ON THE ROLLING PLAINS north of Sweetwater, these cattle are surrounded by a good stand of wheat. It has been a mixed season for wheatfield grazing this year, despite unusually mild winter temperatures. Many areas remained too dry to grow much, whereas some others were too wet to risk turning cattle out.

Fat, Feeder Lambs On Soft Side
Feeder lambs were about steady in most areas, San Angelo the exception with prices as much as $3 off. Fat lambs were also mostly steady with some weakness in the Midwest markets. Slaughter ewes sold steady to firm.

Fed Cattle Trade Balky Again At Midweek As Sides Face Off
The first three days of this week were numbingly typical of the recent fat cattle trade; nothing happened Monday or Tuesday, and by Wednesday many feedlot managers didn’t even care if they were within reach of the phone.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Boots O’Neal’s Career With Big Texas Ranches Spans 55 Years
Boots O’Neal has been punching cows for the last 55 of his 66 years, and the majority of those years have been on some of the larger outfits in Texas with cowboys who spend 90 percent of their time horseback.

Early Backer Recalls Checkoff Origin, Insists It’s Working
With the Livestock Marketing Association clamoring for a producer referendum on whether to continue the 10 year-old beef checkoff program, a man who was present at the creation of the beef checkoff says the program works.

Consultant Advises Clients To Focus On "Solar Dollars"
Ranchers aren’t in the business of raising livestock or even growing grass, says a grazing consultant; they are in the business of turning sunlight into money.

Feedlot Cleared Of Nuisance Charges In Appeals Ruling
Neighbors of the Bunker Hill Cattle Co. have failed to prove that the feedlot is a nuisance in their lawsuit seeking an injunction against the lot, a Nebraska Court of Appeals panel said in affirming a district court ruling.

North Dakota Co-Op Feedlots Slow Getting Off The Ground
Ranchers are not showing a lot of interest in the North Dakota Farmers Union's plans to build a producer-owned feedlot, an official says.

Israeli Judge Okays Ban On Sale Of Pork
In upholding a ban on the sale of pork, a judge ruled the prohibition has nothing to do with religious coercion because even non-observant Jews find the meat repulsive.

Forecasters Are Hedging Bets On El Niño’s Storm Influence
Other than a generally mild winter and a bit more rain than usual, Texas has escaped the dramatic El Niño-related weather events that have plagued California, Florida and other parts of the country.

EU Postpones Mad Cow Rules That Threatened Many Drugs
The European Union's executive agency will indefinitely postpone a ban on the use of animal parts at risk of carrying mad cow disease after agriculture ministers rejected the proposal.

Cougars Are Growing Problem, And Town People Are No Help
Mountain lions are becoming a problem all across the west, and both newcomers and locals softened by town life are making the problem more difficult to deal with.

Several World Titlists Win Big Bucks At Houston Rodeo
The quick-spinning black bull of the Andrews Rodeo herd carried all-around sensation Ty Murray of Stephenville, Texas, to an Astrodome record 90-point ride during the March 8 final round of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

EU Remains Cagey On Beef Ban Plans
The European Union said last Friday it intends "to discuss with our partners" how it will comply with a World Trade Organization ruling against its ban on imports of hormone-fed beef, but the United States said the EU has only one option: lift the ban.

Ranchers Seek Grizzly Damages Near $140,000
Ranchers in the Upper Green River Valley of western Wyoming claim grizzly bears have caused more than $100,000 in damage in the past year, according to claim requests received by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

USFS Announces Grazing Cuts, But Antis Demanding Removal
Bowing to demands by environmental activists, the U.S. Forest Service has announced a plan that would limit livestock grazing in almost a dozen Forest Service jurisdictions throughout New Mexico and Arizona.

Memo Reveals Forest Service Promoting Gore’s Candidacy
A Forest Service "communication plan" reveals that officials of the agency are mixing Clinton administration politics with their professional duties.

Ecos And Politicians Pushing Vehicle Tax
When everyone from Al Gore to the Friends of the Hairy Turtle began attacking so-called "sport utility" vehicles several months ago, it didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to recognize that a plot was afoot. That suspicion has now been confirmed.

Graham Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Mixed
Feeder steers under 750 pounds sold steady, some fleshy kinds off $1, weights over 750 pounds $1 lower, heifers under 600 pounds $2 higher, over 600 pounds steady, slaughter cows 50 cents to $1 lower, bulls steady, stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 1014 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Active
Choice feeder steers and heifers in good condition sold in active trading in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, most fleshy and off grain fields. Slaughter cows were steady to $2 higher, bulls and stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 1283 head at the three sales.

Llano Feeders Steady, Rain Shortens Supply
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers weak, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Rain-reduced receipts totaled 129 head.

Olney Cattle Prices Termed Steady To Up
All classes of cattle sold strong to $3 higher. Receipts totaled 650 head.

Rocker Bull Tops Beefmaster Sale
Average price on 44 Beefmaster bulls at the Country Classic Beefmaster sale at the Seven-C Anderson Ranch near here was $2468.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
March 19 — Producers Video Auction’s March Video Sale, Fort Worth, Texas. March 20 — 37th Annual Tucumcari Bull Test Sale, NMSU Agricultural Science Center, Tucumcari, New Mexico. March 20 — Special Cow Sale, Lovington Livestock Market Inc., Lovington, New Mexico. March 20-22 — Special Horse Sale including the CLA Paint Horse Sale, Clovis Livestock Auction, Clovis, New Mexico.