FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 417 



a total of upwards of $296,000,000 to be compared with $812;884,386 for 

 1902. 



Cattle came to the number of 3,432,486 as against 2,935,495 

 in 1903. Swine numbering 7,325,923 were received as compared with 

 7,891,728 last year, sheep 4,582,760 against 4,515,072, horses 100,603 

 against 101,555, total cars 302,915 against 278,100. 



Average weight of all the cattle received for the year is 1,038 pounds 

 as compared with 982 for 1902, for hogs 226 as compared with 220 and 

 for sheep 82 as compared with 84 pounds. The average price declined 

 $1.35 for beef steers averaging from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds, and for swine 

 around 85 cents per hundred-weight, but the values of native sheep and 

 native and Western lambs averaged a dime higher, though Western sheep 

 show to be 25 cents lower than they were in 1902. It was not the 

 banner year for cattle, swine or horses, but it was for calves and sheep. 

 It was the banner year for shipmentst of cattle and sheep. One more 

 railroad has been led into the yards during the year, that one being the 

 Pere Marquette, which has only lately been able to establish terminal 

 quarters in Chicago. 



Monthly average prices were highest in August for cattle, when the 

 figures were $5, ana lowest in November, at $4.45. Hogs were highest 

 in March, at $7.30, and lowest in December, at $4.45. Sheep .averaged 

 highest in March, at $5.40, and lowest in November, at $3.05, while lambs 

 were highest in March, at $6.60, and lowest in November, at $4.70. 

 Taking the year altogether the average price for decent native steers is 

 $4.80, for cows and heifers $3.95 and for Texas steers $3.95, for hogs, $6, 

 sheep $4.05 and for lambs $5.45. Last year the averages were: for 

 native beef steers $6.20, cows and heifers $4.70, Texas steers $4.80, hogs 

 $6.85, sheep $4.20 and for lambs $5.50, so that it will be seen the losses 

 on cattle and swine are large, while sheep and lambs have about main- 

 tained their price-level. 



Largest receipts per day in the Chicago market are thus listed: cat- 

 tle, September 28, 1903, 44,445; calves, April 15, 1902, 5,076; swine, 

 February 11, 1895, 74,551; sheep, September 29, 1902, 59,362; horses, 

 March 21, 190i, 1,697; cars, Decembei- 1, 1902, 2,811. It will thus be 

 seen that though this has been a season of gigantic arrivals other years 

 still hold the most of the records. Calves only broke the weekly and 

 monthly and calves and sheep only the yearly records. 



Despite the great reduction bf values' there are yet some very hope- 

 ful signs, which are admirably set forth by President J. H. Spoor of the 

 Union Stock Yard & Transit Co. in a letter to the Chicago Record- 

 Herald, published on the first day of the year and reviewing the condi- 

 tions general in the agricultural W^est. It runs as follows: 



"In the great live stock industry of the United States and in gen- 

 eral agriculture vast changes are taking place. The public is beginning 

 to realize that the preservation of soil fertility, both West and South 

 as well as the East, requires the raising of live stock on farms and a 

 careful utilizing of manure, together with improved methods in the rota- 

 tion and cultivation of crops, and that soil fertility must be preserved 

 as the foundation of agricultural and national prosperity. 



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