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Show Mjvestoclc Los Anuules, October IS), 1906 There has been a surprisingly large number of stocker and feeder catjle moved into the corn belt states during the last three montli period, latest figures released by the United States department of agriculture indicate. During the period from July to September, inclusive, in-clusive, estimates indicate that three per cent more cattle moved into the middle west this year than last year. However, it is believed that by far the greater proportion of these cattle will be carried along on forage crops, which were fully up to normal, and a smaller percentage than usual will he fattened for the spring markets. ; Late rains in -the middle west revived pastures and added something some-thing to the corn crop totals. Yet ! it is estimated that there is forty per cent less corn available in the I United States than was the case I last year. Reliable sources indicate indi-cate that there will be a consider-j consider-j abh' decrease in the number of cat- tie le.' for market during the fall : and winter feeding period. There is nothing to indicate any such shortage of fat cattle as occurred in the spring of 1935, however. The Pacific coast and the southwestern south-western states are feeding more cattle than a year ago in fact, never in history have there been as ; many cattle on feed in these areas as is the case this season. Texas, it is estimated, will feed fewer cattle than a year ago. All in all, it is not likely that there will be anything in the nature na-ture of beef "shortage" during 1937. Yet supplies will be smaller than the huge supplies of 193G and cattle feeders are facing the future fu-ture with more optimism than in many years, basing their opinions more upon the vast improvement in business and industrial conditions condi-tions than upon the less stable idea of beef shortage. There can be no reasonable doubt but that business conditions in the entire United States are very favorable. Every business and industrial in-dustrial index proves this point. One of the notable examples is the steel industry, which is fast reaching reach-ing a highly prosperous level. All of this means that consumer buying buy-ing power is on the upward trend. There has never been a time when there was too much good food available when the average con sumer had sufficient income to buy ' the tilings he wanted. As our j standard of living advances and people are able to buy as much ; meat as they really need for the ' building up of health and stamina, there is no doubt but that reason- able increases in supplies of meat ! animals may be marketed to good advantage . by the producer and feeder. It is my opinion that we are rapidly reaching that .stage. |