Show the livestock situation it lull there will be a decided de crease chease lii ift cattle feeding in the corn belt states stales based upon findings made by the V U S Ds da pait ment ot of agriculture this agency reports leports that shipments of stocker and feeder cattle to the middle western beates from july to september Septem bei were about one third below a year ago and available information ladi indicate c aten that the number of stocker and feeder cattle tc be moved later this year will not be sufficient to make up the sharp decrease in ili shipments eailler carlier in the year the decrease decie abo in feedlot replacements comes despite the abundance of feed crops in the middle west nevertheless farm armeis point to much higher teed feed costs than prevailed pi e ailed a year ago and this in the face of 15 to 20 20 per cent higher prices of 0 stock ors ers and feeders As pointed out in a recent lecent issue of western livestock Ll estock journal the middle western markets quote stocker an and d feeder cattle Is averaging a bout about 1 cents a pound higher than a year ago while tat fat steers prices are about one halt half cent a pound lower than a year ago this in the face of higher feed tee costs Is tending to discourage replacements on the tha scale that featured the tha situation ua tion last fall in most of the western states the department estimates the volume of cattle feeding will be com comparable parable with a year ago although thero there are likely to be decreases deci eases in some states fat catte prices appear to be pretty well stabilized at the los angeles union stock yards actually fluctuations have been very mild during the past several months with the tendency somewhat weaker on the in between grades of steers and cows cowa during the last two wits weeks of 0 october the demand for bulls canners and cutters culters and the better grades of 0 f fed steers holds up well although there has been some weakness on fed steers the hog market has declined sharply from early september and dropper down to within a cent a pound of the 9 cent minimum price chicago basis suggested some months ago by the secretary of agriculture fat lambs are holding about steady although there has been some signs ot of weakness in that department all livestock prices continue well above a tear fear ago on the los angeles market however |