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Show fl?WOvestoclc $ituatioix, ISKT.M'NAUCHroNt- - ' Los Angeles Union Stockyards, July 29 With the expected United Unit-ed States fall and spring pig crops of 1910 estimated at a' total of 75.8 million head, compared with the 1939 crop of 84.3 million head, a strong hog market for the re-rainder re-rainder of 1940 is hoped for by those in the trade. This decrease of 8.5 million head represents 10 percent of the total and is definitely defi-nitely a strengthening factor in the "market. Although thetje is little prospect for improvement in exports of pork products, present indications are that the demand for pork and pork products in this country will be well maintained. main-tained. After all, hog raisers in the United States must depend on domestic consumption for all but a meager amount of the hogs they ship to market. Our export trade for some years has not been important in comparison to our channels of outlet here in the United States. Therefore, the country, coupled with the supply of hogs, is the main factor in setting set-ting the price. A good many of our business and industrial leaders lead-ers feel that 1941 will see increased increas-ed industrial activity in the United Unit-ed States, and if this is the case, it is likely that we shall have a stronger hog demand since the supply of hogs will probably be less than in the present marketing market-ing year. However, it is not likely that hog prices will make any spectacular advances since 75.8 million hogs the expected pig crop of 1940 is still a comparatively compara-tively large pig crop for one year. Here at the Los Angeles Union Stockyards, the best grain fed hogs are selling at from ?7.50 to ?7.65 per cwt,, with a top of 57-80 registered early last week. Members Mem-bers of the trade generally expect a firm market during the next few months, with prices dependent depen-dent on general industrial and business conditions. Slaughter supplies of cattle are ' expected to increase seasonally during the balance of the summer and in early fall. Marketings of grain-fed cattle for the country as a whole may not be so large as they were a year earlier, and unless un-less serious drouth should develop, marketings of other cattle also may be smaller than a year ago. In ' the last half of this year slaughter supplies of all cattle are expected to be a little less than a year ajo, and it U also expected that cattle prices will be supported support-ed by stronger consumer demand for meats during the coming period. Western ranges generally are conservatively stocked at the present pre-sent time, and there has been a tendency in many sections of the coast country to carry over cattle that otherwise might be marketed, market-ed, because of the fact that there is plenty of grass, and coaat operators are fearful ,that corn belt feeders will again this fall set the pace by taking a good many of the weaner calves from southwest range herds. Here at the Los Angeles Union stockyards, cattle prices have I been steady to strong during the past week, with advances of as much as 25 to 40 cents per cwt. on some of the medium steers and cows. Tcp of the cow market set last week was $7.30 per cwt., paid for some Montana cows averaging a little over 1000 pounds. Best fed steers sold at $10.75 per cwt., with other fed steers at ?9.00 to $10.00, and fed Mexican type steers as high as $8.40. m |