Live Stock Markets. 605 



might as well say right here that there was great disappointment 

 in 1912 Christmas beef prices owing to the fact that a severe break 

 hit the market in December, and $10.00 was the record price for 

 Christmas cattle. So, despite the big difference in prices at the 

 high points between 1912 and 1911, Christmas cattle the past 

 year brought only 60 cents per hundredweight more than they 

 did in 1911. 



"The medium to good grades of beef made up the big end of 

 the year's supply and on this class centered most of the juggling 

 of prices. For the biggest part of the year these grades moved 

 at a range of $2.00 to $2.75 higher than a year ago, but the break 

 at the year's close brought the advance over the corresponding time 

 a year ago down around 50 cents to $1.00. 



"Yearling steers had a very good year, particularly the choice 

 to prime class. The top for yearlings was $10.75, also a new 

 market's record. 



"The big advance in feeding prices started in April and the 

 high point was reached in September. In that latter month good 

 weight feeders were moving at a range of $6.25 to $7.00, and 

 several loads went to the country as high as $7.50. A top of $7.50 

 out of first hands was the high price of the year, but this shows 

 up very favorably with 1911, when the high price was $5.60. The 

 bulk of the feeding steers in 1911 sold at a range of $5.00 to $5.60. 



"The top for carload heifers for the year was $9.10, which is 

 the market's record for this class of beef. Taken as a whole the 

 trade has been conducted on a much higher plane of values than it 

 was a year ago. The average top for 1912 was $7.89 and the aver- 

 age bulk $5.40 to $6.66. In 1911 the average top was $6.70 and 

 the average bulk $4.67 to $5.67. We can easily see by this com- 

 parison the level which heifer beef attained during the past twelve 

 months, the top showing a gain of $1.20, and the average gain of 

 the bulk being about $1.00 per hundredweight." 



The Daily Drover's Telegram, Kansas City, in reviewing the 

 1912 cattle market, said: 



"Prices of all classes of cattle from choice beeves to calves 

 advanced materially in the first four months of the year and 

 averaged at the highest level ever known in the history of the 

 market. In the next four months beef steer prices fluctuated more 

 or less, owing to the free marketing of grassers from Kansas and 

 Southern pastures. During this period choice to prime fed steers 

 were scarce and maintained steady prices. Grassers started in at 

 the highest level ever known. Butcher classes broke 50 cents to 



