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Show TSLivestoclcl Los Angelas Union Stockyards, March 1.3 General rains throughout through-out California during the last few days came at a time when cattle and sheep owners were seriously concerned. In the Sacramento valley, val-ley, the heavy rainfall ended one of the most serious drouth periods in all history. In fact, the weather wea-ther observers had to go back t-. 1876 to find a season when the rainfall from July 1 to February 2b was as licrht as in the 1938-39 season sea-son in the great Sacramento valley. Word from the groat lamb growing grow-ing district in central California, I where about one million California ' early lambs usually are produced, indicated prior to the rains that ! owners were considering killing lambs in order to save the ewes. Other owners were facad with the need of buying heavily of concentrate concen-trate feeds and hay in order to keep their stock coming along, with prospects of early, forced shipment of half-fat lamlbs. As matters now stand, green feed supplies are fairly well assured for the next 30 days in most sections sec-tions of the state, but owners who did not feed hay and concentrates are faced with the marketing of a ' larger proportion of thin or feed-I feed-I er Iambs than usual. In the San Joaquin valley and the coast country, as well as most ectiens of southern California, i.r.3 ran-e feed situation hai been le;s cri.ical than in central Cali--rnia, lut range feed is believed to be at least 30 days later than normal, due to high winds and cold weather. This probably will mean that grass cattle will start moving to market somewhat later than usual. Supplies of cattle ann lambs in western feedlots should be well out of the way before any number of grass-fat stock are available. The I. os Angeles livestock market mar-ket is holding firm on all grad ( tattle. Arizona-fed steers during dur-ing the last few days have sold upwards to $10.15 a cwt., and the general market levels on cows and fed steers are considerably higher than a year ago, when livestock prices were disastrously low. I.i other words, livestock prices at this time, while higher than a year ago, are not high'in relation to the peak years in the 1920's, yet are at levels which mean fairly profitable profit-able returns to producers and feeders, feed-ers, and relatively economical meal food for consumers. |