Evening star., 1932-09-11
LIVE STOCK MARKET
SWINGS ARE WIDE
Average Cost of Slaughter
Stock Stands About So
for the Week.
BY FRANK I. WELLER,
Associated Press Farm Editor.

Although weighty steers uncovered a
new high top of sl0.15 at Chicago on
the post-Lsbor day market, price f1uctu-
attons were so wide the average cost
of slaughter stock stood around So for
the week. The toppers scaled 1921
pounds. the scramble for weight being
so apparent that 1,200-1 $50 pound
steers closed sharply higher than COM
parable grades averaging 1,05o-1,l00
pounds.
Light steers, which got up to SO on
Tuesday. and the long yearling, which
commanded S9.75, eventually were beat
en- back to 1925, but heavy kinds re-
mained steady to 25 cents higher
! Better grade light steers had to be
! substituted for Weightier stock early in
the week. but they became so numerous
later that along with abated shipper
demand and more or less killer indiffer-
ence, buyers could go back to their prac-
tice Of paying a premium for weight
while getting the bulk of lighter sup
| plies at a discount.
Price Range Is Wide.
Not in recent trade history has there
been a wider price range on finished
cattle weighing from $50 to 1850
| pounds Plain but meaty Western grass
steers along with natives off corn belt
| pastures sold on killer account largely
at s. to $3.50. while very few that we're
strictly grain fed and had quality turned
under So, and all choice offerings with
weight brought 1925 and better. 1t was
| the predon1in2nce of long yearlings and
! light steers which helped beat the aver
| age cost 50 below the top of the market.
In market all their own. all fed
! yearlings. both heifer and mixed Of
| ferings. gained so cents over the slow
| pace last week.
The Western grass run was small and
! not being in excessive supply, replace
ment cattle ruled steady, even though
country demand was relatively narrow
BY far the big end of the supply was
native stockers, selling at S3.75 to $5.25,
most westerns bringing 81. so to $5.75.
| The average cost of stocker and feeder
steers at S470, last week, compared with
! IS 48 a year earlier.
Under accumulated receipts over the
! holiday, the top on hogs dropped to
| $3.50 on Tuesday, but advanced again
to s4.75, as against a practical top of
S4.85 week aga. The price spread
! was narrowed considerably as light and
| medium weights sold weak to 10 cents
! lower and heavy butchers gained 5 to
| 10 cents and more.
! Shipping interests continued to avoid
! the Chicago market, although their pur-
, chases were little better than last
| week which, with one exception, was
| the week of smallest shipments this
Summer A total of 5000 head went
to shippers in three days, in comparison
! with $500 week earlier and 1900
! head year ago.
Pork Trade Improvement.
| Some improvement was noted in the
/ fresh pork trade, with the cooler wealth
e., but improvement was less in evi-
dence at some of the Eastern markets.
| Sellers found it increasingly difficult
/ to keep prices up as aggregate receipts
Of sheep and lambs expanded The
| dressed trade gradually slipped and
/ shipping demand proved unreliable. A
/ 25-cent downturn on choice natives was
the principal development at Chicago.
1t was chiefly $3.50 to S6 market,
the practical top being $3.50 Lower
grade lambs were supported to an ex-
tent by an active feeder trade on those
OF not-too-high quality.