Evening star., 1932-05-01
LIVE STOCK PRICES
SHARPLY REDUCED
Cattle and Hogs Sell at New
Lows During Weeks
Trading.
BY FRANK /. WELLER,
Associated Press Farm Editor.

Gloom blanketed the stockyards al
the week end as cattle and hogs made
new lows and the sheep and lamb mar
ket buckled under adverse dressed
prices and increases in California ano
Texas offerings.
Hogs led the grim procession back to
last century's prices. Thursdays tor
of $500 was the lowest since 1899 at
Chicago. A sluggish consumer demand
together with the punching of supplies
proved the breaking arguments. In
cluding the late 10 TO IS cents decline
the rank and file of the supply sold 25
to 80 cents under week ago.
Pork Prices Weaken.
Only extreme weight butchers and
| packing sows were able to hold within
/ 10 to Is cents of last weeks market
while nearly all underweights were
moved down IS to so cents.
Fresh pork prices weakened day after
day, although there was some Tightening
up at the close and late declines at
Eastern centers were lighter than al
the opening. Pork provisions dropped
with cash lard at new low for the
| season.
About the only hope the trade hao
was that the severity of the decline
may have sufficiently strengthened the
technical position to allow an upward
reaction il receipts are curtailed next
week They were 10000 head heavier
last week at the IL big markets and
for the most part Of plain quality with
an increasing proportion Of prematurely
shipped hogs mostly from last Falls
farrowing Big packers were light buy
ers until the last, when they took 5000
head at Chicago-the largest days pur-
chase in several weeks. Tightening of
supplies might force better demand and
maybe higher values If fewer rough
skinned and thin hogs show up.
Sheep went down another 81 to finish
exactly So under the recent high point.
influenced by the depressing run of
Texas grassers Fat lambs were down
only around IS cents at Chicago, but
that represents a 81 cut in this division
since early April.
In-betWeen grades dropped proper
tionately mere as the run Of Colorado
lambs lacking finish expanded and the
California Spring lamb movement in
creased. The bulk of Woolskins Of good
grade had to sell at Sc to $6,25. Chicago,
compared with $3.50 to $6l5 for the
faster moving clippers.
Average Cost.
Considering the killing quality of cat
tie, the weekly average cost of around
S625 for steers and long yearlings made
new low for the season, and hence
for years, although the price was rela-
lively unchanged
For day or so in late May of last
year fat cattle became temporarily
demoraliZed and sold as low or lower
than any time this week, but the break
was soon over and the week finished
with an average cost of S6.68. For sew
eral weeks now the average cost Of
slaughter steers has been from S6.25 to
$3.50 at Chicago. with the quality i'm
proving all the time 1t was very de-
sirable on Wednesday Of this week, when
the run comprised a raft of well finished
Nebraska and Iowa steers
The market was simply a case Of
scarcity in the weight brackets and a
surfeit of light supplies. The demand
remained moderately broad for weighty
bullocks. but light steers were hit by
the 25 to 40 cents break on light
heifers and mixed yearlings, veritable
glut of these little cattle showing up
after Monday.