GRASS PASTURE is still performing well for these mixed cows and their juicy calves in the Gonzales area, despite dry conditions. With scattered exceptions, much of Texas is now facing record shortfalls in spring moisture. In the short term, at least, that puts them in somewhat the same boat as western regions of the state where those conditions are now being measured in years.

Lamb Trade In Rags To Riches Confused State
Many lamb producers are doubtless benefitting from recent sky-high price jumping, but there are sure a lot of losers who sold on a very depressed market a little before it went wild. The winners should remember that a market as small as this one has become can go down just as fast as it goes up.

Fed Cattle Trading On Plains Stalled Once More At Midweek
Confidence prevailed among cattle feeders again this week, prompting them to spurn lower $63 bids early and then turn down most steady $64 bids later.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

At 93, Sid Moller Considered A Legend By Fellow Cattlemen
At 93, Sid Moller refers to himself as "an old has-been that never really ever has been." But anyone whose been in the cattle business for any length of time knows that isn’t the case.

Hitch Ranch Wagon Traveling Overland To Amarillo Cookoff
Rick Furnish sits on the spring seat of the Hitch Ranch chuckwagon and eyes the gray sky, then faces his mules into the wind as he heads for Amarillo.

Marketing Specialist From NMDA Has Peddled Muy Bulls In Mexico
Raul B. Tellez spends a lot of time shooting bull. "The videotape is the key," says the New Mexico Department of Agriculture marketing specialist.

Report Blasts EPA’s Science, Accuses Agency Of Corruption
The National Wilderness Institute has asked the United States Attorney General to investigate the Environmental Protection Agency.

USDA Consigns IBP Monopoly Case To Federal Court Arena
A federal court, not the Agriculture Department, is the right place for cattle producers to pursue claims that the nation's biggest meat packer engages in monopolistic practices, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says.

ESA Ignores Science And Facts, Environmental Consultants Say
"Biomythology is running rampant in Austin, Texas." That was the message environmental consultant Steve Paulson delivered to participants in the recent Endangered Species Act Conference sponsored by CLE International.

Researchers "Blow Up" Tough Beef To Make It More Tender
In 1992, Morse Solomon, a meat scientist, joined forces with engineer John Long to test Long's invention, an innovative process called Hydrodyne, which uses shock waves in water to tenderize meat.

Natural Pathogen Under Study To Starve Fire Ant Colonies
The fire ants in a pasture near Durant may find themselves on sudden diets if a microorganism released by scientists works as expected.

Congress Sends Ag Research, Food Stamp Bill To Clinton
In the end, a long-standing urban-rural coalition in Congress overcame opposition to a bill restoring food stamps to some legal immigrants and securing crop insurance for farmers.

TV Report Says Much Ground "Beef" Is Not
NBC’s Dateline newsmagazine program on Monday reported that 29 of 100 ground "beef" packages purchased across the country last fall turned out to be adulterated with other meat.

Congress Asks Clinton To Axe Trade Limits
Kansas lawmakers want President Clinton to roll back trade sanctions that keep U.S. wheat and other commodities out of more than 70 foreign countries.

Yellowstone Buffalo Plan A Step Nearer
The government is backing a plan to capture and then quarantine buffalo wandering outside Yellowstone National Park as the way to control brucellosis.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Higher, Cattle Lower
Feeder lambs sold $2-4 higher this week, slaughter lambs too limited for an accurate test though with a definitely higher undertone; slaughter were ewes steady. Two day receipts totaled 14,892 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Lower
Feeder steer and heifer buyers were again very selective in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, most calves and yearlings selling $1-3 lower and the price spread widening to around $30 between choice and plain offerings. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady, pairs and bred cows in poor demand.

Graham Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold $1-2 higher, heifers $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1987 head.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher, stock cows $50 higher, pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1329 head.

Brownwood Female Sale Offers 2182 Cattle
Demand was good for better grading cow-calf pairs at Jordan Cattle Auction’s special replacement female sale. Better grading bred cows and heifers were in fair to good demand, open and short bred heifers on the soft side.

Colorado City Feeder Heifer Prices Lower
Feeder steers sold firm, heifers steady to $1 lower, slaughter cows $1 lower, bulls $1-2 lower, stock cows steady, and pairs firm. Receipts totaled 833 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs Steady, Angoras Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes and bucks $1 higher, stock Angora nannies $6-8 higher, slaughter kids and yearlings $4 lower, other slaughter Angoras $3-6 higher, stock Spanish nannies $1 lower, slaughter nannies and billies $2-4 higher, other slaughter $1 lower.

Most Lampasas Steer, Heifer Prices Firm
Feeder steers and heifers sold firm, slaughter cows $1 lower, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1169 head.

Most Milano Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers weighing under 500 pounds sold steady, over 500 pounds steady to $2 higher, heifers firm to $2 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 higher, bulls steady.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $3-6 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $2 lower. Receipts totaled 1518 head.

Goldthwaite Lambs, Angora Goats Higher
Feeder lambs sold $3-6 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks steady; slaughter Angora goats $1-2 higher; stock Spanish nannies mostly steady, slaughter classes steady. Receipts totaled 7100 head.

Cuero Cattle Prices Termed Mostly Steady
Feeder cattle and slaughter cows all sold about steady on receipts of 1228 head.

Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Move Higher
Choice feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2 lower. Receipts totaled 575 head.

Loose Ends

Letters To The Editor

Coming Up...
June 15 — Special Feeder Sale, Producers Livestock Auction, San Angelo, Texas. June 15 — Producers Video Auction, Fort Worth, Texas. June 18 — Special Calf and Yearling Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas.