KING OF THE HILL is an ongoing exercise in lamb feedlots, such as this one east of Denver, and it's just as prevalent on the two-legged side of the business. U.S. producers may hold somewhat the high ground in their battle against lamb imports this week, following a decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission, as reported elsewhere in this issue.

Feeder Lambs Steady, Fats Find Strength
Feeder lambs were limited in number around the country this week, and prices about steady. Slaughter lambs found a little strength on Midwest markets but were mostly steady elsewhere. Slaughter ewes were a couple of dollars higher in most places.

Another Midweek Standoff The Story In Cattle Trade
Same play, Act II. Plains fed cattle trade failed to jell last week until Thursday, and at presstime it appeared poised to do the same thing again. One observer on the feeder side agreed that would suit him fine if it meant another week of prices $4 above initial bids.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Buyers Strongly Recommend New Packaging For 1999 Wool Clip
The U.S. produces only about one percent of the world's wool, barely a drop in the bucket in terms of overall production. Because of today's global economy, however, that drop must be competitive in the bucket that is the international marketplace.

Argentine Packer Sends Share Of Fresh Beef To U.S. Market
For the first time in 68 years, just since the eradication of foot and mouth disease in 1995, Argentina has been able to export fresh beef to the U.S. Currently the quota stands at 20,000 metric tons.

Century Of Ecology Movement Misses True Environmentalists
"Aren't farmers and ranchers environmentalists? Can they really afford not to be?" So asked Dr. John Carroll of the University of New Hampshire, speaking here recently to The Promised Land Network. His topic was the history of environmentalism in America over the past 100 years: those who started it, those who embraced and were embraced by it — and those it has mistakenly targeted for attack.

Arizona Stockman Optimistic Despite Assaults On Grazing
Jeff Menges doesn't think putting up 25 steel fence posts in rural Arizona should require major government action in Washington.

Ag Processor Concentration Drawing State, Federal Fire
Lawmakers hoping to halt the number of big company mergers in agriculture plan to make their case to Attorney General Janet Reno.

Anti-Grazing Groups Protest Federal Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service announced last week that they will allow livestock grazing to continue essentially unaltered on 11 national forests in New Mexico and Arizona, a decision that essentially rebuked efforts at interference by anti-grazing activist groups.

Congress Facing Bills Over Price Disclosure
As a variety of states move to do likewise, U.S. Rep. John Thune, R-S.D., says he's drafting a federal bill to require meatpackers to report the prices they pay for livestock.

U.S. To Take Korean Trade Dispute Over Beef To WTO
As Korean officials rejected a load of Australian beef for alleged chemical contamination last week, the United States said it was taking its own beef dispute with South Korea to the World Trade Organization.

ITC Rules Lamb Imports Have Injured U.S. Sheep Producers
The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled that the recent surge of low-priced imported lamb meat to the domestic market has injured U.S. producers.

States Moving To Force Price Disclosure And Limit Packers
Despite pleas that it may hurt prices paid for livestock in South Dakota, the state Senate passed a bill Monday that would require meatpackers to post the prices they pay each day for livestock.

Jury Rewards Rancher In Fed Land Seizure
In what property rights advocates hail as a major victory, a jury has ruled that the federal government must pay a family $12.7 million for seizing ranch property to create Channel Islands National Park.

Farmland NationalTo Expand Plants
One of the nation's largest beef producers plans to create up to 550 jobs in two southwest Kansas towns as part of its $14.5 million expansion project there.

Grain Export Regrowth Predicted To Be Slow
U.S. corn exports will rebound in the next year, but it will not be nearly enough to match the tons shipped during the mid-1990s, said Ken Hobbie, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Grains Council.

Clinton's Ag Insurance Talk Not Matched By Budget Walk
After urging Congress to repair the federally subsidized crop insurance system, President Clinton failed to put any money in his proposed 2000 budget to make the improvements.

Texas Bull Rider Scores Well In Fort Worth Show
A gold buckle is earned one ride at a time. And Blu Bryant is one ride closer, thanks to a first-round win in the bull riding at the $324,225 Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show and Rodeo in Fort Worth.

Domestic Wool Slow, Foreign Wools Lower
Domestic wool trading was nearly at a standstill last week. Demand was light to very light, as was seller interest. Limited shearing was reported in the Dakotas, Pacific Northwest, Texas, Montana, and Midwestern areas.

Kansas Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady To Off
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower in Kansas direct trade last week. Sales were confirmed on 5479 head. Weather was warm and all the snow is gone. Feedlots are beginning to dry out.

U.S. Meat Production 1.3% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 864.2 million pounds, 2.2 percent less than a week earlier and 1.3 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up .4 percent at 4.65 billion pounds.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Steady, Cattle Higher
Feeder lambs were about steady in a light test this week, slaughter lambs steady to firm, good and choice slaughter ewes $1-3 higher, other grades steady. Receipts toted 9400 head.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lambs Trade Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady to $3 higher, slaughter ewes $3-4 higher; slaughter Spanish kids, nannies and muttons $3-5 higher, billies steady, stock nannies steady. Receipts totaled 2700 head.

Abilene Cattle Prices Termed Mostly Higher
Feeder steers sold $2-4 higher, heifers $1-3 higher, slaughter cows mostly $2 higher, bulls $3 higher, stock cows $50-75 higher, pairs $30-40 higher. Receipts totaled 1302 head.

Junction Angora Goat Price Trends Mixed
Slaughter lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes $2 higher; stock Angoras $2 lower, slaughter nannies $2 higher, other slaughter Angoras steady; slaughter Spanish goats mostly steady, stock nannies mostly steady. Receipts totaled 4150 head.

Milano Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 803 head.

Graham Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, bred stock cows $10-20 higher, pairs steady to $10 higher. Receipts totaled 1398 head.

Grass Turns Llano Feeder Cattle Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $5-8 higher with best action on turn-out condition cattle, slaughter cows fully steady, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 268 head.

Colorado City Cattle Prices Trend Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-6 higher, slaughter cows $2-4 higher, bulls $2-4 higher, bred stock cows and pairs firm. Receipts totaled 1153 head.

Most Cuero Cattle Prices Move Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 1648 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Cattle Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, slaughter cows $1-4 higher, bulls steady to $2 higher, bred cows and heifers $27-75 higher, cows with calves $50-100 higher. Receipts at the three sales totaled 3359 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $2-4 higher. Receipts totaled 1377 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher. Receipts totaled 929 head.

Coming Up...
February 12-13 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Cattleman’s Winter Classic Video Sale, Trade Show Floor, Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina. February 13 — Mid-Texas Angus Association’s Volume VI Bull Sale, Somervell County Expo Center, Glen Rose, Texas. February 14 — 7th Annual San Antonio Ranch Gelding Stakes & Sale, San Antonio, Texas.