Fat Lambs Move Higher, Feeders Hold
Fat lambs generally moved higher across the country this week in response to a big jump in carcass values last week. Feeder lambs held fairly steady due to high feed costs.

Fed Cattle Trade Struggling Despite Bullish On-Feed Data
The slaughter cattle trade just can’t seem to get untracked. Its recovery less than a month ago from market lows in the mid-50s was dramatic, but feedlots were never able to turn that rebound into a sustained drive. Last week’s midsession stalemate had the earmarks, at least briefly, of a neck-bowing, but the week ended with a large surge of sales at a basically steady $60.

Plains Feedlot Sales

Range Sales

Ranch To Rail Cattle Moving Out Ahead Of Previous Years
As May appeared on the calendar this spring, 164 head of cattle in Randall County Feedyard were all that was left of the fifth annual Ranch to Rail North program.

USDA Suspends Sheep Checkoff; Lines Drawn For Second Vote
U.S. sheep producers received a major surprise late last week when the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the suspension of the Sheep and Wool Promotion, Research, Education and Information Order which became effective May 3.

Idaho Rancher’s Bid Prevails Over Eco-Activist’s Challenge
Anti-grazing activist Jon Marvel claims he won his war, even though he lost a bidding battle.

Bareback Rider Off To Best Start In Three-Year Career
Three must be Lan LaJeunesse’s lucky number. The 25 year-old bareback bronc rider from Morgan, Utah, is having what looks to be the most successful year of his three-year career; LaJeunesse won two rodeos and tied for first place at a third during the past two months.

Cattle On Feed Down 6 Percent May 1 In Seven Leading States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter May 1 in the seven leading feeding states totaled 7.76 million head, down six percent from May 1 of last year and slightly below the same date in 1994.

Texas Fed Cattle Prices Lower, Bulk Of Trading Seen Thursday
Slaughter steers and heifers closed mostly $1 lower in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week. Trade was slow except on Thursday, when most of the cattle traded hands.

Feeder Cattle Prices Continued To Move Upward Again Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, instances $3 up. Buyers seemingly ignored sharp price gains for corn, buoyed by hopes that fed cattle prices would work up and the forecasts of a bullish cattle on feed report to come later in the week. However, by late week, fed cattle sales in the large direct areas were finally completed at $61, which was considered $1 lower.

Cattlemen Want Funds Pulled From Eco Group
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has urged a House Resources Subcommittee to recommend pulling federal funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Price Trend Varied By Weights In Angelo Special Feeder Sale
Steers and heifers under 600 pounds were weak to $2 lower Monday in the season’s first special feeder sale at Producers Livestock Auction, heavier weights steady to $1 higher.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 13,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered nearly 13,000 cattle from 18 states in their regular video auction here.

Domestic Wool Slow, Steady, Aussie Wools Sharply Higher
Trading on domestic wool was slow to moderate last week at steady prices. Demand was light to moderate, most of the trade waiting for the USWMA sale on Monday.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Higher, Cattle Weak
Feeder lambs sold steady to $1 higher this week, slaughter lambs not well tested, slaughter ewes firm to $2 higher. Receipts totaled 14,022 head.

Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Moved Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly $1-3 higher, slaughter cows $1 higher, bulls $2-3 higher, stock cows and pairs fully steady. Receipts totaled 1400 head.

El Reno Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Higher
Feeder lambs sold firm to $1 higher, slaughter lambs steady to $2 higher, slaughter ewes steady to $3 lower. Receipts totaled 2000 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Trading Slow
Feeder steers and heifers selling direct off Kansas range were too limited for a market test. Sales were confirmed on 5042 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs, Stock Angoras Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter lambs untested, slaughter ewes steady to $1 higher; stock Angora nannies and muttons $1-2 higher, kids steady, slaughter nannies and muttons steady to $1 higher, fat kids and yearlings generally steady; Spanish kids over 35 pounds $3-5 higher, small kids steady, nannies, muttons and billies $2-4 higher. Receipts totaled 5700 head.

Brownwood, San Saba, Mason Feeders Steady
Heavyweight feeder steers sold steady in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, better lightweights steady, plain kinds lower, slaughter cows steady, bulls steady to lower, and stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 3966 head at the three sales.

Hindsight

Loose Ends

Letters To The Editor

Unregistered Bull in a Hotel Lobby
Choice gleanings from 45-plus years of Unregistered Bull.
"It’s a funny thing," mused John, "how the weather affects people. "I’ve heard that in the big cities the cops get ready for plenty of trouble when the weather gets real still and hot. They say they can expect a lot of extra calls in cases ranging from serious crimes to domestic difficulties caused by a man’s wife suddenly turning a pot of beans upside down on his head.

On The Edge Of Common Sense
By Baxter Black
We must sell it, I told Mother, for we really have no other choice.
The price is much too dear to harbor any doubt.
And though I know we'll miss it the time has come to kiss it
goodbye and find another place a little further out.

Pokin' Fun
By Doc Blakely
The Confederate Air Force, based in Midland, Texas, is a flying museum. Some of the relics are flown, others do the flying. All prove the old saying that, "The South will rise again." The object of the association is to preserve aircraft from 1939 through 1946 that were used in the military. They have American, British, German, Japanese, and other fighters, bombers, etc.

Shortgrass Country
By Monte Noelke
Last week, two baby calves crawled through a hole in the fence between a couple of our neighbors. I heard them early one morning bawling for their mothers across a top wire low enough for a short-legged man to straddle and pass over. When the most strenuous act an animal does is licking cottonseed meal crumbs off the tailgate of a pickup, they lose the will to cross a piece of net wire to claim their calves.