CHAPTER XVII 

 AMERICAN SHEEP MARKETS 



Sheep are marketed by the same methods and are shipped and 

 sold at the central markets in the same manner as cattle, as described 

 in Chapter V. A larger proportion of sheep pass through the central 

 markets and relatively smaller numbers are slaughtered at local points 

 and on farms and ranges than is true of cattle or hogs. 



The 14 largest sheep markets and their receipts for three years 

 are as follows: ^ 



Markets 1922 1921 1920 



1. Chicago 3,873,947 4,734,408 4,005,237 



2. Omaha 2,532,787 2,752,962 2,890,748 



3. Denver 1,866,784 1,467,911 2,078,688 



4. Kansas City 1,574,217 1,780,298 1,687,017 



5. Buffalo 1,190,564 1,380,052 1,051,869 



6. Pittsburgh 1,204,217 1,196,975 922,157 



7. St. Joseph 729,784 930,911 842,639 



8. Ogden 704,419 575,462 602,718 



9. St. Louis 627,880 635,827 604,769 



10. St. Paul 498,891 632,865 728,957 



11. Salt Lake City 459,453 368,261 481,300 



12. Cleveland 360,432 369,755 419,744 



13. Fort Worth 324,870 357,094 393,929 



14. Baltimore 306,336 466,204 366,981 



Totals 16,254,581 17,648,985 17,076,753 



The U. S. Bureau of Agricultural Economics reports that 

 22,364,475 sheep and lambs were received in 1922 at 68 stock yards in 

 34 states. The 14 markets listed above received 73 per cent of this 

 total. 



The Chicago sheep market is easily the largest in the world. The 

 total value of sheep and lambs received there during 1922 was 

 $37,346,422. Their average value per head was $9.65. Their average 

 live weight was 78 pounds. Their average price per cwt. was $12.35. 



At Chicago during 1922, Swift and Company slaughtered 867,769 

 sheep. Armour and Company 714,152, Morris and Company 472,470, 

 and Wilson and Company 435,962. These four companies slaughtered 

 96 per cent of all sheep killed by Chicago packers in 1922. 



The commission charge for selling straight carloads of sheep or 

 goats at Chicago is 20 cents per head, with a maximum of $14 on single- 

 deck cars and a maximum of $20 on double-deck cars. On less than 

 40 head of sheep or goats shipped in one car, the commission is 30 



1 Compiled from Drovers Journal Year Book of Figures for 1922. 

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