Sheep, Lambs, Lamb Meat See Price Decline
Dressed lamb carcass prices fell $5 across the board last week, starting a weak trend on live prices. Most slaughter lambs were $2-3 off. Feeder lambs in Texas were generally steady while Midwest markets were as much as $5 lower. Slaughter ewes lost a couple of dollars.

Plains Fed Cattle Stalemated Once More Over Price Spread
Plains feedlots and packers were at loggerheads once more this week, standing each other off over a $3-4 price gulf.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Sheep, Goat Producers Learn About Innovative Technology
Recent technological advances at the molecular level have allowed the livestock industry to look at gene differences to select and improve livestock. The ability to use this information is contained within DNA, and this DNA is being used to determine parentage.

50-Year Panhandle Water Plan Posits Shortages, Surpluses
Over the next 50 years, according to a computer ground water model, the western Texas Panhandle may run short of water while the eastern Panhandle should have an abundance, though there may be individual spots with surpluses or shortages as the century progresses.

Panhandle Water District Sees Water Sales Pumping Requests
The Panhandle Ground Water Conservation District No. 3 here is reviewing pumping permit requests from T. Boone Pickens and other area ranchers and landowners.

Gathering Company Cutting Off Gas To Panhandle Landowners
I.A. Brooks has spent the last 40 years here taking care of his registered Herefords. He and wife Laverne worked hard, long years to pay for the small ranch in Wheeler County. It wasn't easy.

Cattle Industry Spokesmen Differ On Captive Supplies
U.S. Department of Agriculture officials heard conflicting opinions from livestock industry spokesmen this month at a forum here concerning captive supplies.

Wolf Supporters Turn Out To Pack Commission Meeting
The Grant County Commission's objection to wolf reintroductions to this part of New Mexico has brought the ire of local supporters of wolf reintroduction and protection of roadless forest areas.

Barn Can Serve As Home Office For Tax Purposes If Done Right
Lots of people use their barns, or part of their barns, for home offices. This is very convenient for people in the livestock industry who have outside jobs. Federal tax law allows tax deductions if you use a barn as a home office, even if the costs are greater than the income generated from that office.

Beef's Future Is Expert Panel Focus At Recent NCBA Meeting
An industry panel of experts shared their thoughts on positioning the beef industry for the future at the Cattlemen's College during the National Cattlemen's Beef Association summer meeting last month.

Scientists, Doctors Reveal New Findings About "Mad Cow"
The London Sunday Telegraph reports that a baby has been born with the human form of so-called "mad cow" disease.

Texas Edges Closer To Goal Of Bangs-Free Designation
Louisiana has become the 45th state to wipe out bangs, or cattle brucellosis, a bacterial disease that causes cows to abort, deliver weak calves or produce less milk.

Researchers Clone High-Powered Bull
Canadian researchers say they have cloned a male calf from the cells of Canada's Starbuck Holstein bull, which sired more than 200,000 calves before dying in 1998.

Tough New Mexico Water Rule To Cost
New water quality regulations could send property taxes soaring in the Land of Enchantment.

White House Pushing Land Grab Funds In Budget Negotiations
President Bill Clinton is putting land and water acquisition near the top of his list of wants going into final budget negotiations on Capitol Hill.

Glickman Announces Border Aid Program
Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman announced steps this month to be taken to help economic development along the United States' Southwest border with Mexico.

Soil, Water District Declares Emergency
The McKinley Soil and Water Conservation District has declared a state of emergency in the Cibola National Forest in McKinley and Cibola counties.

Guy Allen Leads Steer Roping Field For 12th Year In A Row
The 2000 steer roping season came to a close Sept. 16 in Pendleton, Ore., with the final event at the 90th annual Pendleton Round-Up. For the 12th straight year, Guy Allen of Lovington, N.M., will lead the top 15 steer ropers into the National Finals Steer Roping Oct. 27-28 in Guthrie, Okla.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Lose Ground As Drouth Persists
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower across the country again last week, calves often $3 lower.

Texas Feedlot Cattle Traders' Ideas Too Far Apart Last Week
Trading in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlots last week was limited to the previous Friday at steady prices, as buyers and sellers alike took a wait and see attitude. Buyers generally bid $63 to mostly $64 all week while feeders were asking $66-67.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 31,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 31,000 head of feeder cattle and breeding stock at their regular video sale. Prices were termed steady, delivery current through May.

U.S. Meat Production Same As A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 913.4 million pounds, .7 percent less than a week earlier and the same as a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down .3 percent at 33.17 billion pounds.

Milano Feeder Steers Steady, Heifers Weak
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers steady to weak, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 852 head.

Hamilton Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $5 higher, the advance on lightweights, heifers $1-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 819 head.

Abilene Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady To Up
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 higher, the advance on weights over 500 pounds, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows $20 lower. Receipts totaled 1794 head.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Steady, Cattle Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady in a light test this week, slaughter lambs $2-3 lower, slaughter ewes $2-4 lower; kids and billies steady, nannies moderately lower. Two day receipts totaled 20,052 head, around 45 percent slaughter ewes, five percent feeder lambs, one percent slaughter lambs, 10 percent stock ewes and 39 percent goats.

Holstein Heifers Top Iowa Sale At $250
The Tri State Livestock Auction sold 4236 head at their special fall dairy sale.

Llano Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 459 head.

July Lamb Imports 9% Below A Year Ago
USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service reports a total of 3254 metric tons, or 7.16 million pounds, of fresh, chilled and frozen lamb meat imported in July, down nine percent from last year.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Mixed
Lightweight feeder steers and heifers sold $5-7 higher last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, heavyweights steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady, pairs and bred stock cows $40-60 lower. Receipts totaled 3212 head at the three sales.

Red Meat Sets Record Production For August
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.11 billion pounds in August, up five percent from the previous August record high of 3.91 billion pounds set in 1999.

Goldthwaite Sheep, Goat Prices Higher
Feeder lambs sold $3-5 higher, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter ewes $3-5 higher, stock ewes steady; stock goats $5 higher, slaughter $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 2915 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Lambs Steady, Fats Off
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter lambs $1-2 lower, slaughter ewes $3-4 lower; slaughter kids were steady, nannies $3-5 higher. Receipts totaled 2365 head.

Graham Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows steady, bulls $1 lower, bred stock cows steady, pairs fully steady. Receipts totaled 2415 head.

Lampasas Feeder Cattle Prices Moved Stronger
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to instances $1-1.50 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1401 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady last week in Kansas direct trade. Scattered rain occurred in the north and northeast counties. Sales were confirmed on 8564 head.

Colorado City Feeder Steers, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady, bred stock cows weak, pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1202 head.

Fredericksburg Steers Steady, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 2279 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Higher
Domestic wool trading was slow last week, demand and seller interest light. Some wool was taken into warehouses for fall delivery, but the decline in the exchange rate and high fuel costs have curtailed any new business.

Cuero Feeder Steers, Heifers Sell Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold lower, slaughter cows and bulls $2 lower. Receipts totaled 2254 head.

Loose Ends

Letter To The Editor

Coming Up...
September 30 — Special Replacement Female Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. October 3 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, Brownwood, Texas. October 4 — West Texas Rehabilitation Center’s Round’em Up For Rehab Sale, Coleman Livestock Commission Co., Coleman, Texas.