| Show e Livestock 11 s i- i 1 J ar l TIlt The past year car has for the most part pai proven to be bo a profitable one for far cattleman Prices on beef cattle on i ithe the whole did not quite measure up to the high er 3 average e established dur- dur during during dur during ing the previous year yet rei pr prices Ces were such stich as to afford lford profitable returns for the tho maj majority rity of stockmen In many ninny cases cattle feeders laid in n their think stock at abnormally high prices and anci the margin of profit was not only narrow ow but such suc-h as to result in losses in many many instances S Such h a condition was wag not not conductive towards active buying of feeder stock during durinA the past few months and what feeder cattle havo h ve been laid in were purchased at substantially lov cr low low- lower lower er prices than prevailed the year be- be before before be before fore Even at that feeder prices this fall were high enough to afford sat sat- sat satisfactory satisfactory fa toly returns t to rm range c producers There are arc man many conflicting factors in the cattle situation just ahead er there seems to be good op- op op opportunity pc c for realization of profit profit- profitable profit able ab prices durin during th the earl early r months of 1930 upon the old axiom that what is well bou bought ht is well sold Then too the western country has and i is contending with serious drouth and resultant shortage e pf range ran rm e feeds This has reduced the tIle number of feeder feed feed- feeder er r cattle brought ht into the state so that there is likely likel to be a n marked d reduction in the number of fat cat cat- cattle cat cattle tle tlc available for the markets during durin carl early months of 1930 The shortage of t f supplies would naturally indicate sufficient reason rea for a higher level in vl values yd yee y there arc are factors which may offset onset the shortage of beef bC to i sonic some extent The general economic situation over th the countr country will bear belr watching The sixteen billion dollar loss i in n too r market quotations no doubt has s affected buying power Whether or 01 not this condition will affect industry Y and empl employment remains to be seen As we have often said before said before beef bee be prices will largely be ba regulated by the th e buying public and nd the ability an and d of the public to pay plY high high- higher higher higher er prices price for b beef f which comes into competition with other foods Cattle C prices later in the season n will of course depend h t- t ta a great ex- ex extent extent ex extent tent upon the amount of rainfall and the amount of available feed in the th e pasture districts Just at this writ writing writ ins in ing it seems safe to a ume a-ume mme that with virtually the thc western wester n country short on range feed fed due to t 0 prolonged drouth this late in the th e season these there undoubtedly will b be e fewer cattle for sprin spring and an d summer markets There is plenty of o f money e for conservative cattle loans through h banks bankc and established loan compan compan- companies companies companies ies No emergency exists in this thia di- di direction di direction redion and interest rags are certainly certainly certainly not high in comparison with wit h loan rate rates s on other r commodities All in all the western v cattle situa situa- situation Non lion appears to he bri bright ht for cow cow- cowmen cow cowmen men who have feed avail ib Whit While e n a period of higher prices ea mt may be in i store for th the it al also o is certin ce r tarn t that better quality bec bee is in i n store flue due to tl the increased in nt t in better breeding and dry dry- tot dr-tot ot finish finish- finishing finishing in ing |
