Evening star., 1925-02-04
CATTLE AND HOGS
TOAVERAGE HIGHER
Eggs Also to Cost More, But
Poultry Will Drop, Says
Agriculture Report.

Beef cattle prices this year will
average higher than during 1924, the
department of Agriculture stated
yesterday in Its annual report on the
condition and forecast for meats dur
ing the next IL months. "A consid-
cradle increase" in hog production
next Fall and a corn acreage about
the same as 1924 was recommended.
The production of wool and the
growing of sheep will be about the
same as the past year, 1t was said.
tempt to expand over last year.
Higher egg prices will be in demand,
but the poultry prices may be lower.
High Hog Prices Seen.
Hog producers" the report says,
center 1925 with Is per cent fewer
hogs than a year ago and there Is
every Indication that prices during
the next 1S months will be higher
than at any time since 1920. Six to
eight million fewer pigs will be born
this Spring than last Spring.
while the 1924 corn crop VIII
proba bly, be well cleaned up, an in
! creased acreage in 1925 does not ap-
pear advisable in view of the ind1-
Gated reduction in the feeding de-
mand Stocks of old corn on farms
are likely to be smaller than usual
in the beginning of the new crop year
1925, but 1t appears that not more
than an average crop will be required
to supply the needs of the country
for both feed and commercial purposes.
Higher Beef Cattle Expected.
Prices for beef cattle for 1925
should average somewhat higher than
for 1924. The industry is gradually
working into a more favorable posi-
tion due to the relation of beef to
competing commodities, especially
pork; improved industrial conditions,
and in no small measure to the cat
tleman's own sacrifices. Market re-
ceipts will probably be somewhat
smaller than in 1924. All conditions
indicate that the longtime outlook
for the industry is even more favor
able.
Further expansion in dairying in
1925 seems inadvisable. A recovery
in prices of dairy products could
hardly be expected should the num-
Der of milk cows be further In
creased Domestic production ap-
poars adequate, and the foreign dairy
situation is such to keep world
market prices low and thus limit the
height to which our butter prices
can rise without bringing in foreign
butter.
Prospects for the sheep industry
in 1925 appear favorable. The world
wool outlook and the prospective
meat situation in this country promise
prices for 1925, at least, on a par with
those of 1924.
Outlook for Poultry.
THE outlook of the poultry indus
try during 1925 from the standpoint
of market egg prices is favorable,
while from the standpoint of market
poultry prices 1t is not so encourag
ing. 1t seems probable that higher
egg prices will prevail during the
season of flush production this year
than last.
With an abnormally large carry
over of dressed poultry in storage is
seems probable that lower prices on
market poultry may prevail for, at
least, the first half of the year.
Colt Production Declines.
There are as many horses and
mules of working age on farms as
will be needed for the coming season,
and average prices of work stock are
lower than they were year ago. A
decided decrease colt production
during the past few years, however,
points to a future shortage of good
work stock. This shortage is likely
to be acute during the time that colts
foaled this year and next, or even
young horses purchased now, are still
in active service"