GOING WEST TO WATER, these shorn whiteface bucks near Sterling City are on better range than most of the country that surrounds them for umpteen dozen miles in any direction. It’s still old growth, however; the green spring weeds they’re trying to nose out have long since burned up under relentless winds and an unproductive blue sky.

Fat Lambs, Carcasses Stronger
Fed lambs tried to make a comeback this week with strength in several places, particularly on Midwest markets, where prices were around $4 higher early and some added another $4 on Wednesday. Feeder lambs were rather uneven, but mostly about steady.

Fed Cattle Trade At Standoff On Plains Through Midweek
Packers were finding enough cattle somewhere to confound predictions that they would be in the market early this week. Last week’s meager movement bolstered that notion, but it was shot through and through by midweek.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Popular Press Ignores Thousands Of Scientists Who Pan "Warming"
In less than two months, a grassroots effort has gathered signatures from nearly 17,000 scientists on a petition debunking the so-called "global warming" treaty adopted last December in Kyoto, Japan.

Oprah’s Lawyers Want Second Beef Damage Suit Thrown Out
Attorneys for daytime television queen Oprah Winfrey have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Winfrey, her production company and vegetarian activist Howard Lyman by cattle feeders in Texas.

Wolf Killing Reveals Subtle Hints Of Promoters’ Intent
Opponents of schemes to "reintroduce" wolves and grizzly bears have long contended that the real goal of those programs is not so much to bring predators in as to drive people out. The reaction of "green" spokesmen to the shooting of a Mexican wolf two weeks ago lends credence to that contention.

East Texas Cow Hunt Bizarre Episode For Dryland Cowboy
Have you ever noticed that when things go wrong, they just keep going wrong? I hired out to a cowboy in East Texas to do day work. I won't use his real name, because he mentioned physical violence if I did.

Landowners Tell Feds To Heed Advice From Locals On Bears
Outsiders, bureaucrats and their perceptions of the "needs" of grizzly bears get too much weight compared to the hands-on knowledge of local people and the needs of livestock owners.

Ecos Pan Coyote Hunts To Protect Antelope
Animal rights activists are upset with the state's authorization of aerial coyote hunts, even though they're supposed to help protect antelope.

Prescribed Burners Hear About Kansas And Georgia Experiences
For a hundred years or so, from 1870 through 1970, the Flint Hills of Kansas burned on a regular basis and it was ranchers who did the burning. Today some five to six million acres of native prairie is burned periodically to annually.

Tio Kleberg Leaving Day-To-Day King Ranch Operations June 1
Stephen J. "Tio" Kleberg, great-grandson of King Ranch founder Capt. Richard King, will leave the day-to-day operation of the famed ranch on June 1.

USDA Pushing Efforts To Boost Ag Exports In Face Of Plenty
Amid some grumbling in Congress about the impact of the 1996 free-market farm law, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman last Thursday outlined new steps intended to boost foreign trade and shore up sagging farm prices.

Plan To Sell Federal Land Opposed By Usual Suspects
In many Western states, Uncle Sam is the biggest landlord. Legislation moving through Congress aims to reduce those holdings by putting an estimated $350 million in federal acreage on the auction block.

Mexican Media Learns About U.S. Beef Production System
Seven Mexican journalists toured Texas cattle and beef operations recently to report on the U.S. beef industry’s technology and production processes. Their visit coincided with record quantities of U.S. beef entering their country.

Nature Conservancy Defends Grazing, Other Economic Uses
Conservation and economic gain aren't mutually exclusive in land use, says an official of The Nature Conservancy.

Stuart Ranch Hands Win WHC Ranch Rodeo
The Stuart Ranch, a first-time participant out of Caddo, Oklahoma, took first place in the ranch rodeo competition here last weekend at the 14th annual Western Heritage Classic.

Parks, Wildlife Seeks Public Dove Hunting
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is again seeking landowners to participate in its annual public dove hunting program.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Weak, Cattle Lower
Feeder lambs sold weak this week, slaughter lambs weak to $2 lower with newcrops $3-4 higher, slaughter ewes weak to $5 lower. Two day receipts totaled 17,620 head.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Turn Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3 lower except steers 550-600 pounds steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1-3 lower. Receipts totaled 685 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs Find Stronger Market
Feeder lambs sold $2 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks $4 lower; stock Angora nannies and muttons steady, slaughter Angoras steady to $1 lower; stock Spanish nannies $2 higher, slaughter kids and muttons $3-5 higher, other classes $2-3 lower.

Abilene Feeder Cattle Trend Steady To Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady except steers 500-600 pounds and heifers 600-700 pounds $1-2 lower, slaughter cows $1-2 lower, bulls steady, cows with calves steady.

Milano Feeder Steers, Heifers On Firm Side
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to firm, slaughter cows steady to $1 higher, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1538 head.

Ethanol Subsidy Gets Boost From Gingrich
The biggest obstacle to extension of tax breaks for corn-based ethanol was removed last week by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, all but ensuring the subsidy will continue through 2007.

EU High Court Upholds Ban On British Beef
The ban on worldwide exports of British beef stays, the European Court of Justice ruled last week, rejecting Britain's attempt to have the ban declared illegal.

Cowboys’ Directness Shrinks Swelled Heads
Cowboys have long burst the bubbles of those who think themselves important, and cowboys in Wyoming are no different.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, yearlings coming off grain fields steady to $3 higher, bull calves meeting some resistance, slaughter cows and bulls steady, bred cows and pairs mostly lower.

Graham Cattle Prices Termed Mostly Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 higher on choice, heifers steady to $1 higher, low quality kinds lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $1 higher, pairs steady to $75 higher, bred cows steady. Receipts totaled 2214 head.

Colorado Lightweight Feeder Steers Lower
Feeder steers weighing under 600 pounds sold $1-3 lower, heifers and heavier steers steady, slaughter cows $1 lower, bulls steady, bred stock cows and pairs weak.

Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Termed Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1082 head.

Goldthwaite Sheep, Goat Prices Lower
Feeder lambs sold $4 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $8 lower, stock ewes $3 lower; slaughter Angora goats $3 lower; stock Spanish nannies $2-4 lower, slaughter kids and yearlings $4 lower, others mostly steady.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steer Prices Steady
Feeder steers sold steady, heifers $1-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls strong. Receipts totaled 1688 head.

San Saba Replacement Female Cattle Active
Jordan Cattle Auction’s annual replacement cow and heifer sale was active with good demand on choice bred heifers and young pairs, open tigerstripe heifers strong, other open heifers in fair demand, small and mixed color offerings weak.

Most Cuero Cattle Prices Move Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold lower, slaughter cows also lower. Receipts totaled 1431 head.

Letters To The Editor

Coming Up...
May 16 — Special Cow Sale, Pearsall Livestock Auction, Pearsall, Texas. May 16 — 25th Annual Spring Invitational Texas Longhorn Sale, Y O Ranch, Mountain Home, Texas. May 16 — Complete Dispersion of Clark Angus/Rose Ranch Division, West Auction ,West, Texas. May 16 — West Texas Spring Special Horse Sale, Lost Track Horse Center, Talpa, Texas.