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ON SHORT WHEAT near Wichita Falls, these yearlings are evidently getting the most from their groceries. Wheat pasture has been a mixed picture at best this year, but fairly general rains last weekend may change the complexion for what is left of the season.

Easter Sales Reach End; Prices Fall
The big push for lightweight Easter lambs has come to an end and prices fell rather sharply in several areas this week. The general trend on regular weight fat and feeder lambs showed only little change. Slaughter ewes were about steady.

Plains Fed Cattle Trading Is Goose-Egg One More Time
Plains feedlots through midweek had moved nary a head aside from some light Friday action at $64.50. Packers were bidding $63 and feedlots asking mostly $66. Observers say buyers were tacitly agreeing to offer $64 and sellers would take $65, but that still left a gulf.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Northeastern Argentina Forms A Hub For Brangus
The northeastern part of Argentina, where rains come almost year-round, is strikingly similar to southern Florida. Here Brahman-influenced cattle are predominant.

Economist Sees Rosier View For Cattle, With Some "Ifs"
The first two months of the year are like Christmas time for economists, says Jim Sartewelle, risk management program specialist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in the Panhandle. They get the beginning cattle inventory report for the year.

Sheep Industry Applauds Lamb Import Restriction Proposals
American sheep producers are applauding the International Trade Commission's unanimous vote late last week to restrict lamb imports.

Administration Still Taking Heat For Ag Disaster Delays
The Clinton administration continues to catch flak for delays in providing more than $2 billion in emergency agricultural aid voted months ago by Congress. Three Southern Republicans are the latest to take the administration to task.

Reno Promises Look At Ag Concentration
Farm state senators pressing to slow the growing number of mergers in agriculture got a boost last week when Attorney General Janet Reno agreed to increase scrutiny of consolidation within the industry.

Lynx Deaths Blamed On Urge To Get Home
The homing instinct may have caused the deaths of two of three Canada lynx released in the controversial program to reintroduce the wild cats to Colorado.

Southeastern Rodeo Group Wins Dodge National Circuit Finals
The $445,000 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo ended a four-day run in Pocatello, Idaho, March 20, with a top-four final-round crowd of 11,123 fans watching contestants in seven events battle it out for national circuit titles.

Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering Totals 45,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more than 45,000 feeder cattle here at their regularly scheduled video sale. Consignments were from 28 states, delivery mostly current through June.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Trend Mostly Lower, Some Places Up
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower around the country last week. Calf trends were somewhat uneven with areas in the Southwest and Kentucky $1-2 higher, but several places including the calf country of the Southeast $1-4 lower.

USAF Changes Routes On Plan For Low-Altitude Bomb Runs
The Air Force has changed routes of two bomber training flights scheduled over West Texas and New Mexico because of concerns raised at public hearings.

Livestock To Mexico Up 34% From Year Ago
Total livestock exports from the United States to Mexico in 1998 were up 34 percent to 866,512 head.

Texas Fed Cattle Prices Moved Lower; Movement Good Two Days
Slaughter steers and heifers sold $2 lower in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading than in the last good test two weeks earlier.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Steady, Cattle Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady this week, slaughter lambs weak to $2 lower, slaughter ewes uneven, mostly weak to $2 lower. Receipts totaled 8657 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Cattle Strong
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to strong last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, some under 400 pounds $1-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to strong, bred cows and pairs in fair demand. Receipts totaled 1761 at the three sales.

Angelo Special Cow Sale Moves 1967 Head
Producers Livestock Auction sold 1967 female cattle at its spring replacement sale. All cattle were, bled, pregnancy tested and mouthed.

Cuero Feeder Cattle Show Some Strength
Some classes of feeder cattle sold higher, slaughter cows lower. Receipts totaled 1685 head.

Abilene Feeder Steers Soft, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers sold steady to $1 lower, heifers fully steady, slaughter cows steady, bulls $1 higher, stock cows steady, pairs $25 higher. Receipts totaled 507 head.

Junction Feeder Lamb Prices Sharply Lower
Feeder lambs sold $6-10 lower, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter ewes mostly steady; slaughter Angora goats $10-15 lower; slaughter Spanish goats $5-12 lower, stock nannies $3 lower. Receipts totaled 2300 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wool
Domestic wool trading remained slow except for limited sales in the Territory areas, primarily Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Colorado. Other areas were at a standstill.

Smith Angus Ranch Sale Averages $1700
Greg Smith’s G13 Angus Ranch sold 154 Angus for an average of $1700. Five yearling bulls averaged $3500 for half interest, 24 head of 18-24 month-old bulls $2410, 75 yearling bulls $1550, 30 yearling heifers $1550, and 20 bred cows $1200.

March 1 U.S. Hog Inventory Down 1%
The U.S. hog and pig inventory for March 1 was down one percent at 49.9 million head.

Rocker Ranch Bull Tops Beefmaster Sale
The average price on 51 Beefmaster bulls at the Country Classic II sale was $2385 per head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1170 head.

Domestic Wool, Mohair Output Sharply Lower
U.S. shorn wool production in 1998 was down eight percent at 49.2 million pounds, the number of sheep and lambs shorn down eight percent at 6.43 million head. The average price paid for wool sold in 1998 was down 35 percent at 60 cents per pound for a total value of $29.4 million dollars. The 1997 sales total was $44.9 million.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers, Heifers
Feeder steers sold weak to $2 lower in Kansas direct trade last week, heifers $1-2 lower. Weather was mild and feedlots began drying out after recent rain and snow. Sales were confirmed on 5513 head.

U.S. Meat Production 1.1% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 859 million pounds, .1 percent less than a week earlier and 1.1 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up 1.5 percent at 10.7 billion pounds.

Littlerobe Angus Bulls Average $1642
The Littlerobe Angus Ranch 4th annual production sale averaged $1642 per head on 45 bulls and $839 on 40 heifers.

Graham Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Lower
Feeder steers sold steady to $3 lower, heifers steady to $2 lower except 400-500 pounds steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2 lower, bred stock cows $10-20 higher, pairs s$20 higher. Receipts totaled 946 head.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lambs Sharply Lower
Feeder lambs weighing under 50 pounds sold $10-12 lower, others $3-4 lower, oldcrop lambs steady, slaughter lambs steady, slaughter ewes and bucks steady; slaughter Angora mostly steady, stock Spanish nannies steady, slaughter kids and muttons mostly $10-12 lower, other slaughter goats mostly steady.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady, bred stock cows weak, pairs steady. Receipts totaled 481 head.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Said Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 196 head.

Milano Feeder Steers Rise, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers sold firm to $1 higher, heifers steady, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 762 head.

Letter To The Editor

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
April 3 — Cruce & Fletcher Auctioneer’s George Hopkins Estate Auction, Baird, Texas. April 3 — Texas Limousin Association’s Top of Texas Limousin Bull and Female Sale, Lubbock Stockyards, Lubbock, Texas. April 3 — Special Easter Horse Sale, Talpa Livestock Center, Talpa, Texas. April 3 — Four Corners 50th Annual High Altitude Bull Sale, San Juan Basin Research Center, Hesperus, Colorado.