HANGING OUT while the adults graze, these two babies offer impromptu yardsticks against which to measure the height of lush green grass in the Brazos valley. Folks 150 miles west can measure their grass with horned toads

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.

Plains Fed Cattle Stalled After Big Volume Last Week
Plains feedlot trading through midweek was as quiet as a frat party at the College of Mimes. Near-record volume last week gave packers a little breathing room with which to hold the line against higher pricing demands in the neighborhood of $68-69. At the same time, it took enough supply off feeders’ hands that they had the slack to resist steady $66 bids. Observers were betting on a $67-68 market Thursday.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Wildlife Experts Warn Grizzly Threat To Southwest Not Gone
Ranchers along the New Mexico-Arizona state line breathed a sigh of relief in March when Congressman Joe Skeen, R-N.M., announced that grizzly bears would not be introduced in the area. But a Montana State University wildlife specialist says don’t be too sure.

Experts Gather To Discuss Ways To Educate Masses About Fire
For better than a half a century, fire was viewed as a destructive menace to rangelands. Landowners were taught to fear fire, and for the most part cowmen couldn’t possibly comprehend why one would want to burn the grass when there were plenty of cows there who needed to eat it.

Glickman Fears More Grain Train Shortages Loom Ahead
Farmers could face more railroad car shortages this year because huge amounts of grain are in storage and bountiful harvests appear likely, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says.

"Mainstream" Science Finally Learns Importance Of Grazing
Where the buffalo go, more grasses will grow, researchers have discovered by measuring the effects of grazing in native tall-grass prairies.

Wyoming To Continue Testing For Bangs Despite Results
A new requirement for testing cattle in six Wyoming counties for brucellosis before sale will remain in place even though none tested positive this year, state agriculture officials said.

Horror Stories About Eco Laws Connect With Everyday People
Recently The Philadelphia Society, which seeks to "deepen the intellectual foundations of a free and ordered society," devoted its thirty-fourth annual meeting to "The Environmental Revolution." During "An Environment of Freedom" panel, Dr. Jo Kwong, of Atlas Economic Research Foundation, opened with two "horror stories": the impact of environmental laws on John Shuler of Dupuyer, Montana, and race car driver Bobby Unser.

Senator Wants EPA Funds Slashed 25%
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel said late last week that funding for the federal Environmental Protection Agency should be cut 25 percent until it brings sound science and common sense to its regulatory actions.

Group Forms To Beat "Veggie Libel" Laws
A coalition that includes consumer gadfly Ralph Nader, fellow attention-grabbing activists and a journalists' group is embarking on a campaign to overturn or block "veggie libel" laws like the one Texas cattlemen tried to use to sue Oprah Winfrey.

IBP Recalls 282,000 Pounds Of Ground Beef
Beef packing giant IBP last week voluntarily recalled more than 282,000 pounds of ground beef suspected of containing E. coli bacteria.

Camper Kills Mexican Wolf During Attack
Last week, a month after its release in a controversial reintroduction program, a Mexican gray wolf ran afoul of a camping family and was shot.

Daniel Green Proves He Can Wrestle As Well As He Ropes
To most rodeo fans, Daniel Green may best be known as a roper. But as Green proved recently at the Clovis, Calif., rodeo, he can also hold his own as a steer wrestler. Green, a four-time National Finals Rodeo team roping qualifier from Valley Springs, Calif., won the steer wrestling event and for that pocketed $3339.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 39,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 39,000 feeder cattle and breeding stock at their regular video auction. Consignments were from 21 states and Mexico, delivery mostly current through August.

Angelo Feeder Lambs, Cattle Mostly Steady
Feeder lambs were generally steady in a two-day sale this week, slaughter lambs $1-3 lower, slaughter ewes fully $4-5 lower, instances $6-10 lower. Receipts totaled 19,510 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-4 higher in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, heavyweights steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 3162 head at the three sales.

Most Graham Cattle Prices Turn Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, instances $3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-1.50 higher, pairs steady to $20 higher, stock cows $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled 1987 head.

Colorado Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher, slaughter cows $1 higher, bulls steady, bred stock cows and pairs weak in a light run. Receipts totaled 1043 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1441 head.

Junction Lambs, Stock Angora Goats Lower
Feeder lambs sold $4 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $2 lower; stock Angora nannies $3 lower, slaughter classes $2-3 lower; stock Spanish nannies $3 lower, slaughter kids and yearlings $8-10 lower, other slaughter mostly steady.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers with quality and condition sold $1-2 higher, fleshy lightweight offerings $1-2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows slightly lower, pairs steady. Receipts totaled 2349 head.

Goldthwaite Lambs Lower, Angoras Off
Feeder lambs sold $6-8 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $2 lower; slaughter Angora goats $3 lower; stock Spanish nannies $2 lower, slaughter mostly steady. Receipts totaled 8000 head.

Llano Steers Steady, Heifers Trade Higher
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers steady to $3 higher, cows steady, bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 432 head.

R.A. Brown Sale Topped By $2550 Angus Female
A registered Angus female topped R.A. Brown’s Cowman Sale at $2550 per head, going to Kirk Ross, Montgomery, Texas.

Cuero Feeder Cattle Prices About Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cows $1 lower. Receipts totaled 1374 head.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
May 9 — Texas Gelbvieh Spring Female Sale and Field Day, TAMU Animal Science Center, College Station, Texas. May 9 — Third Annual Performance Angus Breeders Alliance Sale, West Auction Inc., West, Texas. May 9 — Charolais Cow Dispersal Sale, Brazos Valley Livestock Commission Inc., Bryan, Texas. May 9 — Special Cow and Heifer Replacement Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas.