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ON THE LEFT COAST, literally, these cattle are grazing above the cliffs at Point Reyes, Calif., on the bay just north of San Francisco. A lot of Texas cattle right now would bloat and expire if they had access to such green feed, but they'd die happy.

Easter Demand Pushes Feeder Buyers To Side
The demand for lightweight lamb carcasses for the Easter trade blew feeder buyers out of the market this week. Some lightweight lamb prices jumped well over $20, and even the best weight lambs, those near 80 pounds, were being pulled in by killers. Newcrop lambs weighing 40-50 pounds on several Texas markets moved at anywhere from $100 to $130.

Another Midweek Fed Cattle Standoff Seen In Most Areas
Through Wednesday afternoon, Plains fed cattle trading remained stalled for the second week. Last week's trade amounted only to captives, some 39,000 head in Texas, so packers were expected to enter the market eventually.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Society Engaged In Cultural War, Says Charlton Heston
I remember my son when he was five, explaining to his kindergarten class what his father did for a living. "My Daddy," he said, "pretends to be people."

Border Trader Broke His First Bronc As A Youngster Of Ten
Training horses, cowboying and trading cattle on the border have been Buzz Dolan's life, a life he dearly loves. He broke his first bronc when he was just 10 years old, for which he received $2.50, a considerable amount for the times, seeing how it was the Depression.

Controversy Over Jesus' Diet Gets PETA Billboard Removed
Seventy-two hours after it went up, a billboard along Interstate 27 proclaiming that Jesus was a vegetarian was taken down.

Sheep Producers Gather Again For Ram Test; Sale Avg. $622
After a year's sabbatical, sheep producers gathered again at the annual Ram Performance Test field day and sale here to view and for others to purchase some of the top genetics available today in the Rambouillet breed.

Foreign Spokesman Says Beef Safety Efforts Miss Point
The meat safety system in the U.S. is in shambles, claims a New Zealand veterinarian, and because the U.S. sets the agenda, so are meat safety standards around the world.

Cattle Feeders Support Plan To Strike At Eu Beef Barrier
Texas cattle feeders say they support new moves by trade negotiators to retaliate against the European Union for not opening their markets to U.S. beef.

TAHC, USDA Asking Stockmen To Be Alert For Screwworms
The Texas Animal Health Commission is cautioning stockmen to keep an eye out for screwworms, the flesh-eating maggots that once cost millions of dollars in lost livestock and wildlife annually, not to mention the time and labor spent finding and doctoring "wormies."

Ag Help Talk Goes Beyond Reform Of Crop Insurance
Since late 1998, lawmakers have stressed the need to reform the federal crop insurance program. But with commodity prices continuing to remain low, many in Congress are embracing the idea of a relief package to compensate farmers.

Bill To Change NM Fencing Law Fails
If your neighbor's cow breaks through the fence and tramples your prize-winning garden, the money to pay for repairs will come out of your pocket.

Fish, Wildlife Plans Prairie Dog Review
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to conduct what it terms a "comprehensive review" of the black-tailed prairie dog, a nine-month process after which the agency may list the prairie dog as either a "threatened" or "endangered" species.

Low-Level Bombers To Impact NM Most
Low-level military training flights would create more problems for northern New Mexico than for any other routes the Air Force is considering, a draft environmental impact statement found.

Calf Roper Continues Winning Streak With Sweep In
There wasn't a rodeo in Texas last week that didn't produce a check for home-state cowboy Fred Whitfield.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Moved To Lower Level Last Week
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower across the country this week, occasionally $3-5 lower. Few higher trends occurred.

Texas Fed Cattle Not Tested Last Week In Trade Standoff
Prices on slaughter steers and heifers in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlots were not well tested throughout last week and no good price trend comparison is available.

Cattle On Feed Up Slightly In Seven Main Feeding States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter March 1 in the seven leading feeding states totaled 8.86 million head, up slightly from the same date last year and one percent above March 1, 1997.

Angelo Lambs Higher, Feeder Cattle Weak
Feeder lambs sold $3-5 higher this week, most newcrops going for slaughter for the Easter trade, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter ewes steady. Receipts totaled 12,629 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Higher
Domestic wool trading remains slow under light demand. Seller interest was light as most producers are unwilling to accept current bids.

U.S. Meat Production 3.7% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 860.6 million pounds, .2 percent above a week earlier and 3.7 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up 1.6 percent at 9.86 billion pounds.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows $20 higher, pairs steady. Receipts totaled 815 head.

February Red Meat, Pork Set Records
Commercial red meat production for the United States in February was up two percent from a year ago at 3.54 billion pounds, slightly higher than the previous record high for February set in 1996.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Strong
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to strong in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $3 higher, pairs and bred cows steady. Receipts totaled 4363 head at the three sales.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lambs Trade Higher
Feeder lambs sold $3-5 higher, slaughter lambs fully steady, slaughter ewes $2-3 higher; slaughter Angora muttons and billies $6 higher; slaughter Spanish kids $4-6 lower, other slaughter goats $1-3 higher, stock nannies steady. Receipts totaled 4800 head.

Colorado City Feeder Steers, Heifers
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows $2-3 higher, bulls steady, bred stock cows $25 higher, pairs $50 higher. Receipts totaled 607 head.

Cuero Feeder Cattle Prices About Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cattle $3-4 higher. Receipts totaled 1095 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $2-4 higher. Receipts totaled 956 head.

U.S. Cold Storage Up Three Percent
Total red meat supplies in freezers February 28, 1999 were up five percent from a year ago and three percent above January at 866.8 million pounds.

Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Termed
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $2 higher. Receipts totaled 217 head.

Milano Heavy Feeders Manage Price Advance
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady except 600-700 pound weights steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1037 head.

Graham Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, some heifers $3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher, stock cows and pairs $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled 1260 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs, Stock Angoras Higher
Feeder lambs sold $4-6 higher, slaughter lambs fully steady, slaughter ewes $1-2 higher; stock Angora nannies $8-12 higher, slaughter kids and yearlings steady, other slaughter Angoras $10-15 higher; slaughter Spanish kids $4 higher, small kids mostly steady, other slaughter goats $6-10 higher, stock nannies steady.

Hereford Assoc. Offer 100 Head In First
The Hereford Associates sold 100 Hereford bulls and 157 female lots in their "first annual" bull and female sale at Port City Stockyards.

Kansas Direct Trade Slowed By Heavy Snow
Feeder steer and heifer trends in Kansas direct trade were not established last week due to a major 8-16 inch snowstorm causing mud problems in feedlots. Sales were confirmed on 1525 head.

Producer’s Video Sale Offers 3700
Producers Video Auction offered 3700 feeder cattle at their regularly scheduled sale. Consignments were from five states, delivery mostly current to June.

Letters To The Editor

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
March 26 — BUB Ranch Beef Alliance Bull Sale, at the ranch, Koshkonongm, Missouri. March 26 — Vermilion Ranch Annual Spring Production Sale, Public Auction Yards, Billings, Montana. March 27 — Littlerobe Angus Ranch Sale, at the ranch, Higgins, Texas.