Show MOVING AND SELLING CATTLE Some Practical Remarks for the Buyer and teller The annual winter reports all have the same story that the mortality in rasge cattle is largely due to driving cattle to new ranges late in the season the Iccated stock suffering verymuch less from stress of weather by comparison compari-son says the Texas LiveStock Journal It may be stated in truth that there is always a loss incidental to moving range cattle owing to some of the stock not thriving on the drive and not fattening fat-tening after arriving on the new range This fact is generally known and appreciated appre-ciated by stockmen but for some reason or other possibly for several reasons the movement of cattle comes later and later and the winter loss is correspondingly correspond-ingly greater each year If it is desired to learn where and under un-der what management the losses are reduced re-duced to a fraction it is only necessary to investigate the operations of fndivid ucla and companies who by having ranches in Texas and in the Territories also are able to transfer cattle from South to North in a regular wayneither hastening nor delaying the work by reason of any money matters or speculation specu-lation as to final destination Such movements are uniformly successful and the losses as a rule amount to a trifling percentage The ste rs are gathered the earliest moment driven leisurely and placed upon the winter range while grass is still green and the cattle become rested located and in a thriving condition before the winter sets inThe The plea in favor of an early drive to the north is stronger to the buyer than the seller The latter having disposed of the cattle has no farthermterebtbut thebuyer is very much interested iirtbe question as to whether he will have cattle cat-tle or hides to count in the spring The difference in the results is of much greater moment than the variation of price a few cents either way in first cost but in general way there being only one exception in a few years the cattle purchased early have cost the least money besides the obtained ob-tained through holding the cattle under un-der any restraint the least possible time At present the = Texas market has hardly developed but sufficient is known of the demand to give a fairly good estimate that the cattle classed as ones and twos will be called for the de mandf or 2 yearold steers being stronger than usual at this early day Local dealers and speculators are buying up all the young cattle offered cheap and the general indications are that prices will be higher later than now giving the earlier purcnase the double advantage advan-tage The price of stock cattle being largely dependent on the sales of beef the present pre-sent favorable prospect for steers to fatten fat-ten early is likely to cut a figure in the trade as stockmen all prefer selling young beef to cutting oft a future beef crop at low prices The trade is at present in a transition state few knowing the actual condition of affairs but two points in the traffic seem evident First that the early sales will be at lowest figures and second that the early delivery will serve he best interest the buyer |