Lamb Prices
Rocking Up
And Down

Fat and feeder lambs found tough going this week as price trends bounced up and down. The industry is hoping that prices have reached bottom and maybe lightweights will start edging upward soon.

Heavy lambs are still stacked up in places and will be for a while. With packers only killing a limited number of overweights, when they can merchandise them, the problem continues to grow as others replace them.

Meanwhile, lamb and mutton imports passed for entry last week totaled 1508 metric tons, the equivalent of 70 percent of domestic production.

Slaughter ewes also took a licking as liberal numbers allowed export buyers to shop for the more desirable kinds and some orders were filled by heavy lambs rather than ewes. Exports to Mexico last week totaled 7334 head.

Carcass lamb sold steady last week with a top of $137.50. Heavies were quoted at $95, but stories are being told about some sales at $65 in Chicago.

The West Texas drouth is getting deeper; it has been six weeks since any sign of rain. Spring grasses and weeds are dead and summer grasses are not greening up. Dryland small grain has withered and some summer crops are up but stunting. Weed seeds are causing pelt problems in some areas and $5 discounts are common.

San Angelo feeder lambs weighing 50-60 pounds brought $74-78, 60-90 pounds $71.50-77.50, 90-95 pounds $70-73. Fredericksburg lightweight lambs were $75-82, heavies $71-77. Goldthwaite lambs weighing 45-65 pounds made $74-78, 70-95 pounds $72-77.50, and 100-130 pounds $66-70. Junction had 60-75 pound lambs at $72-78. Midwest feeders weighing 50-70 pounds were $80-90, 70-90 pounds $75-80. Billings lambs of 70-80 pounds made $78-79, 80-90 pounds $71.50-80, and 105-110 pounds $65-66.

Feeder lambs moving direct in West Texas weighing 70-85 pounds brought $70-72. Recent sales in California had 90-100 pound lambs $67-69, 100-130 pounds $63.50-67. Arizona saw $65 on 120-125 pound lambs.

Fat lambs weighing 100-135 pounds in San Angelo were $60-65, 90-110 pound newcrops $67-71. Midwest markets quoted fats $54-62, and Midwest teleauction lambs brought $63.

Fat lambs in West Texas moving direct to packers were $54-63 with newcrops $64-66. Colorado had lambs at $61.50 with a 50 cent slide over 140. Formula lambs weighing 120-140 pounds brought $68-74.50 and 140-160 pounds $60-68. California fats were $50-58 with 110-130 pound newcrops $60-65. Midwest lambs of 140-150 pounds moving direct were $58.50-62.50.

Slaughter ewes in San Angelo were as much as $10 lower, most fleshy offerings $28-49, fats stopping at $36.50. Midwest ewes were $28-33.50.

San Angelo sold babytooth stock ewes at $72-75.50 per had, solidmouths $64-71. Babytooth ewes in Goldthwaite were $82-101 and solidmouths $65-80.