Feeder Lambs Steady, Fats Find Weakness
Feeder lambs were fairly steady this week, fat lambs weak to $5 lower on Texas markets and steady in the Midwest. Slaughter ewes were a little lower.

Northern Plains Fed Cattle Bring $80; Panhandle Waits
Northern Plains feedlots had sold several thousand head of fed cattle at $80 by Wednesday afternoon, but bids at Texas Panhandle yards were still dollars shy of that.

Texas Slaughter Goats Face Tougher Prospects This Week
Slaughter kid goats on Texas markets found much weaker markets this week. Junction and Fredericksburg were both $3-5 lower while San Angelo was termed weak, and some of their heavier weights were several dollars off.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Granddaughter Of British-Born Cowboy Follows Memoirs To JA
Cheristine Ligertwood Asker reads J. Evetts Haley's biography of Charles Goodnight as she and her husband drive their rented red room, Oldsmobile across the southern Texas Panhandle where Mrs. Asker's grandfather once worked as a cowboy and her great uncle managed the Matador Ranch.

Australian Feedlot Targets Japanese Export Market
Australia's commercial cattle feeding industry is relatively new, at least compared to the U.S. industry. It's been around since the 1960s, but only on a limited basis.

USDA Announces Dates For COOL Discussion
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service has announced dates and locations for the listening and education sessions on the country of origin labeling law included in the 2002 Farm Bill.

Koch Industries Buys Farmland Nitrogen
Farmland Industries recently concluded the auction of its fertilizer manufacturing and distribution assets, with top bids bringing a value of approximately $295 million to the company, over $25 million more than the original "stalking horse" bid. This value includes domestic and foreign nitrogen assets as well as working capital retained by Farmland.

TAHC Outlines TB Test Rules On Mexico-Origin Rodeo Steers
Roping and rodeo, they're true Texas sports. But like all competitions, there are rules, particularly if Mexican-origin steers are involved. "Before being used for roping or rodeos, Mexican-origin steers must have a negative cattle tuberculosis test in the U.S. by an accredited private veterinary practitioner," reminds Dr. Dan Baca of the Texas Animal Health Commission.

Iraq War Having Little Impact On Ag Commodity Prices So Far
Markets for most major agricultural commodities are stronger than they were last year, but prices have declined from peaks last fall and producers are wondering if the conflict in Iraq will cause the markets to strengthen. Producers in the process of planting corn, sorghum, cotton and other crops are finalizing their marketing plans and would like to establish a price floor for their crops. Iraq was considered the largest single importer of U.S. corn and wheat prior to the Gulf war, and producers contend that markets should improve.

Six Cowboys Make Themselves Contenders For Winter Finale
With time running out to qualify for the Winter ProRodeo Tour Finale June 12-14 in Las Vegas, several cowboys made themselves instant contenders for the event after solid performances at the Tour's sixth stop at the Laughlin (Nev.) River Stampede, which concluded Sunday.

Domestic Wool Trade Slow, Off, Market Improves In Australia
Domestic wool trading turned slow as foreign wool prices continued to decline and currency markets closed lower. Demand was light with reported prices 10-25 cents lower on a clean basis. The broad demand of several weeks ago turned narrow and buyers were reluctant to purchase wool due to the uncertainty in world prices.

Slaughter Prices Traded Steady Last Week, Boxed Beef Higher
Slaughter cattle traded steady on a live basis last week and firm on dressed sales.

Bullish On-Feed Report, Grass Improve Feeder Cattle Markets
|Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 higher last week; several areas found calves $2-5 higher.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 21,000 Cattle
|Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 21,000 feeder cattle from 23 states in their regular video auction. Yearling steers sold $2-3 higher, heifers $1-2 higher and calves $5-7 higher.

Coleman Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 669 head.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows steady, bulls $1-2 higher, stock cows and pairs $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled 470 head.

Cuero Feeder Steer, Heifer Trade Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers sold mixed, some higher, others lower, slaughter cows $1 lower, bulls higher. Receipts totaled 1183 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1.50 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 585 head.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lambs, Goats Steady
Feeders lambs sold steady on a light test, slaughter lambs $3-5 lower, lightweights steady; slaughter goats steady to weak. Receipts totaled 2500 head.

Most Mason, San Saba Feeder Calves Lower
Lightweight feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 lower last week in Mason and San Saba, heavyweights steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $2 lower, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 631 head at the two sales.

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 $1-2 higher, stock cows and pairs steady to firm. Receipts totaled 1123 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Cattle Prices Strong
Feeder steers and heifers sold strong, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 568 head.

Hamilton Lambs Steady, Feeder Cattle Higher
Lambs and kids sold steady Monday, ewes higher, nannies lower. Receipts totaled 1621 head. On Tuesday feeder steers sold $2-5 higher, heifers $1-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 311 head.

Decatur Lightweight Calves Move Higher
Feeder steer and heifer calves sold $2-4 higher, over 400 pounds steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 937 head.

U.S. Meat Production 1.3% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 858 million pounds, 3.1 percent less than a week earlier and 1.3 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down .4 percent at 11.05 billion pounds.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Steady, Cattle Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady this week, slaughter lambs weak to $5 lower, slaughter ewes weak to $2 lower; nanny goats and kids were weak. Receipts totaled 11,100 head, around 35 percent slaughter ewes, 30 percent feeder lambs, five percent slaughter lambs and 30 goats.

Fredericksburg Feeder Lambs Hold, Goats Off
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter lambs $3-5 lower, slaughter goats $3-5 lower. Receipts totaled 3477 head.

Junction Lambs, Kids Lower, Others Steady
Most sheep and goats sold steady except lambs $5-8 lower and kids $3-5 lower. Receipts totaled 1859 head.

Boxed Beef Values Move Up Slightly
The national comprehensive boxed beef cutout report on all fed steers and heifers sold last week showed a 57-cent rise to $122.68.

Loose Ends

Letter To The Editor

Coming Up...
April 4 — 3rd Annual Spring Replacement Sale, Luling Livestock Auction, Luling, Texas. April 5 — Gardiner Angus Ranch’s 24th Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Ashland, Kansas. April 5 — Camp Cooley Ranch Inaugural Customer Appreciation Sale, at the ranch, Franklin, Texas.