Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Document Type
Thesis
Date of this Version
5-17-1941
Citation
Thesis (M.S.)—University of Nebraska—Lincoln, 1941. Department of Rural Economics.
Abstract
The purpose of this study, which pertains to the public stockyards market located at Omaha and the marketing of hogs produced in Nebraska is: first, to determine the supply area of this market in relationship to the production of hogs in this state; second, to determine the cost of transportation and marketing; third, to show the relationship of transportation and marketing costs to the price of hogs; fourth, to show the trend in transportation and terminal market costs and the volume of shipments by rail, commercial truck, and “other” or farmer owned truck.
The data used in this study were obtained from the John Clay Livestock Commission Company and the Farmers Union Livestock Commission Company of South Omaha, Nebraska.The Information obtained from the John Clay Livestock Commission Company pertained to transactions occurring on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week for the years 1930 to 1935 inclusive.The Farmers Union Livestock Commission Company handles a larger volume of livestock and in order to reduce the size of the sample transactions occurring on Tuesday and Wednesday were recorded.Uniform charges are made for the services of the Union Stock Yards Company and the various livestock commission companies so there was no need to obtain a representative sample for each commission company for the purpose of making a comparison of services or costs.It was of greater importance to secure a sample representative of all sections of the supply area of this market.
Records were obtained on 235,547 head of hogs consigned from various counties in Nebraska to the Omaha Market.The number of sales was not determined but each record represented on consignment and included the following information: date, point of origin, number of head, total weight, total amount received, each item of expense, and the total expenses.In some instances supplementary information has been obtained from the U.S. Census, Nebraska Agricultural Statistics, and other publications.
Although this study covers sales of livestock for every week for a six year period there are definite limitations to the uses that can be made of some of the data.No more than 3 per cent of the total movement of hogs from Nebraska to Omaha was included in the sample for any one year. A larger sample would provide better information on average weights and prices for counties contributing relatively few hogs to this market.Also, weights and prices vary over a wide range and a large number of records is required if reliable results are to be obtained.
Advisor: L. F. Garey
Comments
Copyright 1941, the author. Used by permission.