ON THE LEFT COAST, in the Big Sur country, these Hereford cows and calves are on short but green pickings. California and her sister states along the Pacific have had first use of most of the weather systems impacting the rest of us this year, and they’ve tended to milk the moisture out of them before letting go.

New Year Lamb Prices On Low Side
Feeder lambs were somewhere around $5 lower the first week of the new year while fat lambs were off nearly $10. Slaughter ewes were fully steady, instances as much as $3 higher.

Big Plains Fed Cattle Volume Traded On Declining Market
Plains fed cattle trade was brisk this week but at a price. The Texas Panhandle moved 143,626 head through Wednesday on an 83,000 head showlist, though 60,000 head of those sold last Friday.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Heavy Snows Strand Livestock, Force Hay Airlift At Roswell
New Mexico officials were still trying to tally the damage to livestock producers this week after mounting a rescue effort in the southeastern part of the state to save cattle and sheep stranded for days by heavy snow.

New Mexico Rancher Sees Hope, Frustration Dealing With Feds
A veteran New Mexico rancher has hopes for working out management problems on public lands but worries about some of the government officials on whom he may have to rely.

Eco-Activists, Stockmen Groups To Meet Again, Discuss Issues
Negotiations between cattlemen and environmental activists are expected to begin again after the holidays, but the head of one of the groups involved in the negotiations is pessimistic as to any positive results.

Meat Goat Operators Advised To Take Supplement Seriously
Goats, like any animals, should be supplemented when they are not getting what they need out of the pasture. That was the message presented by Extension sheep and goat specialist Dr. Frank Craddock, San Angelo, at a series of meat goat seminars across the state late last year.

Tyson Foods Pleads Guilty, Agrees To Fine In Espy Case
Poultry giant Tyson Foods Inc. has agreed to pay $6 million in fines and costs after pleading guilty to a federal charge it made illegal gifts to former Clinton administration Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy.

Aggressive Mountain Lions Prompt Evacuation Of Park
Since California severely limited mountain lion control efforts in the 1980s, lion numbers have mushroomed and so have attacks on livestock, pets and people.

Politicians Asked To 'Fess Up, Cease Abusing "Weird Science"
December's global warming conference in Kyoto, Japan, is just the lastest use of weird science to achieve the radical agenda of environmental extremists.

Oprah’s Beef-Bashing Lawsuit Opens Quietly, Under Gag Order
When Oprah "I’ve eaten my last hamburger" Winfrey’s representatives this week came looking for a place to put on their show while she appears in court for disparaging beef, one of the venues they considered was the Big Texan restaurant, home of the 72-ounce steak.

Cattle Feeders’ Gill Offers Market Outlook For New Year
As goes the corn market, so goes the fed cattle market, said Jim Gill, market director for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Speaking at the annual TCFA Year End News Conference here during the holidays, Gill said fed cattle prices will take their cue from several factors, with grain supplies and competitive meat supplies leading the list.

Lamb Feeders To Meet Jan. 29 In Ft. Worth
The National Lamb Feeders Association will conduct its annual meeting January 29-31 at the Raddisson Plaza Hotel in Fort Worth.

Judge Wants Arizona Land Lease Bidding
Arizona must allow more competition for grazing leases on state lands by Sept. 1, a judge ordered last Friday.

Texas Slaughter Cattle Trade Near A Standstill Last Week
Slaughter steer and heifer prices were not well established in Texas Panhand and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading during last week’s holiday-shortened period.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Sell Sharply Lower
Feeder lamb prices were around $10 lower than at the last sale before the holidays, slaughter lambs steady to $2 lower and slaughter ewes fully steady.

Llano Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade Lower
Feeder steers and heifers weighing over 600 pounds sold $2-4 lower, steers under 600 pounds steady, heifers $1-3 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $2 higher.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
January 12-15 — Agri-Concepts Inc. Low Cost Cow/Calf Production School, Wichita Falls, Texas. January 16-17 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Bellringer ‘98 Video Sale, Holiday Inn North, Denver, Colorado. January 17 — Special Cow Sale, Pearsall Livestock Auction, Pearsall, Texas. January 17 — Annual January Special Cow, Bred Heifer and Breeding Bull Sale, Green City Livestock Market Inc., Green City, Missouri. January 17 — Bobby Edmond Horse Sales Special Winter Riding Horse Sale, Amarillo Livestock Auction, Amarillo, Texas.