140 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



newspapers. There is no close agreement on the exact application of 

 these terms. Even the reporters for the papers are not themselves 

 agreed on the application of many terms they use. 



Between one market and another there are still other differences 

 in the application of terms. The best beef steers of a certain market 

 will be quoted as prime steers in the daily reports of that market as 

 given in the newspapers, yet these same steers on some other large 

 market where a better class of cattle is regularly received would never 

 be called better than choice steers. Admittedly there is opportunity 

 for, and need of, greater uniformity in the use and meaning of market 

 terms, yet the market classifications as they now exist at various 

 markets, with all their inaccuracies and lack of uniformity, serve a 

 valuable purpose. They furnish at least some sort of a "handle" to 

 the market. Without them it would be next to impossible to report 

 the markets to country stock buyers, stockmen, and farmers. 



Cattle Prices at Chicago 



Chicago prices during 1922. — As indicating the comparative 

 market values of the various market classes, the following prices from 

 the Chicago market covering the year 1922 may be noted i^ 



Class Range in price Average prict 



Beef steers $5.00-14.00 $9.00 



Butcher cows and heifers 3.00-12.00 5.70 



Bulls, all classes 2.50- 8.50 



Bologna bulls 3.25- 5.35 4.45 



Cutter and canner cows 1.00- 4.50 3.15 



Veal calves 2.50-14.00 9.70 



Stockers and feeders 3.50- 8.50 6.65 



Grass western steers, all classes 3.00-10.25 6.60 



Grass western cows and heifers, all classes 2.00- 8.25 .... 



Market values of the various classes. — In determining the com- 

 parative market values of the various market classes, averages for one 

 year are not sufficient as a basis for comparison. The following table ^ 

 gives the yearly average prices at Chicago for the several market 

 classes from 1913 to 1922, and also the averages for the entire ten-year 

 period : 



Compiled from Drovers Journal Year Book of Figures for 1922. 



