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Show ' HiJLivestoclcl ,4SituationJi Lcs Aiii'e'es, California, December Decem-ber 31, 1934 For the first ten months of 1934 figures recently released indicate an increase in , consumption of three pounds per capita in meat rnd lard in the United States. During that period receipts of cattle and calves at meat packing centers increased 48 and 51 per cent respectively. These increa.-es were made up largely of drouth relief cattle purchased by the government, and while they were purchased considerably under j their cost of production, losses' sustained by producers in this di-1 rection will doubtless be offset by higher prices resulting from the . curtailment of beef cattle supplies. National meat packers reports indicate that a volume of business in excess of any handled since the war days passed through the plants during 1934, and while hide and wool prices declined during the year, wholesale meat prices in-j creased an average of 37 per cent and these increases are being passed on to the producer as is evidenced by continually strengthening strength-ening general livestock prices. While the drouth has caused tremendous losses to producers in most of the middle western and western states, despite this, department de-partment of agriculture reports claim that cash income from farm production throughout the country for 1934 will amount to six billion dollars, an increase of one billion dollars over 1933 and nearly two billion dollars over 1932. There is little doubt among observers ob-servers that livestock prices are entering a long upward swing, although al-though there will likely be temporary tem-porary setbacks in the price movement. move-ment. This opinion is substantiated substanti-ated by the report of the government govern-ment that the number of meat food animals on farms at this time is the smallest in 35 years and when increased consumer demand is taken into consideration it would seem pthat a surplus of any class of livestock is not likely to occur for quite some time and with the sharp culling of flocks and herds brought about first by the depression and later by the drouth, it is very likely as replacements are made there will be a growing tendency toward quality production produc-tion rather than quantity. With good breeding and finish feeding coming about in the west especially, especi-ally, it will make it possibel to regulate production to best meet consumer demands and avoid over and under seasonal supplies as has been the case where the elements were depended upon entirely to bring livestock to marketing conditions. |