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Show f&y. Livestock Los Angeles, December 20, 1933 There are not many sections where the fact that it has rained is first page news. But that is the case where a country is largely agrieul-tuial, agrieul-tuial, and particularly is in California Califor-nia wheie range sheep and cattle operators must depend upon the elements for feed, and where agriculture agri-culture generally mu.t depend upon lain and snow in the mountains for irrigation purposes. California is admittedly short on j beef cattle, her:in" of d rough enn-j enn-j ditions that have prevailed for the I nast several vear-. Stockmen are I hopeful that the heavy rains which i recently soaked ranges and pasture-will pasture-will be followed by additional rair and warm weather. If this state i-assured i-assured of good ran-e feed conditions, condi-tions, there will be a tremendous demand de-mand for replacement cattle. The early rains have already stimulated, demand for stocker and feeder cattle, as deflected in inquiries which have-been have-been received by commission men at the Los Angeles union stock yard-;.. While cattle prices are the lowest 'n many years, there is some feeling of optimism among beef cattle growers. grow-ers. For the most part, the western :ountry does not have over-production of beef cattle. In fact, the bi' increase in cattle numbers generally is in dairy liirds, where plans al-' ready are underway for reduction in numbers. i Cattlemen feel that with improvement improve-ment in business condition.-; ami increased in-creased buying power, there should be no surplus of beef and that beef prices should react upward. There has been a tremendous movement of beef cattle to markets during tne past few months and it is quite likely that this movement, mo.-t of which went to killers, was of a distre-s nature and should clear the way for 'jetter market conditions in the . spring. : Movement of cattle into middle ; western feed lots during the past : five months, according to the United : States Department of Agriculture j were about eight per cent .-mailer ; than the light .-hipmpr.ts hist year, j and were far below the five-year ; average. It is also indicated that the volume of cattle feeding in the western states this year is smaller than last year, and the number to be fed in Texas is expected to be considerably con-siderably below last year. In other words, it apjiears that the 1 cattle which ordinarily would have moved into feedlot- have already ' gone to slaughter, which should pave ' the way for smaller marketings next ' spring, a feature which may strengthen the price structure. o |