Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-16
LIVE STOCK PRICES
LOWER AT CHICAGO
Market Registers Sharp De-
cIine-QuotationS Else
where Are More Stable.
BY FRANK /. WELLER,

After reaching a new top of $12.15
the fat steer and yearling market caved
in last week as quotations tumbled
from so cents to 81 under Mondays
best time.
The smash was almost purely Chi
cago affair. Elsewhere prices on ex-
trenely good offerings were steady to
80 cents higher than week ago. 1t
was as if many of the other markets
were trying to follow Chicago's recent
practice of initiating choice beef while
the bulk of the supply gradually
weakened.
Range of Quotations.
At the wind-up Chicago had at least
three sets of markets in progresS-the
strictly grainfeds selling at SLIPS and
up, the ShortfedS and warmed over kinds
selling at $3.50 to $40 and the graSsers
running from $3.50 to $3.50.
In a way the decline was overdue.
Shipper competition for the Starva-
ton supply of heavies had carried
in between grades erratically upward
until the glut of go to 100 day fed
steers and yearlings it attracted gave
killers an opportunity to buy these
kinds more on their merits. They prob
ably figured the supply of strictly grain
fed steers with weight is about COM
pletely exhausted.
Net in years has cattle run of this
weeks size carried SO few we'll finished
bullocks. While shippers indicate they
still will pay $12 and better for the right
kinds of heavies, it is the trade opinion
that if the supply disappears the late
top may be sliced off and the good
heavies now selling at 50 to $40 con-
stitute top kinds.
Ac 10 rlyp of cto "
strictly granted weighty bullocks are
steady. Just as an expanded supply
of short-feds Debated the Chicago mar
ket, medium natives and Westerns sold
off 25 to SO cents at East st. Louis, Is
cents at Kansas City and rs to so cents
at Omaha.
For three consecutive days choice
yearlings sold for $11.75 at Kansas City,
new high level since last February.
Replacement Demand.
Although the trade believes that grass
runs will show prompt abridgement
from now on in line with seasonal
abatement, the country does not seem
inclined to follow the upturns in re-
placement cattle. The early advance
of so cents at Chicago was cut to Is
cents. Shipments of stocker and feeder
cattle from the IL major markets into
CIIS oCFGIl principals leGQlIlR OGdIeS from
July to October this year was 20 per
cent smaller than the 5-year average.
The lighter weight hogs led an up
turn CT 25 to 35 cents at Chicago, while
gains of 10 to 25 cents were being re-
corded at Kansas City and East st.
Louis. Pigs ruled 35 to so cents higher
on the latter market and 20 cents
higher at Omaha. Packing sows ad-
vanced IS to 25 cents Chicago.
There is some indication that a bet
ter dressed market, which did not ex-
tend to other meats, helped hogs. Pork
loins gained 81 to So at Chicago, where
the lower grades of steer beef dropped
so cents, veal 81 and lamb SO cents to
81. Choice beef was steady to 25 cents
higher.
The principal feature Of the lamb
trade was its stability. Choice fed lambs
sometimes advanced 10 to Is cents at
Chicago and were steady to 25 cents
higher elsewhere around the Circuit.
Packers exhibited a determined stand,
however, against any material advance
at Omaha.
Better grades of natives and fed
Westerns turned at $3.50 to S625 at
Chicago with a weeks top price of
$3.50. Advances, even though small,
were noteworthy in that they length
ened the spread between fat and feeder
lambs. Only recently the margin fell
below $3.50 apd feeder prices started
to slip as result.