Show the livestock situation by J A L Me mcnaughton Naughton the sensational advance in hog prices during the latter hall half of april api 11 has carried choice gralli grain fed butcher hogs up to ta 15 a cat abt an advance of during the past two weeks meeks this advance means that lb hogs are now selling on oil tills this market for 1400 1450 against 1200 two weeks ago when it Is remembered le that the los angeles area alone requires about hogs per month this in means calls that hog shippers to this market are getting about additional cash income A 4 total of hogs were slaughtered under fedora federal inspection in the entire united states I 1 in march 0 of f this year if that rate of slaughter continues tor for a month at the present increase in prices it I 1 would mean that hog producers would receive nearly more for their hogs than in march mara tills this illustration serves to indicate the economic importance of an advance lu in hog prices to american americana nl farmers while there is some disposition to point to new developments in the european war as the cause for the higher scale of hog prices the fact seems seema to be that we have had no substantial increase in export demand so that the higher hog market appears to reflect improvement in domestic demand certainly this situation Is reassuring to livestock growers for it indicates that this country is enjoying some actual increase in consumer buying power at least that 1 Is the hope of the livestock growers who feel that a broad domestic market offers a inore stable outlet than fickle export trade cattle prices are being well maintained on an the los angeles and other large livestock markets prices at the close of april were generally equal to the prices bf a month ago the pacific coast ap peat peara to be in strong position as tar far as the cattle market is concerned supplies for slaughter are slightly less than a year aso ago ran range go feed is unusually favorable in ia most of the western states and cattle are being fattened fattened on an abundance of 0 economical grass teed feed some declines in high protein feeds may be expected to encourage some increase in feedlot finishing a factor which should encourage replenishing feedlots feed lots and tj thus it supply up some demand in addition to ta slaughter requirements the fat lamb market is also holding quite firm although quotations are slightly lower than tha early in fir april gwi good and choice california spring lambs are quoted on ohp los angeles market at to and possibly a cwt cat |