EXCELLENT GRAZING WEATHER so far this season has lamb operators in California's Imperial Valley thinking positive, though "positive" in that context is a relative thing. Compared to the last few years, some feeders count breaking even in the "positive" category. Imports, packer concentration and shrinking inventories have led to a real shakeout in the valley, where lamb numbers are down by half over the last decade or so, and only a handful of operators remain.

Feeder Lamb Prices Hold, Fats Falter
Feeder lamb prices held fairly stable around the country this week, though the number moved was limited. Basically the lamb supply is somewhere between the last of the oldcrops and the beginning of the newcrops. Slaughter lambs were weak to a couple of dollars lower for the second week in a row.

Plains Fed Cattle Trade Off $1 In Brief Midweek Flurry
Packers and feeders both sat out last week's dance, at least until Friday, when a raft of cattle moved at a steady $62. This week looked like a replay until a flurry of sales Wednesday morning took a dollar off the market.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Lamb Feeders Shouldn't Expect Better Pelt Market Very Soon
Lamb feeders attending the recent National Lamb Feeders Association annual convention here weren't expecting to hear an optimistic report from the pelt sector, but none probably expected it to be as bleak as the picture that was painted for them.

NCBA Offers USDA Four-Point Plan To Improve Cattle Market
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association late last week outlined a four-point plan that the Clinton administration could use to help restore price and profitability to U.S. cattle producers.

NM River Pollution Not Bad And Not Ag
River pollution in New Mexico is less widespread than previously thought and state scientists say the leading cause of that pollution is human tinkering rather than agriculture, according to a new study.

Best Savor It While It Lasts; "Better Days Ahead" Are Here
It's been a long time coming, but we are now on the doorstep of the future, and we had better get used to it. With the advent of space technology, high-dollar salaries, low esteem for food producers, massive cheap production, and quick meals, we have reached the crossroads for agriculture.

Stock-Killing Wolves Moved; Washingtonians Reject Them
Four of the 10 wolves in the Pleasant Valley pack have been relocated to the Spotted Bear area of the Bob Marshall Wilderness after killing four steer calves and a yearling, officials said.

Climate Treaty Is Dead Issue, But Clinton Still Wants Funds
The Clinton administration, stymied in its efforts to get the controversial Kyoto "global warming" treaty approved by the Senate, has sought to impose the measure through bureaucratic means instead.

Montana Bill Would Require Hunters To Seek Permission
A bill heard last week by a state Senate panel would require all hunters to get permission from landowners before hunting anything on private land in Montana.

USDA, Meat Inspectors At Odds Again Over Food Safety Upgrade
The U.S. Agriculture Department defended its new food inspection program last Thursday amid criticism from union activists, saying scientific-based methods have greatly reduced the presence of Salmonella in chicken, beef and pork.

1998 Wrecks Proved Importance Of Agriculture Risk Management
While risk has always been part of agricultural production, 1998 will go down in history as a pivotal year when producers, especially producers in Texas, experienced some of the greatest risks ever in agricultural production and marketing. Parts of Texas and the Southern U.S. experienced near record heat, drouth and flooding. This played havoc with agricultural production.

Ecos Want 40 Percent Of AZ Streams Posted
A Santa Fe-based environmental activist group has asked Arizona to declare 33 streams in the state "unique waters" under the Federal Clean Water Act.

Bipartisan Bill Would Create Trade Representative For Ag
Agricultural producers would have a permanent advocate for trade under legislation introduced last week by Missouri Republican Sen. John Ashcroft.

Colorado Horse Group Plans Aerial Survey
The Colorado horse industry is preparing to launch a major aerial survey along the Front Range to determine how many horses there are in the state and where they are located.

1080 Collar May See Use On Idaho Sheep
Twenty-six years after the federal government banned the chemical it contains and more than a decade and a half after that ban was partially lifted, the livestock protection collar may be approved for use in Idaho.

Father And Sons Post Big Win In Nebraska, Look Toward NFR
Butch Myers and sons Rope and Cash, all Texas natives, walked away with three shares of the $31,410 up for grabs at the Dodge World's Toughest Rodeo in Lincoln, Neb. recently.

EPA, Ecos Now Seek To Strangle Practice They've Long Promoted
Federal officials and feedlot operators are at odds over where to dispose of the livestock manure produced in Texas, a controversy that has some in agriculture pointing out the inherent fickleness of the "green" movement.

Aussie Beef Gains Access To Argentina
The Australian government has announced that Argentina has agreed to accept fresh beef from Australia. Australia's Agriculture Minister Mark Vaile says a combination of drouth in South America, reduced cattle numbers in Argentina and a lower Australian dollar produced favorable conditions for exports of Australian beef to Argentina.

Bureaucracy Continues To Hold Up Funding For Sheep Center
Spokespersons for the National Sheep Improvement Center gave a discouraging report at the recent American Sheep Industry Association meeting here.

TSCRA School For Successful Ranching Set For March 27-28
The 1999 TSCRA School for Successful Ranching offers something for producers with all levels of experience, says C. Coney Burgess, president of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. The school will be March 27-28 here, just prior to TSCRA's annual convention.

Kansas Bill Targets Packer-Owned Animals
Some Kansas lawmakers want to place new restrictions on corporate beef and pork producers, saying small farmers and ranchers are being ``priced out of their way of life.''

Cattle On Feed Down 5 Percent In Seven Main Feeding States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter Jan. 1 in the seven leading feeding states totaled 9.02 million head, down five percent from a year earlier and six percent below the level of Jan. 1, 1997.

Texas Slaughter Cattle Trade Stalled Throughout Last Week
Prices of slaughter steers and heifers went untested throughout last week in the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma. Trading was generally at a standstill through the week as sellers resisted lower bids.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Trade Continues Upward Price Trend
Feeder cattle prices continued to move in an upward price spiral last week with steers and heifers generally steady to $2 higher. The sharp price surge since the first of the year brought a large number of offerings out and producers were rewarded for their efforts as buyers were still exhibiting optimism for prices down the road.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 75,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 75,000 feeder cattle and breeding stock here at their annual Bellringer video auction. Consignments were from 28 states. Trade and demand were termed good and prices strong, delivery mostly current through April.

December Meat, Pork Production Set Record
Commercial red meat production in December for the United States totaled 3.94 billion pounds, up six percent from the 3.71 billion pounds produced in December 1997 and up six percent from the previous record high for December set in 1994.

Year-End Red Meat Supply Up 14 Percent
Total red meat supplies in U.S. freezers December 31 at 1.145 billion pounds were up four percent from November 30 and up 14 percent from December 31, 1997.

Angelo Feeder Lambs, Steers, Heifers Weak
Feeder lambs sold weak this week, slaughter lambs weak to $2 lower, slaughter ewes sharply lower, good and choice $10-15 off, other grades $5-10 lower. Receipts totaled 10,687 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Higher
Feeder steers sold $1-3 higher in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, heifers steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $1 lower, stock heifers, bred cows and cows with calves strong. Receipts totaled 4380 head at the three sales.

Goldthwaite Sheep, Goats Mostly Lower
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter lambs $2-3 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks $2 lower; slaughter Angora goats $5 lower; stock Spanish nannies $8 lower, slaughter nannies $5-7 lower. Receipts totaled 3,300 head.

Graham Feeder Cattle Prices Trend Higher
Feeder steers sold $2-3 higher, instances $4 higher, heifers $2 higher, instances $3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher, bred stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 2068 head.

Most Abilene Feeder Steers Show Strength
Feeder steers sold steady to $3 higher, the advance on weights under 700 pounds, heifers mostly steady, slaughter cows $1 higher, bulls steady, stock cows $40-50 higher, pairs $20-30 higher. Receipts totaled 1714 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $1 higher in Kansas direct trading last week, heifers steady to $2 higher. Weather was mild with light moisture on Thursday. Sales were confirmed on 4387 head.

Junction Feeder Lamb Trade Mostly Steady
Feeder lambs sold mostly steady, slaughter lambs $3 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks steady; slaughter Angora goats $6-8 lower; slaughter Spanish kids $4-6 lower, other slaughter goats $6-9 lower, stock nannies $3 lower. Receipts totaled 5000 head.

Llano Lightweight Feeder Cattle Soft
Feeder steers and heifers weighing more than 500 pounds sold steady, lightweights steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 578 head.

Cuero Feeder Steers, Heifers Sell Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher, calves strong, slaughter cows steady. Receipts totaled 2021 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers and heifers weighing more than 500 pounds were $1-2 higher, lightweights steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1952 head.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Mostly Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 lower with steers around 600 pounds steady, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady, bred stock cows firm, pairs $30 higher. Receipts totaled 830 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1500 head.

U.S. Meat Production 7.8% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 932.4 million pounds, 2.3 percent less than a week earlier but 7.8 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down .4 percent at 2.9 billion pounds.

Milano Heavyweight Feeder Cattle Higher
Feeder steers weighing more than 600 pounds sold $2-3 higher, lighter steers steady, heifers over 500 pounds $1-3 higher, lighter weights steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1120 head.

Letters To The Editor

Coming Up...
January 28 — Special Bull Consignment Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. January 31 — Texas Hereford Association’s 30th Annual Commercial Hereford Heifer Show and Sale, Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, West Arena, Fort Worth, Texas. February 2 — Special Female Consignment Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, Brownwood, Texas.