Lamb Prices Edge Upward, Meat Holds
Fat and feeder lamb prices moved slightly higher this week in spite of a steady meat trade. Slaughter ewes were higher in most areas.

Fat Cattle Trade Slides $2, But No One Knows Just Why
"Higher meat and lower numbers — how do you figure it?" was one trade observer’s response to Wednesday’s fed cattle action in the Texas Panhandle. Despite a minimal 56,000 head showlist and improving wholesale beef prices, the market rolled over and gave up $2 without a whimper.

Plains Feedlot Sales

Range Sales

Running Ranches On San Carlos Keeps Alvin Nosie From Roping
Alvin Nosie appears to be an easygoing, slow walking, slow talking Arizona cowboy, but put him on the back of his roping mare and he comes down that string with the speed of a sprinter and the grace of a ballet dancer.

Preconditioning Works Well, But Payoff Can Prove Elusive
Preconditioning cattle is not a new concept; it’s been around for many years. Considerable research data exists to prove that preconditioned calves have fewer health problems and a lower death loss in the stocker or feeder phase.

Farmers Unhappy At Prospect Of Losing CRP Eligibility
At 61, Andy Breske of Webster, S.D., is getting too old to farm, and he doesn't want to lose the big government check he gets not to.

New Twist In Carpet Production Offers Hope For Mohair Growers
Veteran mohair producers still wince to recall the days 20 some-odd years ago when the luxurious product of their hair goats was mired in a market depression so deep that paint rollers and carpeting were its most promising outlets.

Meat Inspector’s Canada Trade Comments Draw Censure Threat
William Lehman is on the front lines of the war to keep America's food safe. In the border town of Sweetgrass, Lehman inspects beef carcasses entering the United States from Canada.

Corn, Soybean Harvest Figures From USDA Increase Yet Again
A better-than-expected corn and soybean harvest led the U.S. Agriculture Department last week to revise its crop estimates upward yet again.

Western Coalition Speaks More Softly But Still Carries Stick
Gone are the days of Clinton-bashing and dire warnings of a war on the West. Organizers of the Western States Coalition want a seat at the administration's table, and have promised to mind their manners if they're invited.

Billy Etbauer Biggest Money Winner For 1996 PRCA Season
Regular season earnings records were broken in two PRCA rodeo events this year.

Quality, Consistency In Beef Board Focus
Beef quality and consistency and international markets are the focus of two new beef checkoff-funded projects approved by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee at its November 5-6 meeting here.

U.S. Beef, Pork Exports Slip After Strong Showing Earlier
Recently released data for August shows that both beef and pork exports were below year-earlier figures, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center's Oct. 25 Livestock Monitor.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Turned Higher Again Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher around the country last week, some $3 up as buyers aggressively sought numbers. Less expensive grain and good wheat pastures in many areas were the major factors encouraging buyers.

Texas Fed Cattle Traded Steady Last Week In Moderate Movement
Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma Feedlot trading last week.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 19,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 19,000 cattle in their regular video auction here. Feeder steers and heifer prices were termed higher on consignments from 24 states and Mexico. Delivery is mostly current through December.

Angelo Feeder Cattle, Lambs Trade Higher
Feeder lambs sold $3-5 higher this week, slaughter lambs not well tested, ewes firm to $4 higher. Receipts totaled 11,780 head.

Junction Lambs, Stock Angora Goats Steady
Feeder lambs sold fully steady, slaughter ewes and bucks steady; stock Angora goats mostly steady, slaughter Angoras steady to $1 higher; stock Spanish nannies $6-7 higher, slaughter nannies steady to $2 lower. Receipts totaled 5500 head.

Lampasas Steers Up, Heifers Trade Lower
Feeder steers sold steady to $1 higher, heifers steady to $1 lower, the decline on weights over 600 pounds, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1791 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Softer
Trading on domestic wool was slow under light demand.

Most Giddings Cattle Price Trends Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold fully steady, instances higher on fancy lightweight steers, slaughter cows steady, thin lightweights weak to $3 lower, bred stock cows $5 higher, pairs $25-40 higher. Receipts totaled 727 head.

Milano Feeder Steers Off, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers sold $1-2 lower, heifers steady, slaughter cows steady to firm, bull steady. Receipts totaled 1606 head.

Brownwood, San Saba, Mason Feeders Higher
Trading was active in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, most classes of feeder steers and heifers selling higher, plain and short calves still meeting a lot of resistance. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady, stock cows in good demand. Receipts totaled 3214 head at the three sales.

U.S. Sheep Inventory Down 5% As Of Nov. 1
All sheep and lambs in the United States on November 1 totaled 8.45 million head, five percent below the number on November 1, 1995.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Trade Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 higher last week. The weather was cool with light freezing mist late in the week. Sales were confirmed on 6705 head.

Most Cuero Cattle Steady Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady in active trading, lower grades slow and a little lower, packer cows steady except fat cows $2-3 lower. Receipts totaled 2273 head.

Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Move Lower
Feeder steers sold fully $2 lower except 500 lb. steers steady, heifers $1-2 lower, cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 757 head.

U.S. Meat Production 7.4% Below A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 803.1 million pounds, 4.5 percent less than a week ago and 7.4 percent less than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was one percent less than a year ago at 37.4 billion pounds.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lamb Prices Decline
Feeder lambs sold $3-4 lower, slaughter lambs steady, ewes and bucks $4-5 lower, stock ewes steady; stock Angora nannies $2-3 lower, slaughter muttons and billies $2-3 lower, nannies, kids and yearlings $2 lower; stock Spanish nannies fully steady, slaughter nannies mostly steady, muttons steady, billies fully steady, kids and yearlings $4-5 lower. Receipts totaled 4,350 head.

Hindsight

Unregistered Bull in a Hotel Lobby
Choice gleanings from 45-plus years of Unregistered Bull. 
John was in a good humor this week, else he couldn’t have held his temper so well when a stranger, seeking conversation in the traditional manner, sat down by him in the lobby and observed that West Texas was certainly having some warm, sunny weather for this time of year.

On The Edge Of Common Sense
By Baxter Black
The Texas Cattle Feeder's Association has been leading the charge to force the USDA to inflict on the poultry processing industry the same stringent requirements demanded of meat processors (beef, pork and lamb). Why? Because poultry is serious competition and the meat industry wants a level playing field.

Pokin' Fun
By Doc Blakely
Once in a while I come across a word in the English language that I’ve never heard of and don't understand, so I go to the trusty dictionary to look it up. The dictionary would make very interesting reading except that it changes the subject too often and the plot is absolutely terrible.

Shortgrass Country
By Monte Noelke
The principal subject of the fall range meetings has been whether the fall rains have ended the drouth. Herders respond by showing their hands. Consensus goes to the undecided — a symptom of mistrust, deep mistrust of the shortgrass weather pattern. I think the correct answer is: "part of the drouth is over."

The Computer & The Cowboy
By C.A. Rodenberger, PhD.
I continue to be amazed at the stampede to the Internet and the use of E-mail. The requirement for the telephone companies to permit access to other cities has given me, and many others located in the boonies, access to a toll-free number. I am no longer restrained by the fear of ten cents a minute to be on-line. The fierce competition for Internet access has driven down those costs.

Wildlife By Design
By Dale Rollins, Ph.D.
A fellow in Oklahoma once warned me that "there’s two things that can’t be molded: dry dung and rotten wood." Anytime I get in a controversial situation, where both the dry dung and rotten wood are hurling insults at one another, I take solace in his observation. Oh, for the days of moist dung and sound wood.

It's The Pitts
By Lee Pitts
You can learn a lot about a person or a group of people just by the manner in which they attack their problems. For example, here’s how an assortment of folks might handle the dilemma of an overflowing water trough.