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Sheep Kill Sets Record Low Volume
Domestic sheep and lamb slaughter last week set a new record low of 47,000 head, but the reduced kill was attritable in part to one major packer being closed for remodeling. The plant is expected to be back in operation this week. Monday’s holiday will also substantially reduce this week’s kill.

Plains Fed Cattle Trade At Standstill, Falling Back Into Late-Selling Groove
Plains fed cattle trading was back to normal this week after several weeks of Wednesday or earlier movement; nothing was doing through Wednesday afternoon.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Beef Producers Hear Of Ways To Remain Viable Into Future
Producers attending the recent 21st annual Heart of Texas Cow/Calf Clinic here heard about ways to position themselves to be viable producers into the future.

Gloomy At Best Is The Outlook For West Central Texas Wheat
West Central Texas has had rain, the wildflowers are blooming and the pastures are green. But beauty is only skin deep, an Extension agronomist from College Station warned a group of small grain farmers.

Cattle Feeders Take Mixed View Of EPA Water
Texas cattle feeders may be in better shape than other parts of the country when it comes to the Clinton administration's Clean Water Action Plan, but that doesn't mean there won't be changes and there won't be objections.

Packer Disclosure Agreement Not So Agreed-Upon After All
A compromise proposal to require packers to reveal the prices they pay for livestock is meeting with skepticism by some lawmakers who say the federal proposal is not as strong as newly passed state laws.

Timber Policy Belies Clinton, Allies' Claim To "Green" Ethos
What if someone had discovered a way to manage the national forests of the West that would assure: healthy and sustainable timber resources, more than adequate water resources for the near future, and the preservation of species that are protected by the Endangered Species Act? What if someone had found a way to magically produce water?

Series Of Disasters Make Busy Cowboy's Schedule Much Busier
There is a saying, "WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS". This little saying does not always mean rain in the wet sense. Sometimes it means trouble, sometimes it means good luck, but most of the time it means major inconvenience.

Gross U.S. Meat Animal Income Down 12% In '98
The 1998 gross income from cattle and calves, hogs and pigs, and sheep and lambs for the U.S. totaled $44 billion, down 12 percent from 1997. Gross income fell for all three species. Both hogs and pigs and sheep and lambs declined the most, at 28 and 24 percent, respectively. Cattle and calves declined six percent.

Long-Awaited Federal Disaster Aid Coming
Farmers finally will get $2 billion in long-approved funds from the U.S. Agriculture Department to help ease their financial hardship. Checks were to go in the mail this week, ending an eight-month delay that drew criticism from Congress.

GOP Senators Offer Bill To Reform ESA
A trio of Republican senators has introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to alter the Endangered Species Act by checking the designation of critical habitat.

Hired Workers Down 1%, Wage Rates Increase 5%
A total of 998,000 hired workers were employed on the nation's farms and ranches the week of April 11-17, down one percent from a year ago. There were 844,000 workers hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up the remaining 154,000 workers.

Ethanol Boosters See Threats In New Federal Clean Air Regs
For Midwestern corn growers, few issues are more important than making sure the nation's vehicles have ethanol in their tanks.

Relentless Drouth In Mexico Punishes Livestock Producers
With water sources drying up and feed becoming scarcer, one of Mexico's worst drouths on record is driving the country's cattle ranchers toward ruin.

Cloned Sheep Showing Signs Of Premature Genetic Aging
Dolly the cloned sheep is only three years old, but her genes are already showing signs of wear and she may be susceptible to premature aging and disease — all because she was copied from a six year-old animal, Scottish researchers say.

Lawmakers Concerned That Ag Spending Disputes May
As the House bickers over a $61 billion agriculture spending bill, some lawmakers and industry analysts wonder how America's struggling farmers will react to the push to trim government programs.

New "Jesus" Billboard Goes Up In Amarillo
A local group posted its own billboard this month in response to a controversial sign erected by a nation animal rights organization earlier this spring.

"Greens" Pioneer Says Movement Off Course
A co-founder of Greenpeace International is questioning whether anti-forestry activists are true environmentalists.

Four More PRCA Cowboys Added To Million-Dollar Earner List
Four cowboys recently joined the PRCA's list of cowboys to earn $1 million. Bronc rider Robert Etbauer, all-around hand Herbert Theriot, bareback rider Deb Greenough, and all-around cowboy Butch Myers have added their names to the list in recent months, bringing the total number of million-dollar cowboys to 29. The next hand in line to enter the elite club is team roper Allen Bach, who needed just $1398 on May 20 to break the million-dollar mark.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices Continued To Improve Last Week
Feeder cattle prices continued their upward trend across the nation last week. Feeder steers and heifers were steady to $2 higher with yearlings again leading the way. Dwindling numbers met with good demand and buyers proved willing to give more money with a bullish attitude beginning to surround the fed cattle market for later this year.

Texas Fed Cattle Prices Higher Last Week In Wednesday Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers sold $1 higher last week in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading. Trade was slow except on Wednesday morning, when most of the movement took place.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Lower, Cattle Steady
Feeder lambs sold weak to $2 lower this week, slaughter lambs poorly tested, slaughter ewes weak to $2 lower. Receipts totaled 12,959 head, around 55 percent slaughter ewes, 15 percent feeder lambs and 30 percent goats.

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, pairs and bred stock cows $25-75 higher. Receipts totaled 3780 head at the three sales.

Cuero Cattle Prices Said Mixed Last Week
Trading was active and feeder cattle prices mixed, with yearling steers higher, others about steady, slaughter cows steady to 50 cents lower. Receipts totaled 887 head.

Milano Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 higher, heifers $1-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 943 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers, Heifers Slow
Too few feeder steers and heifers were sold in Kansas direct trade last week for a market test. Rain showers continued over most of the state, and pasture and water supply are in good condition. Sales were confirmed on 1336 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1054 head.

Llano Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 413 head.

Abilene Feeder Steers Lower, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers sold steady to $1 lower, heifers steady, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady, stock cows and pairs mostly steady. Receipts totaled 1349 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs Lower, Goats Steady
Feeder lambs sold $2-3 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks fully steady; Angora goats steady; stock Spanish nannies mostly steady, slaughter goats steady. Receipts totaled 2350 head.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lamb Prices Decline
Feeder lambs sold $3-4 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks fully steady; slaughter Angora goats $2 lower; stock Spanish nannies $4 higher, slaughter goats $4-7 lower. Receipts totaled 4600 head.

U.S. Meat Production 15.5% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 869.7 million pounds, 2.6 percent less than a week earlier but 15.5 percent more than the holiday week a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up 2.6 percent at 18.5 billion pounds.

Fredericksburg Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1 lower. Receipts totaled 928 head.

Graham Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $2 higher, heifers steady to $1.50 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 higher, bulls steady, stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 774 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Higher
Wool trading was slow to moderate last week. Most activity centered on warehouses in Texas, which offered wool at several special sales. Demand remains light for ample supplies.

Coming Up...
June 4 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Video Sale, Fort Worth Offices and Studio, Fort Worth, Texas. June 5 — Greater Hill Country Hereford Assns Tour, Stonewall, Texas. June 5 — Fryar Cattle Company’s Maine-Anjou and Paint Horse Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, Brownwood, Texas.