Show fe A elive L 11 r stock tu ilk los angeles union stock yards feb 14 all livestock values are actually established on an the great central livestock markets this Is a fact that livestock producers should constantly bear in mind at the central market are the many buyers who under competitive practices bid on the livestock offered for sale it is at the public stock yards that livestock supplies are gathered in a central centra location where supply and demand tend to establish prices on the various grades and at the central markets that all government market reports are compiled 0 and dis disseminated semina t e d through newspapers wire services etc there Is a tendency on the part of some stockmen stoc kmen and feeders often tor for the sake of escaping minor sales costs at the market to sell their livestock at home or at couf country itry sales yards where here nothing in the way of actual competitive bidding is possible again the man who buys in the country always Is after the best stock with the result that a herd or a corral is topped out leaving the less desirable stock tor for the open market the result Is that stock at ock yards prices may in some instances be based on the less desirable animals yet the stock yards quotations are used generally as a basis tor for top prices in the country the livestock grower might well reflect seriously on the value to them of the open competitive central markets and stop to think what might happen to the livestock industry it there were no reliable public markets marketa just what yardstick would be used for measuring values just how could a grower know the true value of his stock just what incentive would there be towards improving quality and finish of livestock unless through open competitive bidding a scale ot of prices is available commensurate with the quality of the stock without the open market what would a livestock grower growe or feeder do it no buyers came to ills his place there are always buyers for livestock at central markets and all sales are tor for immediate cash realizing that country buyers generally want only the cr cream earli ot of the crop what would the producer do with the cutbacks cut backs it if he had no central market to turn to we have not reached perfection in the marketing of 0 livestock it must be admitted it would be a great thing arthe movement of livestock to market could be so regulated as to escape fluctuations in prices from day to day and week to week undoubtedly the most serious cause of these fluctuations today Is not the volume of livestock moving to markets marketa but the caused by buying and selling at country points where it is impossible tor for any group in the livestock business to know what supplies are being bought and sold it is the invisible movement of 0 livestock that tends to upset the price structure the livestock people have an invaluable heritage in possessing the advantage of the central markets conducted under government regula tion |