HOGS

HOGS

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If you have 180-pound hop, it will probably pay to feed them a little longer, say to 200 pounds, if they will still make number I grade. But 200 pound hop ready foj market are not worth the gamble of more feed against possible ' lower prices. -

Hog prices are getting pretty lose, to their seasonal peak. Last year, prices went up steadily until early July, jiggled around % little, hit a high point about the end of July-first of August, anjj they dropped off into the fall.

This year's pattern looks about the same; except that the peak may come about two weeks earlier, reflecting earlier farrowinp.

Feeder pig prices probabty will continue to ride high after hog prices start down.

To gjye you the picture, the number of pip saved over the nation * last November was about the same as a year” earlier. Pig numbers were up 9 per cent in December, 16 per cent in January and l5 per# cent in February.

Right now, as far as marketinp j are concerned, we are somewhere ' between November and December pip, with the larger in increases still ahead, 5 .

The fall price picture looks bet■ ter right now. Pip born last March were down 4 per cent and April pip down 5 per cent. They will be coming to market along about October and November,

If you are thinking of adding sows to your herd, remember that the nations farmers told the Crop Reporting Service on June first that they intended to farrow.

Right now, we’re selling about 17 per cent more broilers than last year and the price is a little higher, but marketinp are increasing at a \ faster rate.

The nation’s supply will be about 20 per cent above a year ago by the end of July and 25 per cent higher by the first wek inAug- ust. It will still be about 22 per cent above the first two weeks in September.

Army contracts helped jack up prices in the Valley about half a cent last week to mostly 21 VfcGeorgia prices went up a penny the end of the week to 21 cents, s but Delmarva was off a little.