OCR Text |
Show 5 X'fvestoclt tcnaugh"- r Los Angeles Union Stock Yards, May 27 In contrast to dull and weaker markets in the middle west, the Los Angeles cattle market mar-ket lias carried a very jhealthy undertone during the past week. At the close of last week, the general average on cattle prices was somewhat higher than a week previous. The strength on the Los Angeles market is due in s?reat part to smaller supplies for slaughter,' and no change in this situation is to be expected for the summer months. A very large volume of cattle have been moved to market in the middle west and east and latest reports from, the corn belt in-t dicate that the number of cattle in feedlots is now only slightly above a year ago. At the first of this year, there was a rather sharp increase in cattle feeding. This indicates that cattle so far this year have been moving into meat channels in a sizable fashion. fash-ion. Prices' have held well in. line with a year ago. Fed prices are selling just about as high as a year ago, but cows and heifers are somewhat higher. Veal calves are now selling at $10 to 512 a cwt, this being $1 to $2 higher than a year ago. The hog market continues in rather unsatisfactory condition, day to day fluctuations being somewhat influenced by reports of war conditions in Europe. Best grain-fed hogs have been selliny cn the Los Angeles market at around $6.50 a cwt, this being more than $1 a cwt. above the prices are about $1 a cwt. below a year ago. Sheep and lamb prices are holding up quite well and the spring market has been on a remarkable re-markable stable basis. Good and choice California lambs have been quoted on the Los Angeles market at $8.50 to $9.75, according to quality and weights. Those prices are slightly higher than prevailed on the Los Angeles market a year ago. Livestock markets are bound to react to seme extent to European wars news, although' prioes ere dictated almost entirely by domestic do-mestic supply and demand. There has been some hope that eventually even-tually the Allies might buy some of our pork and lard and undoubtedly undoubt-edly the fortunes of war may have effect on future prices of these commodities. Wool and hides also may be subject to war demands, and any radical changes in market mar-ket pricas iof these commodities would have effect on sheep and cattle values. M , |