The Winslow mail., 1922-12-22
CATTLE PRICES IN THIS
STATE LOWEST IN
UNITED STATES
BY X. III. Williams
Animal HuSbandman, University of
Arizona, College OF Agriculture,
Tucson, Ariz.

The Union Stockyards at Los An
geles are being watched by both the
stockmen and packers with much in
terest., The stockmen are anxious to
know whether prices will be salts
factory for all animals they have for
sale. On the other hand, the packers
also want to know if they can depend
upon the local stockyards for the ami
mails they require. A representative
of one of the smaller packers in
southern California gave me the fol-
lowing idea last week;
Il have been buying cattle in Ari-
zona for twenty years, and am inter
ested in the Union Stockyards. 1t our
company can buy to as good advan-
tage at home we will have less ex-
pense and will certainly patronize the
stockyards. All the butchers are wait
ing to see what the outcome of the
yards will be. There are about a
dozen of us buyers from Southern
California who need not go to the ex-
pense and effort of buying cattle in
the field if a sufficient volume and
variety of stock can be secured in the
yards. AS yet we are afraid to de-
pend upon the receipts in the Union
| StOckyardS for our supplies"
| The livestock interests in Arizona
have suffered from inferior market
conditions. Situated at such a dis
tance from market centers it is diff
ficult for the stockmen to keep in
formed regarding values of their ami
mails. Many have suffered losses from
! orJyn Of
they not secured sufficient informa-
ton regarding the markets( and they
sold to local dealers. The educational
value of marketing animals has there
fore been lost to Arizona stockmen.
Arizona Gets Lowest Prices
During the past eight years the low
est prices for cattle in the entire
United States were paid Arizona
stockmen. No doubt the lack or mar
ket facilities contributed directly to
keeping the prices down A greater
factor however, was the difficulty of
selling Arizona cattle on their merits
Most of the cattle from Arizona ranges
went into dealers hands rather than
directly to maturing ranges or feed
lots. The best of the animals lost
their identity as soon as they left their
own ranges, but inferior cattle from
anywhere in the southwest or the
range country were always called
"Arizonas" in trade parlance. Some of
the best cattle produced on ranges
anywhere come from Arizona but
these animals do not sell at their full
value unless their owners have Gre
ated a specia market for them
The opening of a public market in
Los Angeles will be a boon to the
livestock business in Arizona. Of re-
cent years California has been our
best market for both cattle and sheep.
Up to the present it has been difficult
to induce buyers for coast packers to
bid on small punches of stock The
Union Stockyards market, however,
will enable the stockmen to ship his
own animals and make clearance of
them in short order.
The marketing of livestock is in a
very chaotic condition in Arizona. The
cattlement did not have an opportun-
ity to study the grading and classifi-
cation of animals as handled in all
large markets AS a result it was ex-
tremely difficult for buyers to bid on
mixed or ungraded lots. No definite
standards have been established for
range animals, SO buying and selling
have been conducted on a hit and
miss basis The Stockmen did little
more than go to town and make IN
uuires as to whether there were any !
cattle buyers in town. Many an Ari-
IONA cattleman has pranced up and
down the main street repeating the
question, Have you seen any cattle
buvers?" I have 1900 yearlings round
ed up ready to sell, but I don't know
of any buyers This is neither a
dignified nor edifying position for a
stockman to take who has large in
terests.
Should Improve Quality
The Union Stockyards market
should do more than any other one
agent to bring about improvement inc
the quality of animals in the South
west. 1t will be the clearing house for
the industry. A market should be
available for every thing in the way
of livestock, and values be based on
their merit. The lesson will strike
home to the stockmen if they see ami
mails with uniformly or improved
breeding bringing more money than
their own.
Arizona stockmen would do well to
begin at once to make use ofthe I'm
ion Stockyards They should first get
in touch with local commission firms,
or somebody they can trust, and as
certain the prices for the various
classes and grades they have for sale.
If the price seems favorable, trial
shipment should be ventured and the
owner should go with the stock to
market While there the various COM
mission firms may be investigated and
better contact made with them. A
good will keep the stockman informed
regarding the demand andp rices for