor defects. The Of
fetal inspection of mixers has been
conducted in the usuaI sat,sf.o.a,