Feeder Lambs Scarce, Fat Lambs Higher
Feeder lambs remain very scarce, and most of what is available goes straight to slaughter. Slaughter lambs were generally $2-5 higher, slaughter ewes higher in Texas and steady on Midwest markets.

Fed Cattle Trade On Plains Quiet As Usual At Midweek
Plains cattle feeders and packers remained in their customary standoff at midweek, the latter bidding about $70 at best and the former asking $73-74.

Texas Slaughter Goats Mostly Steady, But San Angelo Lower
Slaughter goats were mostly steady at markets around Texas this week, but San Angelo, at $8-10 lower, lost all the sharp advance of last week.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

NCBA Members Debate Packer Ownership In, Out Of Meetings
One of the hottest topics in the livestock industry these days is the issue of packer feeding and what constitutes packer control.

Cattle Feeders’ Rep Discusses Captive Supply At PLA Meeting
There are no easy answers is the message that Dr. Richard McDonald, president of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, brought to the Panhandle Livestock Association this month at their 87th annual meeting.

Ranchers Renaissance President Stresses Project's Partnership
The head of Ranchers Renaissance says his organization is aligning the value chain in the beef industry with a single goal in mind — to produce a center of the plate product.

Arizona Cattle Feeders Want EPA To Recognize Arid Areas
The Arizona Cattle Feeders Association says proposed changes by the Environmental Protection Agency to control "concentrated animal feeding operations", or CAFOs, are confusing, over-reaching and will create an atmosphere where livestock producers will be required to make inefficient use of their limited resources.

New Mexico Officials Gearing Up To Fight Texas Over Water
New Mexico's attorney general and state engineer say they will meet any water claims by the State of Texas head on.

Future Beef Still Has Life; Restructuring Now Underway
Rarely do things go as planned or hoped. It's been that way for Future Beef Operations L.L.C., the beef industry's newest packer/processor. However, despite rumors floating around in the beef industry, all is not lost, at least not yet.

NCBA Sets New Policies At Annual Convention
In their recent annual convention here, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association adopted new policies to support and advance beef industry initiatives in the areas of agriculture policy, cattle health and well-being, federal lands, cattle marketing, property rights, international markets and science and technology.

Ecos Oppose Grazing Permits In Colorado
An Idaho activist group is trying to stop grazing permit renewals in Colorado.

White House Proposes Charter Forest Plan
The Bush administration is proposing "charter forests", a pilot program that would allow for local management of federal forests.

USFWS Asking To Lift "Critical Habitat"
The Bush administration is asking a federal judge to invalidate "critical habitat" setasides for two officially "endangered" species in Southern California.

FBI To Battle Terror By Green Activists
FBI officials say they are gearing up to battle not only international terrorists but eco-terrorists as well.

IRS Asked To Revoke Tax Status Of Ecos
The Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise, a non-partisan group involved in research about the environmental movement, is requesting that the IRS revoke the tax-exempt status of the Environmental Working Group.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Higher Last Week, Volume Good
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher across most of the nation last week. In the Southeast, cattle sold firm to $3 higher, with some areas up to $4 higher.

Cattle On Feed Down 3 Percent In Seven Main Feeding States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter February 1 in the seven leading feeding states totaled 9.9 million head, down three percent from the same date in 2001, but up two percent from February 1, 2000.

Angelo Lambs Higher, Feeder Cattle Steady
Feeder lambs were not well tested this week, slaughter lambs firm to $1 higher, slaughter ewes firm to $3 higher; nanny goats were steady, kids $8-10 lower. One day receipts totaled 12,124 head, around 40 percent slaughter ewes, 15 percent slaughter lambs, five percent feeder lambs and 40 percent goats.

U.S. Meat Production 2.5% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 877.4 million pounds, 2.2 percent more than a week earlier and 2.5 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up .5 percent at 5.94 billion pounds.

Domestic Wool Remains Slow, Prices Up Again Down Under
Domestic wool trading remains seasonally slow. Demand was moderate to good for the light supplies. Only minimal amounts of staple length wool are available. Trading was mostly on coarser wool or off-sorts.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Trends Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers under 500 pounds sold steady, heavier weights $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1 lower, stock cows and pairs $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled 980 head.

Most Lampasas Steers Steady, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers $1-3 higher, slaughter cows $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 1107 head.

Fredericksburg Lambs Higher, Goats Steady
Feeder lambs sold steady to firm, slaughter lambs $3-5 higher; all classes of goats were steady. Receipts totaled 4443 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers, Heifers Firm
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to firm last week in Kansas direct trade. The weather was mild. Sales were confirmed on 6560 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 997 head at the three sales.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 504 head.

Bradley 3 Angus Bull Average Is $2734 Each
Angus bulls sold by Bradley 3 Ranch averaged $2734 per head with destinations from South Dakota to Florida. Two bulls topped the sale at $4700.

Graham Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, the greatest advance on weights under 400 pounds, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower, stock cows and pairs $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled 1284 head.

Cuero Feeder Steer, Heifer Trade Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers were mixed, slaughter cows and bulls lower. Receipts totaled 1941 head.

Most Fredericksburg Feeder Cattle Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1257 head.

Llano Feeder Steers, Heifers Move Lower
Feeder steers sold $2-5 lower, the full decline on lightweights, heifers steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 242 head.

Hamilton Cattle Hold, Lambs Trend Higher
All classes of cattle sold steady on receipts of 498 head. Sheep and goats sold steady Wednesday, February 13, except lambs $4-7 higher. Receipts totaled 2394 head.

Decatur Cattle Prices Move At Steady Pace
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to slightly higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1322 head.

Most Milano Cattle Prices Called Lower
Feeder steers sold weak with 500-600 pounds $2-4 lower, heifers weak to $2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 971 head.

Loose Ends

Letter To The Editor

Coming Up...
February 21 — Special Cow Sale, Producers Livestock Auction, San Angelo, Texas. February 21 — Five Star Auctioneer’s Bobby and Darlene Jones’ Auction, Groom, Texas. February 22 — Special Cow Sale, Clovis Livestock Auction, Clovis, New Mexico.