The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-12-23
WORST BREAK DIM PRICES OF
CATTLE EVER MM0WM DIM THE
CHICAGO YARDS DESCRIBED

| During the first week prices declined
anywhere from $1.00 to $3.50 per
cwt. and each succeeding week
brought heavy receipts and lower
markets, the total decline amounting
to $3.50 to $500 per cwt., best grade
stuff suffering least. In one week
during the four weeks receipts broke
all previous records there being 112,-
900 cattle received.
Ordinarily with a break of $1.0O to
$3.50 per cwt. the runs let up and
a reaction in prices follows, but such
was not the case this time. Cattle
feeders got panicky, all claiming that
they thought the market was going
still lower and they shut their eyes
and shipped their cattle regardless
of results. A large number of cattle
feeders in Illinois and Indiana who
could have held their cattle, Joined
the stampede, letting their cattle
come to market freely the last week
of the big break and they got badly
slaughtered in prices. Carload after
carload of cattle sold anywhere from
$1.00 to $1,000 per cwt. less than they
cost rs to 80 days previous. Every
beef channel was clogged and as beef
buyers in the east were we'll posted
as regards receipts and the Chicago
market they held off and bought
their beef accordingly.
Our advice from time to time was
to hold In order to give the market
a breathing spell, and those who fol-
lowed our suggestion made money by
the operation as this week we have
had a moderate run and prices on all
desirable grades Of steers advanced
from s1.00 to $3.50 per
cwt. and the medium to pretty good
grades are soc to 75c higher; COWS
and heifers, soc to 75c higher.
Receipts of cattle the first three
days of the following week were 49,
100 head against $500 the first
three days the week before. There
has been a splendid demand from the
dressed beef and eastern buyers and
1t all goes to show what will happen
If cattle feeders would use good judg-
and not glut the market. We
the trade will now be in a
good healthy condition. Our plan,
where a man has four, eight or ten
loads of cattle to market, is to send
IN say half of them at a time, thus
relieving the situation and dividing
he owners risk.
There is just as big a demand for
at cattle now as there ever was and '
believe this will continue indef-
nitely. The main thing for feeders '
do is to keep a stiff upper lip and
their eye on the gum" |
In talking with a great many feed S
RS in different parts of the country, {
md also In letters received from our I
customers, we find that they have
10 confidence in the future market '
is, the bulk of them. A large c
majority want to ship their cattle I
ust as fast as they can do so. 9
We firmly believe that 1t will pay T
attlemen to put their cattle in good t
ondition before shipping, as the fat S
err they are the higher they will sell.
We advise replacing cattle shipped e
With some good bodied 700 to $50 f
r 900-pound steers costing $3.50 to t
IT'S or less, as there is a world of u
heap feed in the country which will t.
o to waste. Such cattle can be car 6
led until the first of March on fall v
asture and stalk fields and given I
nough ensilage and corn to keep
hem going ahead nicely. Then put
hem on full feed the first of March k
nd feed them for the latter part of r
lay or June and July market. The f
eeder cattle mentioned above are |.
cling very low at all markets, and c.
e believe if they are bought during c.
ne next two weeks or as soon as con- 5
enient that they will make good
loney If handled the way we suggest. II
4 this way a great deal of beef can p
e produced at a cheap cost and dur a.
lg the months of May, June and tt
lie first half of July light weight W
weighing ten to twelve hum "
red pounds that have been well ia d.