San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-01
letter TIMES
/ ANTICIPATED
IN LIVESTOCK
Market Men Expect Prices
! Will Show Decided Up
/. ward Trend in 1923.
TRYING TO COOPERATE
Organization of Producers
Is Expected to Benefit
Members Materially.
BY l.. c. GRUNDELAND

Special Correspondent of The san Antonio
Copyright. 1925. by The San Antonio Light.
Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Jan.
1.--Some of the cattle men have not
made the money they expected this
year but business has been good and wise
heads at the stock yards look for bet
ri times for the industry in 1923.
I Ii is the sameway with the hog
strade. Present prices are practically
tat tl.s years low point with choice light
butchers selling around IS. Most
traders think an upward turn is near.
{ Of the diffes,nt branches of the live
{, stock trade, the live muttons market
has shown the most even tone this
ear.
i Z, One of the big features in marketing
! OF livestock which promises TO play an
!. important part in the coming year
. is the cooperative plan. No doubt
many country buyers see disadvantages
in this method at the start and also the
farmer undoubtedly has heard about the
difficulties. There can hardly be any
d0Sbt, however, that a properly con-
Quoted organization of producers would
be of benefit TO the members. Thus
far the system has hardly advanced far
enough TO prove more than its defects.
Cattlemen Take a Chance.
After small run of range cattle
during 1921 most of the traders Barred
a shortage of meat this year. The
country was again ready TO show that
could be done, however, and whe" the
final counting is made up for l! - it
will be found that the farmer an cat
tlemen still are willing to take chances.
&c gl,n
ing for improvement in cattle values
and here they did not make a mistake.
Still it was the producer who took the
chances. At the opening of the year,
when the bulk of cattle sales were
around $6.25 and S7.75 the business
did not lock like the best occupation a
man could choose, but the market has
made a good recovery. In December
1921, the cattle market was at the
high point for that year, when choice
animals reached $3.50. This year, how
ever, prime Steers sold at $3.50, and
while quality does not warrant quoting
prices that high now best steers are
little below the gears high spot.
Weakness This Month.
Some weakness was noted in the mar
ket for medium and palmer lots Of
steers during the last month, but one
Of the reasons for this was the fact
that the range season was longer than
expected, and when the late fall re-
ceipts of native cattle came, these ami
mails still found the western stock in
hard competition. Lack of cars pro-
longed the western season, TO such an
extent that it made too hard jour-
ney for the stock going to market.
The total supply of range cattle for
the season, was about 265,000 head,
against less than $4,000 last year.
The supply of all kinds of cattle is
close to 100000 head. which was an
increase of about 100000 over the pre-
vious year. At the opening of the
year cattle started with so as the top
of the market. This figure was made
the first two weeks in January, after
that the quality fell off, and tops were
lower. The low average for beef stcNrs
was in January, but here also values
were improved. Nothing sold above
SO at the local yards before late in
June, when $40 was again paid. Med
ium and palmer grades followed the
choice lots in the gain.
High Spot in Market
The high spot in the market was
reached late in October, when the best
animals went at $13.60 and the ave-
rage price of beef steers was placed
at close TO $11. This was again paid
in November. The low was recorded in
February at $500, when the average
for beef steers fell below 1925. Prices
for killing cows and heifers also show
good gain over the close Of last
year, while present levels are little
below the years best time.
"a Commission houses are urging the
country to continue making good quail
" cattle, and they look for a better
year for cattle feeders in 1923.
Hogs Near Low Point
Receipts of hogs for the year will
total something like 100000. OF
these close to 100000 were shipped
out Of this market for all purposes. At
the opening of the period best hogs
sold at $S.75, but there was steady
gain for all grades.
In March the market was the best OF
the year, showing S11.J0 for top lots,
while the general average was placed
at about S11. This was for the week
ending March IL, but the change was
again sudden. The following week top
hogs dropped to S10.9J, and the ave.
rage was only a little above $40. There
was steady gain later, but values
did not pass the mark set. Many of the
sellers booked for the So figure which
did not show up. Early in October
prices for top and average were re-
speetively $10.45 and $500, but they
went down after that.
Present prices are near the years
low point and at existing prices for
corn, there is no profit in feeding
hogs. For this reason the conditions
VII have 10 readjust themselves, and
most Of the traders look for the hog
prices 10 go up.
Lambs Hold Gain.
At the opening Of the year.. prime
lambs were placed at about SO, but
there was a steady gain until the best
animals reched S1G.65, the high point
Of the year, in the early part of May
The young spring stock, of course, far
outsoid the matured muttons, but the
trade was good even for aged stuff.
Prices for lambs dropped again after
july, but tor lots never went below the
levels noted at the opening Of the year.
Present prices. with best lots Of fed
lanbs around $3.50, stand considerably
| above the average for the year
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