Evening star., 1933-01-22
LIVE STOCK PRICES
IN SHARP DECLINE
Light Cattle Hold Fairly
{ Steady, but Weighty
Steers Are Lower.
BY FRANK /. WELLER,
Associated Press Farm Editor.

There was not enough foundation
under the market to hold all the gains
cattle carried over from week ago
and prices dropped quickly on purely
weight basis. There was some doubt
that if any time in the history of the
trade weight had been more sharply
discounted.
For the most part light cattle got ac-
tion and held steady with last weeks
upturn; but heavy steers lost Is to SO
cents Gs each additional 100 pounds of
weight brought successive price cuts.
The Improvement week ago which car
ried weighty cattle higher than they
would have gone of their own volition
resulted in larger offerings this week but
the dressed trade could not handle the
added tonnage.
Yearling Steer Prices.
Long yearling steers Of outstanding
finish topped at $710 with several loads
going at 81 and a more liberal supply
at S625 to S6.85. On heavy cattle it
was largely $500 to $500 trade, other.
markets showing normal price relation
TO these Chicago quotations. Numerous
long strings cut of Western feedlots sold
at $3.50 to S4.75, which was not only
25 cents lower than feedlot mates bought
Hast week but the cattle were usually
9ighter. It was good evidence of the
wide difference even 100 pounds of
weight can make in both price and
bullet.
The weight basis on which the gen.
geral cattle market rests has it's exact
scounterpart in the dressed trade where
lightweight carcaSseS and cuts are SELL
Ping with moderate show of action but
lEhere heavy beef is more or less at
AStandStill. In instances the beef from
heavy steers costing 81 and S. alive has
JSold so close together as to make SIS
Gattle relatively cheaper to the killers
than the 81 offerings, rounds and chucks
from the respective lots selling at the
same price. Instances were pointed out
In the dressed market where strong
weight cutter COWS sold for sausage
purposes at $5 while choice heavy beef
COWS had to be sold for beef at SIS
to Sc
Replacement cattle continued scarce,
partly because killers competed for COM
mon and medium grades scaling 900
pounds down in the beef market. Con-
Sequently, stockerS and feeders worked
strong to 25 cents higher early in the
week, the bulk selling at $3.50 to $3.50.
Stability was the keynote of the hog
was nOIed from day to day with the top
holding at $3.40. Closing prices showed
q to 10 cents advance over last Thurs
days average, all classes sharing the
Improvement. The S3.40 mark has not
been passed since December 26.
Competition Among Shippers.
Shippers met with keen competition
from Chicago small packers and city
butchers in buying the better-grade
lightweight hogs. The former bought
more freely than heretofore this season
and big packers bought more hogs than
they have on the first four days of any
week IN some time. At the close the
bulk Of good to choice 170-210-pound
weights brought $3.50 to S3.40.
Last weeks furry of retail buying
quietej down and dressed lamb prices
dropped sharply as a result. But. after
declining Is to 25 cents compared with
last Thursdays peak, the market appar-
emily reached a point of resistance,
sheep taking the opposite course and
advancing Is to 25 cents largely on
scarcity basis. Too, the supply of fin
ished lambs did not exceed trade re-
quirements. S6.25 top was paid daily.
Fo, practical purposes it was a S5.75
to S6.l5 market on Oettergrade lambs
al week