Fat, Feeder Lambs Uneven This Week
Feeder lambs were a little uneven this week. There was a little softness in San Angelo, firmness in Fredericksburg, higher prices in Goldthwaite and mostly steady rates elsewhere. Slaughter lambs were $5-6 lower in San Angelo, steady to $2 lower on Midwest markets and steady elsewhere.

Plains Fed Cattle Movement Quiet On $3 Gap At Midweek
Plains feedlots and packers were $3 apart on price at midweek, the former asking $78 and the latter offering only $75.

Texas Slaughter Goat Prices Take Severe Tumble This Week
Slaughter kids at Texas markets were under severe price discounts this week. Junction was off $3-10, Fredericksburg off $10-12, and San Angelo $20-30 lower.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

New Zealand Deer Farmers Saw Boom, Bust In Venison Prices
Deer farming is a rapidly growing business in New Zealand, and while deer farmers enjoyed record prices as recently as 2001, they are learning once again that their niche market product can quickly become nothing more than an agricultural commodity.

Packers Not Only Beef Segment Consolidating, Says Cattle-Fax
Consolidation is increasing in every sector of the beef industry, and that includes the grocery business.

Ranch To Rail Feeding Program Moves To New Mexico This Year
For most of its history, Texas A&M's Ranch to Rail Program has been in Texas. This year it moved to New Mexico.

New Texas Regulations On Hold For Cattle Of Mexican Origin
New Texas livestock health regulations for Mexican-origin feeder, rodeo and roping cattle have fallen victim to the state's financial crunch and will not be enforced until at least August 1, after agency budgets are finalized, says the Texas Animal Health Commission.

California’s Davis Seeks End To Ag-Use Property Tax Values
As California struggles to accommodate a booming population, the state's 38 year-old program to preserve farm and range land could fall victim to its budget woes.

CLA Offers Program To Assist Smaller Animal Feeding Units
The Colorado Livestock Association has a new program specifically designed to help smaller animal feeding operations meet environmental challenges. The Animal Feeding Operation program provides technical assistance and cost-share support to unregulated animal feeding operations for facility improvements that protect or improve water quality.

Spokesman Says ICA Supports COOL, But Expecting Changes
Shane R. Sklar, executive director of the Independent Cattlemen's Association of Texas, sees country of origin labeling as a branded product, but he admits that it will take time and that changes need to be made before the program becomes mandatory in September 2004.

U.S., Aussie Beef Industries Deal With Japan On Beef Tariff
U.S. beef exports could potentially take a big hit late this summer if the Japanese government goes forward with plans to increase tariffs on imported beef.

USDA Asks Congress For Funds To Conduct Top Packer Audits
The Bush administration wants to spend $1 million to audit the top four U.S. beef packers if Congress approves the president's budget proposal, an Agriculture Department official said late last week.

Texas Pledges $10M For Cow Genome Study
The state of Texas has pledged $10 million for research on sequencing the genetic makeup of cattle, according to the National Institutes of Health. Another $15 million is needed to secure the project.

NMCGA Sets Spring Meet At Farmington
The New Mexico Cattle Growers spring quarterly meeting will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 27, 28 and 29 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Farmington, N.M.

West Wins Bull Riding Event At Houston, Takes Home $26,320
Terry Don West, the 1996 world bull riding champion, showed his younger rivals how it's done during the PRCA Xtreme Bulls event at RodeoHouston in front of a record crowd of 60,248 at Reliant Stadium. The mark set a world attendance record for a single night of bull riding.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Mixed; Heavies Lower, Lights Higher
A two-way trend was seen on feeder cattle across the country last week with weights under 700 pounds mostly steady to $2 higher and heavier weights steady to $2 lower. This reflected the lower finished cattle trade and anticipation of spring green grass and pastures.

Fed Cattle, CME Trade Lower Across The Country Last Week
Slaughter cattle traded $2-3 lower across the country last week.

Angelo Sheep, Goat Prices Off, Cattle Up
Feeder lambs sold weak this week, slaughter lambs $5-6 lower, slaughter ewes weak to $2 lower; slaughter kid goats were $20-30 lower and nannies weak. Receipts totaled 11,086 head, around 25 percent slaughter ewes, 15 percent feeder lambs, 10 percent slaughter lambs and 50 percent goats.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lambs Move Higher
Feeders lambs sold $3-5 higher, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter goats steady to firm. Receipts totaled 1789 head.

Most Colorado City Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 618 head.

Red Meat Production Set Records In 2002
Red meat production in commercial plants and on farms in the United States in 2002 set a record high at 47.3 billion pounds. Commercial plant production was 47.2 billion pounds.

Coleman Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 915 head.

Abilene Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady To Off
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 lower, the decline on weights over 500 pounds, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower, stock cows and pairs steady to weak. Receipts totaled 1372 head.

Mason, San Saba Calf Prices Termed Steady
Stock calves sold steady last week in Mason and San Saba, yearling feeders steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs $15-25 higher. Receipts totaled 1802 head at the two sales.

Junction Small Kids Lower, Others Steady
Most sheep and goat prices were steady, small kids $3-8 lower. Receipts totaled 3020 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Lower
Wool trading remains slow following several weeks of widespread moisture across the country. Demand was light to good, centering mostly on combing length wool with narrowest demand for 1-2 inch wool. Overall demand narrowed as world currencies strengthened against the dollar.

Cuero Cattle Prices Strong In Most Cases
Most cattle prices were termed strong on receipts of 763 head.

Lampasas Count Light, No Trends Available
No price trends were available on light receipts of 645 head following last week’s closing due to adverse weather.

Boxed Beef Values Declined Last Week
The national comprehensive boxed beef cutout report on all fed steers and heifers sold last week dropped $1.30 to $125.85.

Fredericksburg Lambs Firm, Goats Lower
Feeder lambs sold steady to firm, slaughter lambs steady to firm; slaughter goats were $10-12 lower. Receipts totaled 4207 head.

Decatur Calves Sell Steady, Yearlings Off
Stock calves sold steady, yearlings $2 lower, slaughter cows steady, bulls $2 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1884 head.

Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 1167 head.

Most Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Lower
Feeder steers sold $2-4 lower, heifers mostly $2 lower except 400-500 pounds $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 lower. Receipts totaled 489 head.

U.S. Meat Production 1.2% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 867.7 million pounds, unchanged from a week earlier and 1.2 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down .8 percent at 8.44 billion pounds.

Milano Feeder Steers Mixed, Heifers Steady
Feeder heifers and steer yearlings sold steady, steer calves steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady to firm. Receipts totaled 936 head.

Loose Ends

Letter To The Editor

Coming Up...
March 13 — Special Bull Offering, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. March 15-16 — Exotic Animal and Bird Sale, Raz Livestock Sales, Harper, Texas. March 18 — Special Calf and Yearling Sale, Brownwood Cattle Auction, Brownwood, Texas.