AWAITING THEIR GREEN CARDS, these Mexican steers destined for U.S. ownership are cooling their heels at Agua Prieto, Sonora, Mexico, just south of Douglas, Ariz. They're entering a market primed for recovery, but not yet healed from the bloodletting of the past few years.

Lamb Prices Feel Boost; Country Dry
Fat lamb prices moved up again this week in many areas with the hope of a better dressed trade around the corner. Feeder lambs were also stronger in most Texas markets. Slaughter ewes seemed to level off. Mexico imported 7472 ewes last week, bringing the year to date total to 104,923 as of Monday, compared to 98,397 for the same period a year ago.

Fed Cattle Prices $1 Lower In Sluggish Trade At Midweek
Plains fed cattle trade once again was sluggish at midweek as packers continued to hammer prices and feedlots reasoned that they’d bled about all they could. The Texas Panhandle area reported something over 64,000 head selling through Wednesday afternoon, nearly 25,000 of those captives and most of the rest moving Tuesday at $64.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Morales Brothers Continue What Grandfather Started
Brothers Juan Pedro and Hector Octavio Morales are third generation ranchers. Their grandfather, Alfonso Morales, put together about 65,000 acres of deeded country here and the two brothers continue to operate the same land today.

Vagaries Of Weather Affected Ranch To Rail Feedlot Program
Weather caused problems for the 1997-98 Ranch to Rail cattle program, says the coordinator of the seven year-old project.

Texas Soon To Be Only State Pursuing Bangs-Free Status
The Lone Star State could become the "lone" state where brucellosis is concerned, as more states declare victory over the long-fought cattle disease.

ALF Terrorists’ "Press Office" Brags About Veal Plant Arsons
Members of an underground animal rights group are claiming responsibility for torching two Florida veal processing plants.

TP&WD Withdraws Proposed Habitat Protection Plan
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has withdrawn an embattled plan to encourage landowners to improve habitat for endangered species.

Introduced Mexican Wolves Already Spotted Near Stock
Little more than a month after their release, Mexican wolves reintroduced into the Southwest by the federal government have already been seen repeatedly stalking livestock.

Oklahoma Forage Specialist Touts Cool Season Grasses
There is increasing interest in cool season forage in Oklahoma, southern Kansas, North Texas and the Texas Panhandle, says Dr. Larry Redmon, a Texas native now an Extension forage specialist at Oklahoma State University.

Clinton EPA, USDA Insist Ag Sector Won’t Suffer Unduly
Trust us, say two top Clinton administration officials, preventing animal waste from polluting America's waterways will not come at an overly burdensome cost to the nation's livestock industry.

Eighties’ Farm Credit Crisis Fades Quietly Into History
There was no fanfare, just a quiet announcement: The 1980s farm credit crisis officially is over.

Species Act Rewrite Unlikely This Late In Congress’ Term
Lawmakers trying to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, led by Republican Sen. Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho, face too many political obstacles in limited time to succeed, say congressional staffers and observers.

Winter Wheat Crop Down Nine Percent
With wheat prices in the doldrums, American farmers will harvest a winter wheat crop down nine percent from last year at 1.71 billion bushels, the Agriculture Department is forecasting.

Monsanto, Cargill Ink Joint Venture Plan
Monsanto Co. and Cargill Inc. have announced plans to join forces in a venture to create new products for the grain processing and animal feed markets.

Roper Trevor Brazile Holds Strong Second In All-Around
He is immersed in a sea of world-class rodeo talent, but Trevor Brazile is showing no signs of being swallowed up by the competition.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 29,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 29,000 feeder cattle and breeding stock in their regular video sale. Consignments were from 21 states and Mexico.

Angelo Lambs Firm, Feeder Cattle Off
All sheep and lamb classes sold firm this week. Two day receipts totaled 16,597 head, about half of them slaughter ewes.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-4 lower, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls firm to $1 higher, stock cows steady, pairs $50 lower. Receipts totaled 2860 head.

Most Cuero Cattle Prices Termed Lower
Feeder steers and heifers were active but lower, slaughter cows lower. Receipts totaled 1363 head.

Clark Angus Dispersal Averages $1805 Each
Bill and Geri Clark’s dispersal of the Rose Ranch Division sold 359 Angus lots for an average of $1805 per head.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Trend Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $3-5 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $2-4 lower. Receipts totaled 719 head.

Steers, Heifers $1-3 Lower In Angelo Special Calf Sale
Steers and heifers were $1-3 lower Monday in the season’s first special feeder sale at Producers Livestock Auction.

Goldthwaite Steady On Most Feeder Lambs
Feeder lambs sold mostly steady, slaughter ewes and bucks $2 lower; slaughter Angora goats $5 lower; stock Spanish nannies $5 lower, slaughter muttons $6 higher, other classes $1-3 lower.

Milano Feeder Steers, Heifers Sharply Lower
Feeder steers weighing under 500 pounds sold $5-8 lower, 500-700 pounds $3-5 lower and over 700 pounds steady to $2 lower; heifers under 400 pounds sold $6-8 lower, 400-600 pounds $4-6 lower, over 600 pounds $1-2 lower. Slaughter cows sold $1-2 lower and bulls steady.

Fredericksburg Feeder Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1784 head.

Graham Said Steady On Better Feeders
Most feeder steers sold steady, yearlings heifers steady, weights 300-500 pounds $2-3 lower on plain or fleshy kinds, slaughter cows $1-2 lower, bred stock cows steady to $20 lower, pairs steady to $25 lower. Receipts totaled 2417 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers sold mixed in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, better grading heavyweight steers active and steady to strong, lightweights somewhat lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs finding resistance due to drouth.

Most Lampasas Feeder Cattle Show Strength
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to instances $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $1 lower. Receipts totaled 1308 head.

Colorado City Feeder Steers, Heifers Off
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows $1 lower, bulls steady, bred stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1075 head.

Most Junction Sheep, Goat Prices Decline
Feeder lambs sold $3 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $5-6 lower; stock Angora nannies and muttons $7 lower, slaughter classes $3-5 lower; stock Spanish nannies $3 lower, slaughter classes $4-6 lower.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
May 26-29 — ABS Artifical Insemination and Preg Testing School For Cattle, San Angelo, Texas. May 29 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Video Sale, Superior Offices and Studio, Fort Worth, Texas. May 30 — Elvis Story Ranch Estate Sale, Davidson Auctioneer’s Sale Facility, Fairfield, Texas.