Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Move Upward
Feeder lamb prices moved up this week like they were going out of style. Demand from small grain fields added fuel to the fire as numbers to stock them remain short.

Fed Cattle Lose Another $2, But Feedlots Remain Current
Plains cattle feeders continue to chip away at the "wall" of finished cattle so many analysts profess to see just over the horizon out of everyone else’s view. This week Panhandle feeders traded 85,870 head through Wednesday afternoon on a 64,000 head showlist.

Plains Feedlot Sales

Range Sales

LP Bloodworth Was Designated Family Rancher By His Mother
Appointed the family’s "designated rancher" at birth by his mother, LP Bloodworth Jr. has done a little bit of everything in his lifetime. And though he’s always been in the ranch business, he’s maintained two jobs for the past 27 years so he could fulfill his mother’s wish.

Champion Livestock Auctioneer Is Following Family Tradition
There's a nip in the air as fall calves make their way through the Fort Scott Livestock Market to the rhythmic chant of the auctioneer.

Oregon Streams Agreement Still Lacking Signatures
Gov. John Kitzhaber announced last week that environmental and agriculture leaders had signed an agreement on efforts to clean up Oregon streams.

Colorado Traps Ban May Face Court Test
Ranchers worried about their livelihoods say they may go to court to fight the recently approved ban on trapping in the state.

San Saba Female Cattle Sale Active And Higher
Replacement female cattle sold active and in good demand to local producers to begin replacing stock sold due to dry weather. Prices were strong to $50 higher. Receipts totaled near 3700 head.

Cattle Conference Tickets All Taken
All 1000 tickets to the governor's Dec. 12 Cattle Conference in Pierre have been sold.

Feeder Cattle Imports 15,000 Head Last Week
Mexican feeder steers and steer calves were mostly steady last week at Texas and New Mexico border crossings, around 60 percent previously committed. Crossings totaled around 15,000 head. Last year 26,371 head crossed during the same week.

ASI Says Promotion Checkoff Failed, But Nothing Official
The long-awaited verdict from USDA on the sheep promotion checkoff referendum is still some weeks away, but the American Sheep Industry Association this week is conceding defeat and challenging opponents to offer their own promotion plan.

Feeder Cattle Prices Moved Up Last Week; Wheat Pastures Good
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher last week with calf prices enjoying the greatest advance.

Texas Fed Cattle Prices Steady Last Week On Tuesday Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers were steady in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week. The bulk of the trade occurred on Tuesday.

Angelo Feeder Lambs, Cattle Trend Higher
Feeder lambs sold $5-7 higher this week, slaughter lambs untested, slaughter ewes weak to $1 lower. Receipts totaled 14,374 head.

Most Giddings Feeder Cattle Fully Steady
Choice feeder steers and heifers sold fully steady, heifer calves slightly higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower, stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 610 head.

Lampasas Sale Active, Receipts 1051 Cattle
Trading was active and demand good. No price comparison was available due to the previous week’s holiday. Receipts totaled 1051 head.

Most Milano Cattle Prices Moved Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 lower, slaughter cows $1-2 lower, bulls firm. Receipts totaled 1805 head.

Most Mason, Brownwood Cattle Prices Higher
Choice feeder steers and heifers sold $3-8 higher in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, weights over 550 pounds steady, slaughter cows $2-5 higher, bulls steady to $3 higher, bred cows steady to $50 higher. Receipts at the three sales totaled near 3000 head.

U.S. Meat Production 3.6% Below A Year Ago
Meat production under federal inspection last week totaled 822.2 million pounds, 15.4 more than a week ago and 3.6 percent below the same week a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down 1.2 percent at 39.77 billion pounds.

Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 2220 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold firm to $2 higher in Kansas direct trade last week, calves steady. Snow occurred over the extreme southern and eastern parts of the state, otherwise the weather was cold and dry. Sales were confirmed on 10,395 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Mixed
Trading on domestic wool was slow under light buyer demand. Over the past couple of weeks a few small clips totaling near 95,000 pounds sold in Montana with 12 month ewe wool 64s, bellies out and untied, bringing 85-90 cents grease, f.o.b.; 62s made 70-72 cents.

Cuero Cattle Prices Improved Last Week
Trading was active and feeder classes were mostly $2-4 higher, instances $7 higher. Slaughter cows sold $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 2878 head.

Most Junction Sheep, Goat Prices Boosted
Feeder lambs sold $5-7 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks $4-5 higher; stock Angora goats $5-6 higher, slaughter muttons $8-10 higher, nannies $2-3 higher, kids and yearlings $5-7 higher, thin nannies and muttons $4-5 higher; stock Spanish nannies $3-4 higher, slaughter kids and yearlings $6-8 higher, nannies steady to $2 higher, muttons and billies $8-10 higher. Receipts totaled 6000 head.

Llano Feeder Steers Mixed, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers weighing 450-550 lbs. sold $1-3 lower, heavier steers and heifers several dollars higher, light heifers steady, cows and bulls $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 1080 head.

Hindsight

Unregistered Bull in a Hotel Lobby
Choice gleanings from 45-plus years of Unregistered Bull. 
"I see, now," said John, "what they mean when they say ‘What price fame?’ Look at this letter I got from an old compadre over on the Pecos."

On The Edge Of Common Sense
By Baxter Black
I ran a feed company for a while in the old days. It was in debt. Each monthly financial statement had a line at the bottom listing Retained Earnings. This was the accumulated profit of 20 years in business. It was several hundred thousand dollars.

Pokin' Fun
By Doc Blakely
Regardless of what you may think of the late Dr. Timothy Leary, the man had a wacky sense of humor that somehow made some measure of sense on occasions. Here are few of the last musings of Timothy, may he rest in whatever he deserves:

Shortgrass Country
By Monte Noelke
The first symptom of trouble in the ranch holiday kitchen looked innocuous enough. The label on the new meat thermometer was that of a well respected kitchen equipment company, but in smaller print it said, "assembled in Juarez, Mexico."

Wildlife By Design
By Dale Rollins, Ph.D.
I probably should have just kept my mouth shut. But deep down, I knew this BAD idea's time had come, even if it was inspired under terse circumstances.