Evening star., 1932-01-25
LIVE STOCK PRICES
REGISTER DECLINE
CurtaiIment in Supply oi
Steers Does Not Check
Recent Downturn.
RY FRANK I. WELLER,

Associated PreSS FhFtu GulsoA'
Sharp supply abridgment failed TO
halt the downturn in live stock prices
during the last week, and values In all
categories fell back to almost aIl-season
lows.
Not since mid-December have cattle
sold SO low at Chicago. In a draggy,
uneven and generally unsatisfactory
market, killing classes sank so to 10
cents under a week ago. Local ana
shipper demand was spotty and mar
row with the result that the top was
forced down to $1O75 on yearlings and
$40 so on the best heavies, while COM
psrable kinds went at $40. ShortteoS
did we'll to turn up $4.75 to ST, and
common grades commanded no more
than $3,25 to $3.50.
Better-Grad Steers Lower.
The feature of the market was that
the price of better-grade steers broke
more than the price OF lower sraoes'
Explanation is that 1t was partly sea-
sonal and partly because OF slower oe-
mand The quotations on better xmas
of cattle annually start down aC tiil9
time of year. Some observers would
moi be surprised If values in this brac-
ket sank $3.50 to So by April. They
recall that last year the average cost
of choice steers in January was Sl3oO,
while 60 days later it was $lO.l9.
Supplies of choice steers invariably
increase after the first of the year as
witnessed by the fact that in 1881 thefe
were 1870 head unloaded at Chicago on
January i, and 602 head on March IL
The average quality OF all cattle nm
proyes at this time Of the year, WIN
the result that there is a larger supply
of the better grades of steers just pc
fore the Lenten season when rellglouS
holidsys curtah consumer demand.
Cattle were under severe pressure al
Kansas iCty, where dull, draggy traue
cut prices SO to rs cents ana IN Soihe
instances 81 on shortfeds. NO cnolce
Kinds were offered There was our-
densome supply of shortfeds at Omana
and prices slid off so to IS cents com
pared with a week ago. Unllke chi
rago longfeds lost the least-25 to oO
ce9tS For the first time in months
the top on yearlings equaed that at
Chicapo-S1o.75. East St. Louis was
so to rs cents lower with the lower
grades showing. the least decline.
Although hog receipts were almost
15O OO0 head lighter around the circuit
for the week, prices averaged l0 cents
lower at Chicago. Pigs and light ngntS
were 10 to Is cents lower, excessive
runs at midweek being bearlSh IN
f1uence. The weeks top on hogs was
s435, but at one time II was down 10
s4.1O, the lowest point since 1899. Re-
eeipts were liberal at Omaha, but values
were little changed from a week ago
Prices dropped cents at East st. LOUIS
where pigs declined Is cents and soWs
advanced 10 to IS cents A late top OF
S4.25 was paid on the best offerings.
kansas City prices were 10 cents lower
than last week.
Lamb Prices.
Fat lambs were steady to so cents
lower at Chicago, the better grades
showing the most decline. Under a
narrow shipper demand which depressed
late prices the bulk sold at $3.50 to
s5.S5, while a few went at 50, chleny
because the top was 1856. Fat ewes
sold for 50 to S2.5O.
At Kansas City, fat lambs weakened
materially, closing prices being IS TO 80
cents below q week ago. Shippers paid
up TO s6.l5 for the best kinds, but at
the close similar offerings went at $5,75.
Wholesale prices of beef and pork
worked downward at Chicago. The
general demand was below normal:
Steer meat dropped so cents to 81 and
lamb and pork so cents. Supplies were
| liberal at New York, but demand was
unusually slow, and while pork and
good beef held about steady, the prices
Of all other classes worked downward