OCR Text |
Show ' during the past several years. While there are many in the trade who feel that supplies of pork will be far below be-low normal domestic requirements, there is no real danger of a meat famine in this country providing we have fairly favorable crop conditions during the year. But it is evident that those who are able to carry on in the livestock business will find a more favorable outlet for their products and a vastly improved price structure. Figures just released toy the United Unit-ed States department of agriculture indicate a huge increase in slaughter of cattle in the United States last year. The total for 1934 under federal inspection alone was 13,263,296, by far the largest twelve months' slaughter slaugh-ter in all history comparing with the large slaughter of 8,655,259 in 1933, an increase of 53 per cent. A very large percentage of the increased slaughter, of course, represents emergency emer-gency slaughter of cattle from drouth areas. However, this nrrnnntq fnr onW a portion of the increase. Animals slaughtered under federal inspection do not represent the total slaughter in the United States. Hog slaughter represented a decided decid-ed decrease despite the heavy forced movement of unfinished pigs and sows to market on account of drouth. The total U. S. hog slaughter under federal inspection amounted to 43,-586,254 43,-586,254 head, as against 47,225,518 in 1933. A much greater decrease in hog slaughter-is anticipated in 1935. The first few weeks of the year give an indication of the extent of the pro-, bable decrease and at the same time the sharp upward trend in hog prices reflect the decreased number of hogs being slaughtered. Hog prices at this' time are practically double the prices ; of a year ago. Earlier in January, ai 200-pound hog sold on the Los An-! geles market for as high as $18.00, while the' same grade of hogs a year! ago would have brought only $8.00 on J.T. , i , uie same macKet. Slaughter of sheep and lambs under federal inspection in 1934 was very little changed, being 17,317.663, as against 17,353,550 in 1933. When it is considered that a great many ewes were slaughtered in the government's drouth relief program, it will be seen that the actual volume of lamb and mutton sold on the markets was smaller last year than in the year previous. A further decline in lamb slaughter is anticipated in 1935. Moisture1 cond'tions in the country as a whole give much greater promise prom-ise of favorable crops than was the case last year. California and Arizona have had exceptionally fine rains with the result that winter feed conditions jare far ahead of normal. Reports of I heavy sndwstorms in the colder states j give promise of improved range and I pasture conditions, as well as improvement im-provement of soil for putting in spring crops. With supplies of livestock of all kinds greatly decreased and indica- tions of far better crop cond:tions, the ; outlook for the livestock fraternity seems better than has been the casej |