378 



Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



The above prices for cattle and sheep show vastly more spread 

 than those for hogs. The value of market cattle and sheep is deter- 

 mined very largely by their condition and quality, together with their 

 weight, but the value of a market hog is determined very largely by 

 his weight alone. The condition and quality of hogs vary considerably 

 and affect the price, but do not affect the price to a great degree. 



There are several reasons for the small spread in price of hogs. 

 1. Packers have discovered and developed methods of curing cuts 

 from the poorer hogs which enable them to put this meat on the market 

 in attractive and appetizing form. This has increased the price of the 

 plainer classes of hogs. 2. Hogs do not vary as much in dressing 

 percentage as cattle and sheep. 3. All hogs are strictly meat animals, 

 whereas the cattle market receives a considerable number of dairy 

 animals, and the sheep market receives a large number of Merinos. 

 4. Age does not make pork as tough as beef and mutton. Juiciness 

 and color are less variable in pork than in other meats. 



The December prices given above indicate no necessity for grading 

 the various market classes of hogs. The August prices indicate that 

 some grading at that season may be advantageous. That there is at 

 most only a very brief period in the year when the grading of hogs may 

 be desirable is shown by the following figures showing the spread in 

 price of the bulk of hogs sold at Chicago, and in all butcher hogs, as com- 

 pared to the three top grades of beef steers: ^ 



Spread in price of live stock sold for slaughter at Chicago 



First part of week of — 



November 3, 1921 $0.50 



December 1, 1921 



January 12, 1922 



February 16, 1922 



March 2, 1922 



April 20, 1922 



May 25, 1922 



June 22, 1922 



July 20, 1922 



August 3, 1922 



August 17, 1922 



August 31, 1922 



September 14, 1922 



September 28, 1922 



October 12, 1922 



November 9, 1922 



December 7, 1922 



January 4, 1923 



March 1, 1923 



» Heavy butchers, 75 cents; light and medium butchers, $1.05. 

 ' Heavy butchers, 75 cents; light and medium butchers, 80 cents. 

 ' Heavy butchers, 50 cents; light and medium butchers, 55 cents 



1 Compiled from Breeder's Gazette's market reports. 



