Feeder Lamb Prices Mixed, Fats Firmer
Feeder lambs were a little lower in some Texas markets this week, while Midwest markets showed a little firmness. Fat lambs, where a market test was available, were a little stronger. Slaughter ewes were off somewhat.

Fed Cattle Trade Stalled Out As Packers Seek Another Cut
Plains fed cattle trade remained at a standstill through midafternoon Wednesday as packers insisted on slicing another dollar off the market and most feedlots finally held their ground.

Plains Feedlot Sales

Range Sales

Desert Ranching Teaches Hard Lessons, Especially For Widow
The black lava rock of the Malpais slashes across central New Mexico like scar tissue above the White Sands of this enchanted land's tender belly.

BLM Must Study Grazing Impact On Obscure "Endangered" Bird
Federal biologists have ordered the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to track the effects of grazing near the habitat of an officially "endangered" songbird known as the Southwestern willow flycatcher.

Restoring Sheep Infrastructure Depends On Stabilizing Numbers
Stabilizing numbers topped the list of concerns expressed by sheep and goat producers who testified recently before the board of directors for the Sheep Improvement Center.

USDA Accepts Only 16 Million Acres Under New CRP Process
North Dakota was one of the biggest winners and Minnesota one of the big losers as the Agriculture Department announced Thursday what acreage it would accept into the popular Conservation Reserve Program. USDA accepted two million of the 2.1 million acres of land offered by farmers in North Dakota. That will push the state's total CRP acreage to 3.35 million acres, more than any other state.

Good Range Practices Go Hand In Hand With Wildlife Program
Whether managing for livestock or wildlife, proper range management is the most basic concept that should be incorporated into any operation. That was one of the reoccurring themes presented by various speakers at a recent South Texas wildlife symposium here.

Transplanted Wolves Thriving In Yellowstone National Park
To most of the world, it's Yellowstone National Park. To its transplanted Canadian wolves, it's Fat City.

Colorado Governor Vetoes Third Property Rights Bill
For the second time in the current legislative session and the third time in two years, Colorado’s Democratic governor has vetoed a bill that would protect private property from government confiscation.

Wisconsin Trespass Case Brings Big Fine
It doesn’t pay to trespass in Wisconsin. A company that crossed a farm over the objections of the elderly owners must pay them $100,000 in damages, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled last Friday.

Conformity, Direct Marketing Touted For The Beef Industry
Paul Hamann is a cattleman with his gaze fixed firmly on the future. The Fountain-area beef producer and breeder is involved in two programs he believes are the future of the industry — breeding for conformity and direct marketing.

Smart-Aleck Remarks Sometimes Give Rise To Misunderstandings
Have you ever noticed how an explanation can sometimes get you into a lot of trouble? Even though you did the best you could, it just didn't seem to satisfy everyone.

Montanan To Direct Farm Service Agency
Former Montana Agriculture Director Keith Kelly, now state chief of agriculture in Arizona, was chosen Friday to head the federal Farm Service Agency.

USDA Crop Insurance Program Goes Private
The U.S. Agriculture Department is turning over crop insurance programs to private companies.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Lower, Cattle Weak
Feeder lambs sold $2-4 lower this week, slaughter lambs scarce, slaughter ewes weak to $2 lower. Receipts totaled 12,154 head.

On The Edge Of Common Sense
By Baxter Black
"It's for you," his darlin' told him as he lay back in the chair
For a well deserved siesta. Ugh, it wasn't really fair.
It was Chuck, his nearest neighbor — did he have to call right now?
Millard listened for a moment, "Are you sure that it's my cow?"

Unregistered Bull in a Hotel Lobby
Choice gleanings from 45-plus years of Unregistered Bull.
"It’s the time of year," said John, "when agricultural colleges everywhere are turning out graduating classes of young prospective producers. Graduation programs include inspiring speeches from men who call on the graduates to use their technical training, youth and ambition to give the world better food and clothing. The budding stockmen are given last minute advice on how to meet the rough, tough world lying outside the campus.

It's The Pitts
By Lee Pitts
Most ranchers take advantage of the marketing services of their local auction just a few days out of each year. But auction yards provide a host of functions 365 days a year that we too often take for granted. Like a good neighbor, an ATM machine or a restroom, we only think about these things when we need them. The societal benefits of auction markets are, of course, too numerous to mention in this limited space, but here's a partial list of the functions they fulfill:

Pokin' Fun
By Doc Blakely
At a recent savings and loan meeting, I was impressed with the number of people attending. About 30 percent more came than were expected. The program was full of economic predictions. Some economists say it's going to get worse before it gets better; others say it will get better, then worse; and some thought it would stay about the same.

Shortgrass Country
By Monte Noelke
Reports on the new grading system for beef show less than two percent of the cattle coming out of feedlots in the U.S. being classed as Standard, reinforcing my opinion that we are being starved in a land of good food by a bunch of profit-hungry price cutters. As reported before, most of the grocery stores in San Angelo delight in advertising Select grade beef. I am so incensed at the thought of the matter, I refuse to bring the advertisements in the ranch house, much less their product.

Letter To The Editor