The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-24
RAISERS GET
BETTER PRICES
FOR ANIMALS
General Level for 1922 Higher
Than 4 Year Earlier
Statistics Indicate

Washington, Feb. "a More mea
|mimals were marketed and material
higher prices were obtained by
he livestock producers of the coun
ny last year as compared with 1921
recording to the Department of Ag
'iculture.
The combined receipts of cattle
|.alves, hogs, sheep and lambs at
bubble stockyards last year amount
| d to 1864 ,002 head, composed with
|}5,O55,S15 in 1921 and s7,855,454 in
92O. The increase in the combined
|narketings during 1922 over 1921
WAS A, 593,187 head or 81 percent
Ind the increase over 1920 was l.
| 1913, 548 head or 2 percent. 1t was the
Exceptionally large receipts of cat
| lie, calves, and hogs which resulted
n the increases, the marketings OF
sheep and lambs in 1922 having been
he lightest since 1917.
The general level of prices dur
Ing 1922 was materially higher than
L year earlier and with the cXcep-
ION of cattle during the first five
months of the year only in rare in
Etances did any class of stock drop
1T the 1921 level. In view of the
relatively light supplies available,
ambs led in the upward movement
|Df prces, the 1922 average being
3.54 higher per 100 lbs. than for
92l. Ewes advanced $l69, hogs II
tents, and good and medium beef
|;teers &c cents, all per 100 lbs.
Compared with 1920, however, the
d 1922 prices followed substantially
over levels, hogs being $4.69 under
he 1920 level, cattle $4.57, ewes
S2.17, and lambs $l.92, all per 100
| BIS.
One of the outstanding features of
the livestock market during 1922
was the relatively heavy movement
|,f stockers and feeders. The increase
n receipts was impressive but this
movement was largely neutralized
by the increase over 1921 in ship
|nents of animals back to the coun-
Try Tor 1urtner 1eeulnS.
A fair conception of this shifting
|of the stream of meat animals from
he SHAMELESS back to the feed-lot
|nay be gained from the fact that in
1921 stocker and feeder shipments
S.3 percent of the re-
ceipts while in 1922 they represented
OS percent Thus, although during
922 receipts of live stock increased
81 percent and local slaughter 81
percent. Stocker and feeder ship
ments increased 36.5 percent over
the preceding year. This single fact
serves as an excellent index both of
the change in sentiment among live
stock producers and one of the i'm
provement in general credit and
trade conditions during the year just
closed.
An outstanding feature of the cat
tie movement was the striking in
crease in the marketing of both ives
tern range cattle and Canadian cat
tie. From July Is to Dec. 30 receiuts
of such stock at Chicago alone
to 269,109 head, compared
with 1864, during the correspond
ing period of 1921, an increase of
approximately 81 percent.
Although during a greater part
of 1922 cattle prices Jagged some
what behind those of hogs and sheep
a fact which was the basis of ra-
Their bitter complaint and consider
able loss on the part of the range
cattlemen in particular, cattle pri-
ces were noteworthy in that there
was an absence of sudden and wide
in price and steadily
upward trend. During the entire
year weekly average prices of good
and medium beef steers. which
grades constituted more than rs per
.ent of the steers offered, fluctuat-
ed within the extremely narrow
range of $1.86 per 100 lbs. Opening
prices were within 10 cents of the
Owest of the year and closing quo
cations were only % cents under the
Ugh point.