MIGHTY FEW and thin on the ground, the old
cowboy expression applies these days to both
sheep and the folks who own them. And as the
numbers in both of those groups continue to
dwindle, they take the industry's infrastructure
with them. Perhaps someday the whole kit and
kaboodle will qualify for "endangered
species" listing — but that will have
to wait for an administration that can take time
out from overseas junkets to attend to the
matter.Feeder Lamb
Trade Mixed, Meat Lower
Feeder lamb prices were uneven around the
country this week, ranging from a couple of
dollars higher to a couple of dollars lower.
Short numbers and some lightweights moving into
slaughter channels boosted demand. Slaughter
lambs lost a couple of dollars as the dressed
trade moved $5 lower late last week.
Plains Fed Cattle $1 Lower In Flurry Of
Wednesday Trade
Last Friday's bearish cattle on feed
report, detailed elsewhere in this issue, helped
knock some of the starch out of Plains fed cattle
trading.
PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES
RANGE
SALES
Panhandle Rancher Sees Notable Contrast
In Weather This Year
What a difference a year makes. Twelve
months ago, Don Fletcher was hauling water to his
200 momma cows and what babies they had. This
year the pastures of his place here in the
eastern Texas Panhandle are lush and green.
Utilization, Not Just Disposal May Be
Feedlot Wastes' Future
With several million cattle in the Texas
Panhandle and surrounding area, the waste created
by these animals can become a problem. Dr. L.
Wayne Greene of the Texas Agricultural Research
and Extension Center here thinks the problem can
be dealt with, if not solved, with proper
nutrition.
Economist Says Cattle Market Shows More
Of Bull Than Bear
The cattle market is currently being
driven more by bull than by bear factors, an
economist told participants in the recent 21st
annual Heart of Texas Cow-Calf Clinic here.
Bubonic Plague Warning Issued For
Coloradoans In Rural Areas
The Colorado Department of Public Health
and Environment is urging the state's citizens to
eliminate prairie dogs and other rodents that may
carry plague-transmitting fleas.
EDITORIAL
Lamb
Meat Gets Top Billing In Worldwide Discussions
I don’t think there is a single
sheep producer or a lamb meat handler in the
United States who would like to trade places
today with President Bill Clinton as he tries to
make an equitable decision on lamb imports.
GOP Wants Clinton To Come To Them For Ag
Assistance
Republicans want President Clinton to make
the first move in putting together a package of
assistance for farmers struggling with the
ongoing slump in commodity prices.
New Director Named For NM Farm, Ranch
Heritage Museum
Mac R. Harris, a 20-year veteran of museum
development and management in Oklahoma and
Arizona, was named last Thursday as director of
the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
Governors' Meet Prompts Tough Canada
Talk By U.S. Trade Rep
Scolded just minutes before for failing
U.S. farmers and ranchers on trade issues, U.S.
trade negotiator Peter Scher challenged a
Canadian premier's stance on U.S.-Canada
agriculture trade disputes.
NM Cattlemen Issue Water Rights Alert
The New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association is
questioning statements reportedly made by U.S.
Forest Service rangers that the federal agency
can claim water rights by making water
improvements.
EU Backing Down On Threats To Broaden
Illegal Beef Ban
Facing costly sanctions for defying the
World Trade Organization with an illegal trade
barrier against U.S. beef, the European Union
says it will likely delay for six months a
proposal to broaden the ban.
Co-Op Suit Against Railway Charges Cars
Not Delivered
A co-op based in Tribune has filed a
complaint with the federal government, claiming
it suffered losses because a railway company did
not deliver the railcars it had ordered to move
grain.
Wyoming Gov Critical Of Feds' Bangs Deal
A federal agreement to develop a vaccine
against brucellosis is a ``delay tactic'' that
fails to give the states a voice in the matter,
Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer said.
Species Act Frustrating Topic At Western
Governors' Meeting
Seeking changes to the federal Endangered
Species Act is proving to be an elusive target
for the western governors.
Activists Seeking Attention Demand
Biotech Food Labeling
A group of "consumer" activists
is demanding that the government mandate labeling
of genetically altered foods, an effort to ignite
a biotechnology debate that already has swept
across Europe, in the latter case mostly as cover
for anti-import regulations.
Stock-Killing Arizona Wolves Could Be
Removed, Eventually
If a wolf pack released in eastern Arizona
is linked to cattle killings, the predators might
be captured and relocated, a spokesman for the
restoration effort says.
Prairie Dog Import Permit Issued By NM
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
issued a permit to import black-tailed prairie
dogs into Hidalgo County of the Land of
Enchantment, despite lobbying by one of New
Mexico's U.S. Congressmen.
NM To Kill Cougars, Coyotes To Help Game
New Mexico game managers plan to kill
cougars to help bighorn sheep and kill coyotes to
help the state's deer population.
USDA Announces $125M In Cash To Hog
Farms
The U.S. Agriculture Department has
announced another direct cash payment for hog
farmers, targeted to small and medium-size
operations.
New Team Roping Partners Take Top Team
Roping Spot In Oregon
Turtle Powell and Steve Northcott teamed
up only recently, but the two rope together like
they've been partners all their lives.
Cattle On Feed Up Three Percent In Seven
Main Feeding States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter
June 1 in the seven leading feeding states
totaled 8.54 million head, up three percent from
the same date last year and four percent above
June 1, 1997.
Superior Livestock Video Sale Offering
Totals 30,000 Cattle
Superior Livestock Auction offered more
than 30,000 feeder cattle in their annual Big
Horn Classic video sale here. Consignments were
from 23 states, delivery current through
December.
Nation’s Feeder Cattle Higher
Again, Beef Demand Favorable
A strong consumer appetite for beef and an
abundant cheap feed supply continues to spur
demand for feeder cattle. Prices last week were
steady to $2 higher across the country. Following
two months of liberal slaughter, boxed beef
cutouts are up to $120.
Texas Fed Cattle Price Steady In
Thursday Afternoon Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady
in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot
trading. Movement of fed cattle was at a
standstill until around noon on Thursday, when
trade turned active.
Kansas Direct Feeder Steers Trade Higher
Feeder steers sold firm to $2 higher in
Kansas direct trade last week, heifers untested,
mostly contracts. Weather was cool with
occasional evening thunderstorms. Wheat
harvesting is moving at a snail's pace. Sales
were confirmed on 8196 head.
Angelo Feeder Cattle Higher, Lambs Lower
Feeder lambs sold weak to $2 lower this
week, slaughter lambs not well tested, slaughter
ewes steady. Receipts totaled 10,429 head, about
15 percent feeder lambs, 45 percent slaughter
ewes and 40 percent goats.
Junction Lambs Higher, Angora Nannies
Steady
Feeder lambs sold $2 higher, slaughter
ewes $2 lower, bucks $3 higher; stock Angora
nannies steady, slaughter classes $3-5 higher;
stock Spanish nannies steady, slaughter nannies
$1-2 lower, other slaughter $2-4 higher. Receipts
totaled 3450 head.
Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Price
Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly
steady, slaughter cows and bulls $2-3 higher,
stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 904
head.
Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Move Higher
Lightweight feeder steers and heifers sold
$2-3 higher, heavier weights fully steady.
Receipts totaled 1624 head.
Most Milano Cattle Prices Called Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to
$2 higher, slaughter cows $1-3 higher, bulls
steady to $1 higher. Receipts totaled 1129 head
San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Cattle Higher
Feeder steers sold $1-8 higher in Mason,
Brownwood and San Saba last week, heifers $4-10
higher, slaughter cows $1 higher, bulls steady,
pairs and bred stock cows steady. Receipts
totaled 3585 head at the three sales.
Graham Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Lower
Feeder steers sold steady to $1.50 lower,
heifers $1 lower except some weighting less than
500 pounds $1 higher, slaughter cows $1-1.50
higher, bulls $1 higher, bred stock cows $10
higher, pairs $10-20 higher. Receipts totaled
1743 head.
Cuero Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold higher,
slaughter cows steady. Receipts totaled 1193
head.
Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Softer
Wool trading was slow last week, nearly at
a standstill, demand light to very light. Most of
the activity centered on the last few remaining
pools and shipping previously purchased lots.
U.S. Meat Production 3.5% Above A Year
Ago
Total red meat production under federal
inspection last week was estimated at 879.8
million pounds, .4 percent more than a week
earlier and 3.5 percent above a year ago.
Cumulative meat production for the year to date
was up 2.2 percent at 21 billion pounds.
Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3
higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1 higher.
Receipts totaled 897 head.
Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Termed
Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $2-3
higher, slaughter cows 50 cents to $1 higher,
bulls $1 higher. Receipts totaled 793 head.
Meat In Cold Storage 13% Above A Year
Ago
Total red meat supplies in freezers May
31, at 917.2 million pounds, was 13 percent above
May 1998 but down two percent from the previous
month. It was the sixth month in a row that pork
production exceeded the 500 million-pound mark
and it was also a high for the respective month.
Colorado City Feeder Steer Prices Steady
Feeder steers sold mostly steady, heifers
steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows $2-3 higher,
bulls $2 higher, bred stock cows $30 higher, and
pairs $25 higher. Receipts totaled 709 head.
Loose Ends
Coming Up...
June 25 — Ranch Dance Fiddle and Guitar
Workshop, National Ranching Heritage Center,
Lubbock, Texas. June 26 — Texas
Playboys Ranch Dance, National Ranching Heritage
Center, Lubbock, Texas. July 6 —
Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Llano Livestock
Auction, Llano, Texas.
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