SHEEP TRADE ERRATIC.
Trade in fat sheep and feeding lambs was erratic, with closing prices highest of the week but showing an irregular basis compared with the previous week’s close.
Receipts at 10 large markets for the week were approximately 199,000 cattle, 502,000 hogs and 195,000 sheep, compared with 215,357 cattle, 452,902 hogs, and 244,517 sheep the previous week, and 166,112 cattle, 398,424 hogs, and 199,137 sheep the corresponding week last year.
Cattle.—Receipts of grassers from native territory, range States, and Canada, assumed the largest proportions of the season. Short-feds also were numerous, and long-fed matured beef steers and yearlings correspondingly scarce. Canadians were unusually numerous at St. Paul and Chicago for so early in the season, the July supply at the former market up to July 27 standing at 5,800 as compared with 988 for the corresponding period a year ago. The collapse of cattle values in Canadian provinces was an incentive for shipping across the border.
Canadians and Dakotas were generally in poor flesh and turned at $4.75–$6.50, killers taking a few at the latter price. Oklahoma and Texas grass steers invaded Kansas City and St. Louis in liberal numbers, and sold largely within a spread of $4.25–$7, many quarantine steers, grading as cutters, selling around $4.25–$4.75. Kansas pasture cattle were well represented at Kansas City, and winter grass steers of good weight and condition sold there upward to $8.75 or slightly higher. A few lots of Utah and California steers arrived at Omaha. Bulk of grass steers sold there at $6–$7.25, a large proportion of the far western steers being in feeder flesh. One lot of Montana steers showing breeding quality and good killing flesh brought $8.75 at that market from a producer. This lot met good packer competition, and the relatively high sale price indicated the plainness of the early run of grassers in general.
Long-fed matured bullocks, averaging 1,443 lbs. reached $10.80 at Chicago and best long yearlings topped at $10.50, the premium of heavy steers over yearlings continuing in evidence. Sales above $10.25 were comparatively scarce, bulk of beef steers at Chicago being of quality and flesh to sell at $8.50–$10. At that point few bullocks that had received even a sparse corn ration on grass sold under $8, but common native and western grassers cashed well below that figure.