IN THE BRAZOS COUNTRY, these crossbred cattle near Navasota won’t have long to wait for spring. Grass there is already eye-straining green, and the entire region is sodden from repeated rains. Some folks west of the 98th meridian would probably trade them a truckload of unused three year-old slickers for a couple of surplus downpours.

Texas Feeder Lamb Prices Take Big Hit
Feeder lambs in Texas and particularly in San Angelo suffered huge declines this week. Oldcrop lambs are nearing the end of the line this year and fell as much as $17 in San Angelo while newcrops lost $4-7. Midwest feeders were steady. Fat lambs were lower in most areas, but Sioux Falls showed a little strength late.

Plains Fed Cattle $2 Higher, But Road To It Wasn’t Smooth
Plains fed cattle prices regained $2 this week in a flurry of Wednesday trading, but feedlot managers can be forgiven a case of butterflies after the roller-coaster ride it took to get there.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Look Back At 1997 Sheep Market Finds It Anything But Settled
The sheep market during 1997 was, to say the least, confusing. The dressed trade, on which every other segment has to be based to some extent, was a picture of disarray. There were two times during the year when all weight categories were the same price.

Weather Watcher Says Beware Of El Niño’s Stingy Sister
Although it seems like El Niño has been blamed for everything from hair loss to political scandal, the cyclical weather phenomenon has brought some much-needed moisture to the southern Plains this year.

Beef Industry Seeing Recovery After String Of Trying Years
Despite renewed worries about E. coli and other hazardous bacteria, America's beef industry has stabilized after a difficult 1996 and is trying for a further breakthrough by tailoring more products for people too busy to plan meals.

Reno Seeks Special Prosecutor To Investigate Bruce Babbitt
U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno has asked for an independent prosecutor to investigate whether Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt lied to Congress regarding an Indian casino controversy in Wisconsin.

Jury Hands Oprah A Victory, With Much Help From Judge
Texas cattlemen and their attorneys were working this week on their appeal after a four-man, eight-woman jury here found television talk show host Oprah Winfrey not liable in a beef defamation suit.

Yellowstone Buffalo Conflict Eased By Warm El Niño Winter
A mild El Niño winter, with little snow and mild temperatures, has greatly reduced conflicts over Yellowstone National Park buffalo.

Bugs Touted As Big Medicine In Fight Against Leafy Spurge
Insects could cut leafy spurge infestation by two-thirds in the upper Midwest by 2025, if biological control methods are as effective as their developers hope, according to a study.

Issue In Rivers Scheme Case Is Whether Or Not It’s Legal
During oral arguments in Chenoweth, et al. v. Clinton, the challenge by members of Congress to President Clinton's American Heritage Rivers Initiative, Attorney General Janet Reno's lawyer offered an astonishing basis for ruling the Clinton plan constitutional and in accordance with federal law: "We must take the President at his word."

USPB Making Strides; Results On 70,000 Head Show Promise
Since December 1 when U.S. Premium Beef formed a partnership with Farmland Industries in the ownership of National Beef Packing Company, cattle producers from 23 states with finished cattle from seven different states have processed some 70,000 head of cattle.

Cowboy Offers Common-Sense Alternative Cat Care Advice
Well folks, I did it. Yep, I found the perfect type of entertainment for those who have entirely too much time on their hands. It's reading material. Not good, not bad, not even mediocre, just reading material.

Business Just Isn’t The Same, Say Cattlemen In Paso Robles
Dick Nock has been in just about every facet of the livestock industry, from owning his own auction market to working in the packing house and meat businesses to being a producer and cattle feeder. The lesson he says he learned from all those experiences is that "all take money, lots of money."

Farmers’ Union Co-Op Plans Feedlot To Increase Profit
A new Farmers Union cooperative aims to boost livestock producers' profits by building an $8.4 million feedlot.

Financial Meltdown In Asia Impacting U.S. Ag Producers
A year ago, when an epidemic of hoof-and-mouth disease decimated Taiwan's hog population, Wayne Schnelle reacted quickly, stepping up production on his 3000-acre farm in southwest Missouri.

$24 Million Budgeted For Habitat Program
Farmers and ranchers in all 50 states will get $24 million to improve wildlife habitat on their land under a new program created in 1996 by Congress.

Researchers Use Parasitic Fly In Battle To Control Fire Ant
Fire ants — how do you stop them? For years, scientists have been coming up with pesticides and chemical treatments, but to any Texan with a back lawn, it's obvious who is winning.

Species Act Is About To Bite Hands Of Those Who’ve Fed It
The federal Endangered Species Act has long enjoyed more popularity among city folks who haven’t felt its sting than among rural landowners whose rights it has been used to trample. Now the other shoe appears poised to fall.

NCBA Adopts Wide Array Of Policy At Centennial Meet
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association adopted a wide range of policies during their recent annual convention here.

Adding Vitamin D To Ration Can Improve Beef Tenderness
Injections of calcium chloride, water or phosphates are common in pork and poultry because people tend to overcook those meats, which causes toughness, and the injections make the product more tender.

NCBA Devising National Cattle I.D. System For Trace-Back
A "national identification taskforce" convened by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is recommending development of a voluntary nationwide cattle identification system that allows for information sharing and source verification.

Former GOP Senator Slams Eco-Activists
The management of public lands is being dictated by a small but vocal group of environmental interests, according to former U.S. Sen. Malcolm Wallop.

Cattle Meet Planned April 3 In Uvalde
"A Cattlemens’ Gathering in the Southwest" is a special Extension program designed by cattlemen for beef producers who view change as an ally rather than an enemy. The day-long program is set for April 3 in the Tate Auditorium at Southwest Texas Junior College here. Registration starts at 8 a.m., the formal program at 8:30 a.m.

Sonrisas To Sponsor "Horse Whisperer"
Frank Bell of Dances With Horses Inc., a nationally renowned "horse whisperer" will bring his unique talents to Sonrisas here on March 28-30. He trained under Buck Brannaman, who is the inspiration for Robert Redford’s character in the soon to be released movie, The Horse Whisperer.

Colorado Landowners Seek Elk Reduction
Landowners are asking for a reduction of the state's elk population because of increased risk of damage to farms, ranches, golf courses and wilderness areas, Colorado Division of Wildlife officials said recently.

Angelo Feeder Lamb Prices Fall Sharply
Newcrop feeder lambs sold $4-7 lower this week, oldcrops $12-17 lower, slaughter lambs $4-5 lower, slaughter ewes firm to $1 higher. Receipts totaled 9362 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Higher
Lightweight feeder steers sold steady to $1 higher last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, heifers steady to $2 higher, heavyweight steers steady, heifers steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows steady to $2 lower, bulls steady, stock cows steady to higher and pairs steady.

Llano Feeder Cattle Steady To $2 Higher
Lightweight feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, heavyweights steady, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 lower. Receipts totaled 232 head.

Better Olney Feeder Cattle Mostly Steady
Better conditioned feeder steers and heifers sold steady, lower grades $2-5 lower, stock cows $50-100 higher. Receipts totaled 764 head.

Graham Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady To Up
Lightweight feeder steers sold $2-3 higher, yearlings steady to $1 higher, spots $2 up, heifers steady, slaughter cows and bulls 50 cents to $1 higher, young bred stock cows and pairs fully steady.

Most Colorado City Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers 600 pounds and down sold steady, over 600 pounds steady to $1 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady, bred cows and pairs $50 higher.

Letters To The Editor

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
March 6 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Video Sale, Superior Offices and Studio, Fort Worth, Texas. March 6 — Special Cow Sale, Roswell Livestock Auction, Roswell, New Mexico.