SHEEP AND LAMB NUMBERS slipped another five percent from last year, the latest in a long strong of declines. The total inventory as of July 1 came to 9.4 million head with an expected lamb crop of 4.87 million.

Fat, Feeder Lamb Trade Is Mixed Bag
Feeder lambs were a mixed bag this week with some Texas areas showing a little strength to as much as $5 higher while Midwest markets were as much as $5 lower. Fat lambs were a little stronger early, but lower at midweek.

Plains Fed Cattle Stalled Again At Midweek, Bids $59
Plains fed cattle trade was stalled through midweek as would-be buyers stubbornly bid $59 and potential sellers just as stubbornly refused to take less than $60.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Gramm Representative Touring Texas To See Drouth Situation
A representative of Sen. Phil Gramm's office is touring drouth-stricken West Texas this week. Sondra Ziegler, West Texas regional director of Gramm's Lubbock office, says she is starting her tour in Amarillo and will travel on to Lubbock, then head south to Odessa, San Angelo and Abilene.

Camper Who Shot Mexican Wolf Worries About Risk To Others
Richard Humphrey and his family are going camping this week. That wouldn’t be big news, but the family’s last camping trip spawned a full-blown federal investigation.

Revolutionizing Beef Industry Is Koch Beef Company’s Goal
Koch Beef Company is one of the fastest growing companies in the beef industry, if not the fastest. Despite record losses experienced this past year in the feeding sector, top Koch officials continue to believe there are profits to be made there.

NCBA Votes To Reevaluate Price Reporting Policy In Year 2000
Key segments of the beef industry would have 18 months to show that they are cooperating with the provisions of voluntary "complete" price reporting, under the terms of a resolution adopted at the summer National Cattlemen’s Beef Association meeting.

ASI Pursuing Legal Action Against Rising Lamb Imports
Fed up with the escalating practice by foreign countries of using the U.S. market as a relief valve for excess lamb product, the American Sheep Industry Association announced this week that it had begun pursuing legal remedies.

Rancher Asks Judge To Order Wolves Out
A Dubois-area rancher asked a federal judge Monday to remove wolves that have wandered south from Yellowstone National Park and are killing his cattle.

June Meat Production Seven Percent Higher
Commercial red meat production in the United States totaled 3.73 billion pounds in June, up seven percent from the 3.49 billion pounds produced in June 1997. It was the second highest level for June, exceeded only by 3.8 billion pounds in June 1995.

New Texas Beef Co-op Set To Sell Stocks
A Texas-based beef cooperative known as "SMART" — for Southwest Marketing Alliance from Ranch to Table — has received approval from the State of Texas to begin selling stock.

NCBA Directors Set $64M Budget For 1999
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Board of Directors has approved an operating budget of $64 million for the 1999 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 131,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 131,000 cattle at their tenth annual Weekend in the Rockies video sale. Trade and demand were moderate, delivery current to December.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Worked Lower Again Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers were steady to $2 lower across the country last week, instances $3-4 off on calves. Oklahoma City proved to be about the only bright spot with prices for yearlings moving steady to $2 higher.

Slaughter Cattle Prices Off Most Places Again Last Week
Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady to mostly $1 lower in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week. Movement of fed cattle was noted each day with the bulk being traded on Wednesday.

Giddings Cattle Trend Stronger This Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to strong, with 400-600 pounders $3-4 higher, slaughter cows $3-4 higher. Receipts totaled 1226 head.

Sheep, Goat Raisers Elect New Officers
The Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association elected new officers during their recent annual convention here.

Angelo Feeder Lamb, Cattle Prices Firm
Feeder lambs sold firm this week, slaughter lambs not well tested, slaughter ewes weak to $5 lower with the greatest decline on cull and utility grades. Receipts totaled 16,969 head and were mostly slaughter ewes, 15 percent feeder lambs and 30 percent goats.

Meat Imports Almost 5% Of Domestic Output
Last week 18,052 metric tons of foreign-produced red meat passed for entry into the United States, 39.7 billion pounds and the equivalent of 4.8 percent of domestic production.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Softer
Feeder steers and heifers sold a little softer, slaughter cows and bulls $2-4 higher, pairs steady to strong. Receipts totaled 3573 head including a special feeder sale in Mason.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifers Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 2587 head.

Graham Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 higher, some lightweights $4 higher, heifers steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher, bred stock cows steady, pairs $20-15 higher.

Lampasas Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 806 head.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 546 head.

TAGRA Sale Averages $328 On Angora Bucks
The Texas Angora Goat Raisers Association annual sale here averaged $328.29 on a total of 38 bucks and $229.69 on 16 does.

Milano Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade Steady
Feeder steers sold steady to firm, heifers steady, slaughter cows $1-2 higher, bulls $1-3 higher. Receipts totaled 1091 head.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows $2-4 higher, bulls steady, young pairs and young bred stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 990 head.

U.S. Meat Production 1.6% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 831.3 million pounds, down .8 percent from a week earlier and 1.6 percent higher than a year ago.

Cuero Feeder Steers, Heifers About Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady except weights under 250 pounds were lower, slaughter cows $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 1865 head.

Kerrville Angora Goat Sale Tops At $1950
A South African Angora buck topped the eleventh annual Hobson, Haby, Lockhart, Ross and Speck Angora production sale here. The Speck buck sold to Robert Stewart, Clifton, for $1950.

Goldthwaite Lambs Off, Angora Goats Steady
Feeder lambs sold $5-8 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks steady to $2 lower; stock Spanish nannies $2-5 lower, slaughter kids steady to $2 lower, muttons $6-10 lower, billies steady; few slaughter Angora nannies and muttons steady.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers, Heifers Down
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 lower, heifers $2 lower on a light test. Sales were confirmed on 5772 head.

Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold strong, heifers $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 1200 head.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
August 3 — Special Feeder Sale, Producers Livestock Auction, San Angelo, Texas. August 4 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Llano Livestock Auction, Llano, Texas. August 8 — Special Cow and Heifer Replacement Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, Mason, Texas.