Imperial Valley press., 1922-05-03
California Cattle Survey
By Marketing Committee California
CuttIemen'S Association

Your Mark keting Committee met April
Goth to review the situation and report
| to their findings after a thorough in
vestigation of conditions.
The supply of cattle in California
and feed conditions seem to be as fol-
| lows:
l. Sacramento Valley and North
Counties-Spring grass is short, but
prospects for summer feed in the
mountains is unusually good on account
of heavy snow fall. As a result, q
large proportion of cattle will 60 to
| the mountains and the supply of beef
for the spring and summer markets
will be far below normal. Very little
beef will be ready before June 1st in
this section. The supply of beef in
| the fall from mountain feed will prob
ably be about normal.
| 2 North Coast Counties-Little beef
is shipped from these counties during
the spring, and early summer months.
| There will be no beef ready before the
/ latter part of June or early in july
| Feed is late, but indications are that
conditions will be good for the summer
and fall.
3. San Joaquin Valley-Feed condi-
| tions in this section run from '' fair
in the north part of the valley to
every good in the south. Beef cattle
will be at least a month or more later
than usual. A few cattle will probably
be ready the latter part of
May. The supply of cattle is about
normal in the north, and about half
normal in the south part. of the valley.
| 4. Control Coast Counties-Feed IS
| generally below normal and very little
beef will be available before June 1st.
| A large number of Arizona cattle have
| been brought into this section, but
| practically none of it will make beef
| this year on account of the severe
winter, lateness of feed and early age
of stuff brought in.
| 5. Southern California-The feed in
| Southern California runs from gener-
| al condition of fair in some sections,
to every good" in some of the coast
sections. The supply of cattle, how
| ever, is below normal, and first ship
ments will not take place before May
| 18th.
6. Imperial Valley-Practically all
beef cattle in the valley have been
| contracted and will be shipped out
within the next 80 days, if not before.
| Not more than $500 head of beef for
| the spring and summer months remains
on grass in the valley.
| OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA
| Conditions outside of California are
about as follows:
/. Arizona-The supply of spring
desert cattle for this year is negligible.
Not over 1000 head of fed cattle re-
main in Salt River Valley, many of
which will be consumed locally. There
Will be a small number of grass cattle,
but good percentage of this supply
will also be used locally.
2. Colorado-The available supply of
fed cattle in Colorado is about ex-
hausted, and sales to California buyers
are equal to sac delivered in Califor-
| MIA.
8. Texas-No grass cattle will be
available in Texas during this year.
The shortage of all classes of cattle is
! acute.
4. Utah-All fed cattle have been
| contracted and delivery is expected to
be completed by May LIST.
| 5. Nevada-There are no more avail
able fed cattle, everything having been
contracted and practically everything
delivered. Nevada produces no spring
or summer grass beef to compete with
our market.
6. Oregon-Fed cattle are practically
| all used, and grass cattle are not eX-
pected until at least July, due to
the cold winter and 1ateness of grass.
Portland buyers are expected to come
to California for grass-fat cattle from
May 18th to July 18th, if not longer
To summarize the condition, 1t
would therefore, appear that the sup
ply of spring grass in California Is
somewhat below normal and late. The
supply of spring beef is considerably
below normal, and month or more
late The supply of fed beef west of
Colorado, will be exhausted by the
time that sufficient grass cattle are
available in California. Oregon and
Washington markets must be supplied
after June 1st, from California or the
east. The situation for the California
cattleman is an unusually strong one.
Pork and mutton prices are high and
strong prices for cattle should rule
throughout the season. California con
sumes an average of $4,000 head of
cattle per month, and $4,000 head of
calves per month. ....s.
IMPROVE CONDITIONS
Conditions effecting the cattleman
are much improved over a year ago.
Financial liquidation in the industry
is practically complete, and there is
practically no more pressure being
brought to bear upon cattlemen to
force sales and the dumping of cattle
onto the market. The amount of She
stuff being slaughtered is practically
normal, whereas last fall it was almost
double the normal amount. Financial
difficulties forced large number of
half-fat cattle onto the market for the
winter of 1920-21, which increased the
supply during last year. In addition
to that, grass cattle were early last
season. Sixteen per cent less cattle
were put on feed during the past winter
4