—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 28,197 Q
18
Factors Include Big Pork Increase and Slow General Economy
Livestock Prices Under Pressure
The overall livestock situa
tion m the U S and m Penn
sylvania has been changing
rapidly in recent months.
Poik, broiler and turkey sup
plies are up, significantly in
creasing the overall meat sup
ply and bringing livestock
prices under downward pres
suie
The situation has been com
plicated by the relatively small
corn crop nationally But Penn
sylvania has a near-record corn
crop
What does all this mean for
the livestock industry’ H Louis
Mooie, Penn State marketing
specialist, presents the follow
ing report on the November
livestock situation in coopera
tion with Max Smith, Lancaster
County agricultural agent-
Hog Marketings Up
In recent weeks hog mar
ketings have been substantially
above year-earlier levels and
puces have fallen below the $2O
level
The 15-per cent increase in
the September 1 inventory of
pigs under 60 pounds, as well as
an estimate of a 14-per cent in
crease in the June-August pig
ciop, indicates'that marketings
will increase fuithei
Late Fall and Winlei mai
ketings will piobably be 12 to
15 pei cent above" year-eai liei
levels With this the case puces
are likely to weaken fiom cue
lent levels •_
A year ago the hog-corr, ratio
was at 22 2 It now stands at
only 13 6 The latio will likely
fall moie as hog puces weaken
and com prices use
With the shaip decline in hog
profitability and the prospect
for higher corn prices, hog pro
ducers may make some down
waid adjustment in their late
Winter and Spung fmoiwmg
plans.
Demand for pork lias been
good during lecent months,
though not up to the unusually
high levels of last Fall There
has been shaip competition
fiom beef, turkeys, and hi oil
ers
The continued slowness in
the genei al economy, higher un
employment. and the nipplmg
automobile stnke isn’t Helping
any
Cattle Markets Under Pressuie
Inci eases in pork, broilei,
and turkey supplies and slight
inci eases in beef supplies have
kept the cattle maiket under
downward piessuie Slaughter
weights aie above yeai earner
levels
Fed cattle puces aie onlv
about $1 per hundiedwexght
above yeai-ago levels Feed'll
cattle puces aie about $l5O
above a yeai ago, so it is expect
ed that maigins will i amain
negative thiough the fah and
v\ intei
Although conti deling foi
feedei cattle in the West has
slowed, theie is a laigei supply
of feedei cattle this Fall Rising
pioduction costs and the uncei
tainty of coin puces Lave
many feedei s lelucunt to fih
their lots, especially m aieas
Reaches
Fleas - Ticks
Rats or Mice
where feed supplies may not be
as plentiful as in past years.
On October 1, as compared
with a year ago, there were
three per cent more cattle in
feedlots in the 22 major feeding
states During the July-Septem
ber period placements on feed
were up seven per cent frem
1969
Pennsylvania feeders are har
vesting a corn crop only one per
cent below the record crop of
1967 and are adding cattle to
lots at a rate well ahead of the
national rate. In the July-
September period, Common
wealth producers placed 24 per
cent more cattle on feed and on
October 1 had 53,000 head on
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feed. This is a 10 per cenl in
crease over 1969
UllVUivt MW
Fed-cattle marketings in the HifftVnitv in mnvinsr this small below year-earlier levels It is
near current therefore possible .hot lamb
above itst year - JS Tas! Prices, even though large rn- Pr.ce, may strengthen some in
year’s marketings were 10 pet creases in pork supplies are the weeks ahead, but prices will
cent above those of 1968 forecast for the months ahead, continue to stay below year-
With higher feed prices it is Lamb Prices Down earlier'levels for the rest of the
expected that cattie will be Lamb prices have been run- The l ar S e supplies of
marketed at lighter weights ning under year-earlier levels other red meats and poultry
during the Winter since last Winter. The slaughter W 1“ tend to limit any signifi-
Even though fed-cattle mai- number has been down slightly, cant price rise. ■
ketings may increase three to hut weights have been up so It was believed early in 1970
five per cent next yeai total that production actually has 1970 would be the year
beef production may be up only been about the same as a year when the sheep inventory would
+„ Tn _ n,* ago Lamb prices have been stabilize or increase, but it now
o to three pei c nt as the held down because of the huger appears that producers are mak
trend to fewer non-red cattle oU tp U t 0 f beef, pork, turkeys, ing little effort to maintain the
and broilers size of their flocks.
continues,
Lititz - Manheim Township - Millersville - Rohrerstown
Lancaster - Centerville - Lancaster East - Landisville
If consumer demand remains By mid-October, lamb slaugh
strong, there should be little ter had dropped, as expected.
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