Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1952-01-17


Rduring 1851 was probably as UNI
n C'even as for any pervious year OF
record. Main factors affecting
dealings were government regula-
oltions and purchases but protract-
hsed dry spell during the summer
months also had bearish effect
Non replacement cattle marketings.
Il The most prominent feature of the
Il years dealings was the unprece-
asdented demand for stock cattle.
ntPrice trends varied and were mix
tied.
n Receipts for the l2-month period
swere short of the number counted
4 in during the previous year in all
divisions. Salable cattle totaling
A171,054 measured decrease of 3
E percent from the previous year.
Calves reached salable total of
5l,496 to fall short of the year
before marketings by 90 percent
The decrease in hog supplies
amounted to roughly 25 percent or
53,498 head less than the 1850
q count of 21S,8l9. Sheep market
p ings totaled the smallest volume
of record when the years saable
supply figured only 6,070 or ap-
ploximately 32 percent less than
the number marketed in 1850.
h A factor of prime Importance
TO all phases of the livestock trade
was the rather widespread revision
y OF grade classifications by the U.
!. Department of Agriculture.
Cattle and beef carcass grade were
I changes December 80, 1850. Sim
liar changes followed on vealery
and calves March 10, 1851. Apn!
10 was the effective date for the
revision of lamb, yearling, eve an.
/ mutton standards. Hog grades
were revised on July 1. These
changes were brought about to
Il : Keep pace with changes in consul
n mer demand and after a need for
"A such changes had been declared by
n the industry. In most instances
4 the changes tended to consolidate
"A grades and to qualify less finished
N animals for higher grades reflect
IN ing preferences for meat CARRYING
smaller fat to lean ratio.
,It Steers made the largest share of
\ the years cattle receipts. Grass
fat and short fed offerings formed
the biggest portion and included
many offerings classed as "two
way cattle that sold as feeders.
These often included up to 100
10. and sometimes 1900 ID. AMI
heavier averages. While dry con-
oitions adversely affected feeding
operations in most of the territory
tributary to the yards, drought did
Il not prevail in all sections at thu
same time so that fairly constant
outlet for stocker and feeder flesh
ed cattle resulted. The broadcast
inquiry was generally noted for
high quality lightweight or we'll
fleshAc animals with weight suit
able for short term feedlot oper-
stions. This broad demand rescit-
ed in rather spirited bidding on
the part of country operators for
rlany cattle that normally would
have gone to killers. Prices often
ranged from $1.00 $500 or more
above the prices killers could af-
ford under government compliance
regulations. This demand resulted
in the largest percentage of such
cattle being taken from the local
supply in the history of the yards.
b IA total of 1880 returned to coun-
try pastures and feed lots during
1851 1t marked an increase of
1875 over the number cleared in
1850. Replacement cattle formed
81 percent of the years salable re-
ceipts compared with about % per-
cent the previous year and 10
year average percentage of 1876
percent for the 4th. Consecutive
year sstock cattle formed an in
creased percentage of the total
1un.
With the exception of Gamer
and cutter grade cows all classes
Of cattle figured higher for the
month of January, 1861 than they
did for the last month of 1850.
Generally speaking, this higher
trend continued each month until
April after which trends became
mixed, although the general trent
continued upward. Good and
choice slaughter steers scaling
200 100 lbs. established their
lowest average monthly cost in
January and the highest in Sep
TENDER but the December, 1851 av-
erages figured from 1918 $50
per cwt higher than the CORES
ponding month the previous year.
Good grades showed larger in
crease than choice. Commercial
cows followed the general trend
CT steers and ended the year
around $4.25 per hundred lbs.
higher than the year before. Scar
city was the main supporting fac
tor. Utility, Gamer and cutter