Evening star., 1932-06-05
LIVE STOCK PRICES
INCREASE SHARPLY
Long Descent of Values
Halted, With Gains in
Most Lines.
BY FRANK I. WELLER,
Associated Press rarm Editor.

A gala week in the stockyards has
carried all classes of slaughter animals
considerably higher and Indicated to
many that the period of cellar prices
may be past for the season.
Hogs, declining for IL consecutive
weeks, gained 10 to 20 cents at Chicago.
cattle Is to 40 cents, lambs finished
unevenly steady to "a cents higher.
The average cost of steers stood
around s6.25, compared with slightly
more than 5000 last week, and the top
popped back to SITS in one of the
healthiest markets Of the year Lambs
topped at 81 and hogs at s355. Other
markets reflected the upturn. but all
on hogs being only cents above last
weeks all-season low, which was within
10 cents Of the lowest paid for hogs In
so years.
Market Remains Dull.
Even II the gains do mark the turn
ing point in live stock trends, thing
which usually occurs about this time OF
the year, it still is questionable how
much of the upturn was merited. Ex-
cept for more favorable reports from
the East, the dressed beef market re-
mains dull, lambs had to fight de-
clining dressed trade all week and pork
Is still in a rut.
1t is quite possible live prices re-
ceived more benefit from a short week
than anything else. With the markets
closed on Memorial day, cattle receipts
at the IL principal markets showed a
decrease Of 10000 head under week
ago, sheep, $4,000 head, and hogs al
most 100, 900 head.
In addition to supply abridgement
there was a shrinkage in the beef ton
mage because of the growing scarcity OF
weighty bullocks. There was generous
run from Nebraska and Iowa early In
the week, very little from South Da-
kota and the remainder from such
widely separated feeding districts as to
imply the trade may be correct in sug-
gesting that the big feeding sections
are near the end Of their supply. From
now on. if Nebraska finishes her big
weights this month, most fat cattle from
Western points are expected to be year.
lings and light steers with a sprinkling
of medium weights.
Shipper demand for choice offerings
stimulated the market, not only boosting
the upper crust but pulling the middle
grades up as buyers were forced to sub
llSIlIeT W LII IliClL OANCAo.
Active competition for medium as well
as choice stock carried strictly choice
yearling heifers scaling 713 pounds to
S6.45-thc best top in several weeks.
Hog Receipts Lighter.
Trading was slow early in the week
as the selling side. gaining more control,
attempted to dictate measurably higher
prices BY Wednesday buyers lost all
control of the market and offerings
were cleaned up in the early rounds.
Lighter receipts, with stronger local
and Eastern demand, broke the con-
slant decline hcgs had suffered since
the second week in March. More hogs
have been slaughtered than shown by
market receipts, largely because Of an
increased farm to packing house"
movement. The receipts for May were
only 66 per cent larger than during the
same month last year; whereas May
slaughter is expected to show an l6 per
cent increase over April.
Because dressed prices continued to
work lower, buyers followed successive
daily advances in the lamb market with
caution. Lambs from the corn belt
States. particularly Missouri and Illinois,
predominated, with Colorado and Ne
braska shorn fed yearlings next highest
in order of numerical Importance.