Evening star., 1932-12-18
live STOCK PRICES
| HIGHLY IRREGULAR
Hog Quotations Flrmer With
Advent of Colder Weather. d"
Cattle Lower.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
sub-zero weather and some strength
ening Of hog prices at the bottom were
about the only turns Of consequence IN
the weeks semi-demoralized live stock
markets.
Lowest beef cattle prices since 1911
developed at Chicago, where medium
weight and heavy steers were largely 81
on the hundredweight cheaper than q
week ago, the bulk selling at s425 to
$5.25. Losses from the seasons high
time amounted to as much as 81 to the
100 pounds, numerous loads that cost Sc
to $3.50 in the replacement stage in Au-
gust and September having to be peda
died to realize 81 to IS.
FeedlOt mates Of $825 heavies seven
weeks ago sold at S4 40 this week. Most
Of these weighty bullocks had seen a
four to eight months turn on corn.
Yearling Prices.
Yearlines and light steers, however,
lost only 25 to so cents. the trade pay
ing premium over the same grades
Of heavy cattle for fancy light offerings
scaling under 300 pounds The top on
light yearlings was S735 and the prac-
tical top. ST; on strictly choice heav1es,
81, and the practical top, $3.50.
In all, the steer trade now Is decid-
edly on a weight basis. Light offerings
are cleared up readily, but with by
products so low and dressed beef SO
hard to sell, killers are In no position
sold slow even on the decline and 1t
was evident the bulk would be carried
over to harass next weeks market.
With the holiday poultry season in
sight the lack of reliable outlet sug-
gests that unless cattle receipts are kept
small there may be further price de-
cnnes shortly.
The Kansas City market sold down to
"hog prices" as the bulk of fed cattle
turned at SO so to S5. All classes were
at the lowest level of the year, yearlings
topping at $3.50, and choice heavies
at $685. Fed steers and yearlings lost
rs to rs cents at Omaha and 25 to SO
at East st. Louis.
Hog values hit a new low for the
century at Chicago before Gght-weightS
got slight upturn on the argument
dressed pork prices On Tuesday the
average cost of hogs had shrunk to
s296 per Observation-Disclosures TO
S225 on Iowa farms. 1t came back to
So at the close. The early top fell from
1925 to S315 and finally staggered up
to S335 as it became evident open mar
ket receipts would be only 81 per cent
of those for the same week a year ago
and shipping orders, although still light,
| improved over those of last week.
Extent of Decline.
The Kansas City hog market declined
| 10 to Is cents for new low levels on the
| midweek session. At $3.50 the top was
the lowest in 50 years but it worked up
| 10 cents at the close. Omaha prices
were steady to Is cents lower on lights
and East st. Louis declined 5 to 10
cents.
The second week In December ordi-
narily is the time hog prices reach the
seasons low. From then on they stiHen
up little for the seasonal rise due in
January. The rule has not worked
during the last two years, however, and
none can say the current break Is tho
! bottom.
Eastern Christmas buying caused fat
| lambs TO firm little after all killing
classes Host 25 to SO cents at Chicago,
| 40 to 80 cents at Kansas City and SO
to rs cents at Omaha. Receipts ex-
panded 1900 head o"er last week at
the principal markets and it was obvi-
GUS that with pork loinS wholesallng
at IS to $3.50 per hundred weight It
would be very difficult to maintain g.
sl4 to SIS trade on prime lamb
Chicago paid s5.25 to s575 for good
to choice natives and $3.50 to $5.05 1or
fed westerns.