The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-23
AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK LIVESTOCK


market, the wool outlook appears
favorable.
Numbers Of lambs on feed are
likely to increase If weather condi.
tions this spring are favorable for
. normal lamb crop. At the same
time, there seems to be . slackcn.
ing In demand for dressed lamb,
which may Be due to reduced pur-
chasing power Of consumers. With
improvement in business conditions
during 1923 and continued high
prices Of beef. consuming demand is
likely to increase. Lamb production
IL trending upward and now Is ap.
preaching the peak Of the cycle. The
outlook for the next few years in.
dicates the need for considerable
caution in regard to further expan.
sion In production Of market lambs.
For sheep producers who depend on
wool for the major part Of their
income, the outlook il not 20 un-
favorable.
Horse and Mule Outlook
Numbers Of horses and mules
continue to decrease in Ill sections
Of the country, and this trend ID
likely to be maintained for several
years to come. Eventually this re.
duction will reach . point where
scarcity will cause prices to rise ia
higher levels.
Average prices Of both horses
and mules on January /, 1928, show
IN increase over = year ago: pos
sibly indicating that the upswinR in
the price cycle has begun. Price
increases have been greatest in the
Great Plains area where farm pur-
chasing power 10 higher than = year
ago, and in those eastern states
where . rugged topography makes
tho substitution Of mechanical
power less practicable than in the
prairie sections.
The demand for horses in cities
continues to decrease as autos and
trucks are being substituted. De-
velopment Of tractors better
adapted for farm use is resulting in
= further substitution Of motor
equipment for horses, thought i'm
practicable heretofore. Better roads
are bringing about increased use Of
trucks on farms for the marketing
Of farm products and combines con.
tinue to displace horses in the
wheat producing sections. Eventual
", however, the number Of work
animals will be reduced to 4 point
where IN actual shortage will cause
prices to rise. If prices Of horses
and mules continue to advance dur.
ing 1928, it will probably indicate
the beginning Of IN upturn in prices
which may continue for five or ten
years. In any event, farmers can.
not expect to replace their work
stock . few years from now At the
present level Of horse prices.
Egg and Poultry Outlook
The number Of laying hens and
pullets on farms January /, 1928,
was probably not much different
from that on January I, 1927. Feed
grains and mill feeds will probably
average somewhat higher in price
during the first six months Of 1928
Present prospects indicate no great
change in egg production during
1923 in comparison with 1927
However, low storage holdings Of
eggs on January 1st is . factor
which should result in better ege
prices during 1928.
Holdings Of dressed poultry OF
January /, 1928, were considerable,
lower than on January 1. 1927. Will
lower supplies on hand and pros
native demand m strong m durinf
the past year, prospects for . high
er price level for the principal class
e. Of poultry appear favorable, a,
least during the first half Of 1923.
In recent years certain tendencies
have developed in the industry
which might well be considered BY
egg producers in planning future
operations: Winter egg prices have
shown . downward tendency since
the World war. It is probable that
the decreased spread between win.
ter and spring egg prices will con.