Feeder Lambs Holding Own, Fats Falling
Feeder lambs held fairly steady across the country this week with only minor declines in some areas. Vacant spaces in feedlots encouraged buyers to vie for the short supply of this year’s feeder lamb crop. Slaughter buyers frequently competed for the top end of the feeders for the lightweight Greek Easter lamb trade.

Plains Fed Cattle Movement Brisk, But Prices $1 Lower
Fed cattle trading through the Plains area was active this week, but the market gave up a dollar to do it. After a weeklong standoff in which feedlots sought $64 or better and got a few bites at $63, the dam broke last Friday at $62. Monday was a no-go affair, and by Tuesday sellers were resigned to the lower bid.

Plains Feedlot Sales

Range Sales

Cape Mohair Clearance 90% Under Good Demand

Cattle Feeder Has Walked Mile Or Two In Meatpackers’ Shoes
Dwayne Harral has been involved in the cattle business in one form or another most of his life. He knows his cattle and has a unique perspective of the industry because he’s had the opportunity to experience its ups and downs through the eyes of a packer as well as those of a cattle feeder.

Fears Of "Mad Cow" Disease Wrack British Beef Industry
The British beef industry is reeling over fears that the mysterious "mad cow" disease discovered there a decade ago may be responsible for a number of human cases of a similar fatal condition.

Perry Laments Missing Measure In Federal Farm Legislation
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry said late last week that several provisions in the new farm bill, the Federal Agricultural Improvement & Reform Act of 1996, will benefit Texas farmers and ranchers, but one measure was not included that could have helped a small business sector in Texas.

Russian Ban On U.S. Poultry Not To Be Canceled After All
Russia has changed its mind, electing to ban American chicken imports after all over complaints that too much of the poultry is contaminated by bacteria. The ban began over the weekend.

Making Friends In High Places Can Turn Mud Road Into Highway
Northfield is a community in Motley County about 25 miles northeast of Matador, Texas, bordered on the north by the Mill-Iron Ranch and on the south by the Matador Ranch. The Ben Simpson Family was one of the original families of the Northfield Community.

Four Ants Condemn Mountain Of Cheese
A federal magistrate has turned down a cheese maker's request that he be allowed to eat seven tons of Swiss cheese rather than destroy it.

Idaho Organic Beef Rules Put On Hold
Cattle ranchers who want to sell certified "organic" beef in Idaho will have to wait for now.

Farm Bill Compromise Reached, Clinton To Sign "Reluctantly"
House and Senate conferees finally hammered out a farm bill compromise last week after nearly interminable stalling by liberals reluctant to give up government control over production decisions.

UW Scientists Receive Warming Study Grant
University of Wyoming scientists have received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study how the conversion of tropical rain forests to agriculture may be contributing to global warming.

Feeder Cattle Prices Higher Around The Country Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher around the country last week. Both calves and short yearlings headed for summer pastures as well as yearlings destined for feedyards shared in the price gain.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 16,500 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered 16,500 feeder cattle in their regularly scheduled video sale. Consignments were from 24 states and Mexico.

Cattle On Feed Down 1 Percent In Monthly Reporting States
Cattle on feed March 1 in the seven leading cattle feeding states historically reporting monthly estimates totaled 8.15 million head, one percent below the same date last year and two percent above March 1, 1994.

Texas Slaughter Cattle Steady, Trade Volume Declines Sharply
Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady last week in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Firm, Cattle Higher
Feeder lambs sold firm this week, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter ewes weak to $2 lower, spots $4 off. Receipts totaled 12,369 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Softer
Trading on domestic wool was slow last week, although the first clip of significant volume sold in California. Demand was light with mills cautious in placing new orders.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 higher last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, heifers steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows steady to $2 lower, bulls steady to $1 lower, stock cows steady. Receipts at the three sales totaled 3047 head.

Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Lower
Feeder steers sold $2-3 lower, heifers $1-2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1889 head.

Junction Lambs, Stock Angora Goats Steady
Feeder and slaughter lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes and bucks steady to $2 lower; stock Angora goats generally steady, slaughter nannies and muttons steady, kids and yearlings $1-2 lower; Spanish kids steady, nannies, muttons and billies $2-3 lower. Receipts totaled 9000 head.

Red Meat Cold Storage Supplies Off Slightly
Total red meat supplies in freezers on February 29 decreased slightly from January and were down seven percent from the same period last year. Frozen pork stocks showed almost no change from last month but were three percent below last year.

Better Quality Cuero Feeder Cattle Steady
Good and choice feeder cattle sold about steady, lower grades hard to move. Receipts totaled 1952 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Softer
Trading on domestic wool was slow last week, although the first clip of significant volume sold in California. Demand was light with mills cautious in placing new orders.

Goldthwaite Sheep, Goat Prices Lower
Feeder lambs sold $2-3 lower, slaughter lambs $2 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $3-4 lower, stock ewes steady; Angora goats not tested; all classes of Spanish goats fully $3-5 lower. Receipts totaled 7300 head.

U.S. Meat Production .9% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 817.5 million pounds, 1.4 percent less than a week earlier and .9 percent more than the same week a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date at 9.838 billion pounds was three percent more than the same period last year.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Steady To Off
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower in Kansas direct trade last week. Weather was mild to cool with little or no moisture. Sales were confirmed on 3510 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steers Lower, Heifers
Feeder steers sold $1-2 lower, heifers steady, slaughter cows $2-3 lower, bulls steady, stock cows generally steady. Receipts totaled 1500 head.

NCBA Finds Retail Beef Lower
Average retail beef prices declined during the past month, says the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

February Red Meat To Record Level
U.S. commercial red meat production during February was up 10 percent from a year ago at 3.52 billion pounds. Volume was a record for the month, both beef and pork setting new highs for February.

Loose Ends

Letters To The Editor

Hindsight

Unregistered Bull in a Hotel Lobby
Choice gleanings from 45-plus years of Unregistered Bull.
"They tell me," said John, "that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I guess that must be right. For instance, I can read pretty good, skipping over the long words, but practically everything I read just gets me mixed up more then ever."

On The Edge Of Common Sense
By Baxter Black
Betty Lynne is a cowboy. If you don't believe it ask her husband to show you the Polaroid of her bruise.

Pokin' Fun
By Doc Blakely
We are just out of Philadelphia on a small twin-engine airline. A curtain separates eleven passengers from the crew of two. The curtain is not closed and since no stereo, movies, or air conditioning are available, we amuse ourselves by listening to Philadelphia Center directing our flight through weather similar to that of a steam bath. Suddenly, it gets interesting. We hear conversations between Center and another pilot.

Shortgrass Country
By Monte Noelke
The first night from Cusco, the feed company calendar peeled off my notebook, ending contact with the days of the month. So, all I recorded was two days of January which were spent traveling up to the ruins of Machu Picchu, the highlight of most trips to Peru.

On Matters...Equine
By Dr. Jim and Lynda McCall
What a relief we all share when our mare finally delivers a strong, healthy baby! A feeling of conquering the odds adds to the euphoria of the long-awaited event. Gone are the fears of abortion due to uterine infections, rhinopneumonitis, hormonal failures... As the final triumph of a normal delivery is achieved by the sack breaking open over the nose, our sigh of relief is muffled as the life-giving air rushes to enter the foal's limp body.