Pastures Drying
Up; More Flocks
Sell This Fall

With two-thirds of the country in a drouth situation, several sheep producers in the Western and Mountain states will be offering their entire flocks for sale this fall.

The extended drouth over most of the western half of the country, along with weak markets, almost unrestricted lamb meat imports and little support from the government continue to reduce the American sheep numbers to serious levels. Total numbers now are only half the volume just 20 years ago and only 12 percent of the number 60 years ago.

A fairly liberal number of feeder lambs from the Mountain states were moved or committed the last couple of weeks with recent prices generally a couple of dollars higher.

Market lambs and sheep were generally steady around the country this holiday-shortened week.

Slaughter sheep exports to Mexico last week reached 9124 head, including 1100 lambs and 8024 ewes. The year to date volume is up around 26 percent at 287,080 head through Tuesday.

There were 957 metric tons, or around 2.1 million pounds of lamb and mutton imported the week ending July 27, the equivalent of 58 percent of domestic production. The week’s volume was the second lowest of the year and brings the year to date volume to 42,714 metric tons, only 6.7 percent more than a year ago. This is the slow season for slaughter "down under". New Zealand is only slaughtering around 130,000 lambs for export per week, down from well over half a million during our springtime.

Feeder lambs in San Angelo weighing 40-60 pounds brought $70-79, 60-90 pounds $71-76. Most of the feeder weight lambs in Goldthwaite and Fredericksburg went for slaughter. Midwest markets quoted 60-80 pound feeders $65-75, 80-100 pounds $55-65. Newell, S.D. quoted 50-60 pound lambs $74.75-78.75, 60-90 pounds $76-80.50 and 90-110 pounds $73.25-75.

Texas feeder lambs weighing 70-90 pounds moved direct at $75-77. Colorado moved 80-105 pound feeders at $80-82.50. Wyoming reported 75-80 pound lambs at $77-80 and $80-82 for September-October delivery. Montana feeders weighing 95 pounds made $75. Idaho lambs 90-110 pounds made $80-82.60 for September delivery, Oregon had 75-100 pound lambs $65-66, and the Washington pool in Spokane sold 106 pound lambs at $68. Utah lambs of 85-100 pounds were $80-82, Nevada feeders 85-95 pounds $81.50-82.

Fat lambs in San Angelo weighing 90-125 pounds brought $70-77 and 70-90 pounds $74-77. Goldthwaite had 90-100 pound lambs $66-68 and 60-80 pounds $70-77. Fredericksburg fats 85-120 pounds made $72-75, 40-80 pounds $75-84. Midwest markets quoted 110-120 pound fats $72-74 and 120-140 pounds $74-76.

Fat slaughter ewes in San Angelo made $26-34.50, fleshy, lean kinds $35-46.

Idaho had stock ewe lambs 90-95 pounds at $90. Similar kinds in Utah were $88, and Nebraska had 80 pound ewe lambs at $150 per head.