VoL2I No.ll Aftfcaifh Hie cattle maiWtoote promising for the future, several variables are stHHuridng on the horizon. Cattle market future looks promising By MELISSA PIPER LANCASTER - Although ie cattle outlook for the icentennial year still emains a “confusing ituation”, an overall view hows improvement in the idnstry but without a izeable increase in profit, ccording to Lon Moore, Area tobacco averages 58 cents per pound LANCASTER - As of rhursday afternoon, about me-tentb of Lancaster bounty’s tobacco crop had )een purchased for an iverage price of 58 cents per »und. “Some went for a ittle less and some for a ittle more,” said a spokesman for the A.K. Harm Tobacco Co., here. Lancaster Auction sees volume increase By MELISSA PIPER LANCASTER - At a time »hen many livestock anc- ions are experiencing low neasurable receipts and wen less profit the large tockyard complex situated tear the city here has seen a teady growth since 1972. William McCoy, president f the Lancaster Stockyards, ecently announced that Penn State extension" economist. Moore delivered his forecast at the annual Cattle Feeders Day held at the Farm and Home Center here on Tuesday. Early 1976 reports have shown that cattle on feed are up 28 percent in 23 leading who went on to describe this year’s crop as not being as uniform as last year’s but comparable to last year’s in quantity. Tobacco buying is going on strong, hot several com panies are stQl inactive, leaving less than a half dozen bidders In a market which perennially keeps growers since 1974, Us market had realised a 23.2 percent in crease in saleable receipts, One of the few such coni' plexes in the east, the market according to McCoy has seen “a good rate of growth.” la the past year the per centages of livestock flowing through the stockyards has been on the increase except Serving The Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania Areas states including Penn sylvania, according to the economist, with the total cattle slaughter to be up about 10 percent. “Feeder cattle prices should be a little higher about spring,” Moore noted, “when pastures turn green, producers are going to he and buyers haggling. As far as growers are concerned, there’s also a lot of guessing. Hus year’s crop is turning out to be “mixed” - meaning that there is a lot of good tobacco in the area, but also some which is damaged or not first rate in other quality criteria. Most of the County’s crop is used in the for sheep which declined by w nment ; n th* mar r , veuMaiecapoaerenpa# P erccn t with total cattle numbers up 19.4 percent, Slaughter hogs were up 4 percent with the largest and most outstanding increase being in the feeder pig division. An increase of 325 percent in feeder pigs has Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Jan. 31,1976 competing for steers to fatten out while now only packets are bidding for the animals.” Moore told the producers that 1975 had been a “disaster” for the cow-calf operations but the feeders had in general made money manufacture of cigars and chewing tobacco. Tobacco buyers have been out scouting around for over two weeks, but it wasn’t until about a week ago that the first few purchases were made - and that only a few. Early reports indicate that the highest price paid so far was 63 cents a pound. The been the overwhelming fig ure in growth. McCoy noted that the sharp increase had been helped by the increased sales of feeder pigs which now takes place every other week instead of once a month, Weekly feeder cattle sales have also sparked growth for the concern. The complex, located on because of the low number of cattle on market “Feed prices came down and a lot of feeders made money,” he explained, “which wasn’t exactly shat we had predicted.” However with the price margins squeezed more this year, producers may not highest quality tobacco such as this is likdy to go into cigarettes - a very small portion of the market in this area, according to the A. K. Mann Company. Most of the tobacco pur chased so far has been of better quality, so it remains to be seen what sort of prices will be paid for the leaves the corner of Marshall Avenue and the litits Pike, i* * beehive of activity almost every day. Unlike many auctions which operate Mice or twice a week, the complex is being used as much as possible. “We have heat trying to create an active atmosphere every day,” McCoy explained. “Increasing our sales and S3DO Per Year i In This Issue Markets 3-6 I Commentary 10 I E-Town Youth 15 I Farmer’s Union 16 I Classifieds 25 I Homestead Notes 42 I Country Corner 42 I 1910 Soybeans SO I Maryland Family 54 I YorkDHIA 61 I Sale Reports 71 I experience the profits realized in 1975. Commenting on hedging, Moore cautioned the producers as there was not tnnrh “optimism” indicated for this year. “Hedging potentials are too dose to [ConSned oa Pap} 13] which are stQl hanging in tobacco sheds. According to Arnold Lneck, Lancaster County assistant extension agent, the market is very unpredictable. So far the average price paid (58 cento) is identical to [Confined m P*e 13] adding more auctions has stimulated interest” The stockyard president explained that many far mers liked the idea of direct sales through bonded commission firms, as are offered at the complex rather then selling in by other means, _ “Fanners seemed con [Cgnfcmf m fa* 131
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