A CENTRAL TEXAS STAPLE for generations, both
Hereford cattle and hair goats are something of a
rarity these days. Something equally rare for
much of this decade has been the lush grazing and
adundant water pictured in this scene just
outside Menard. All those elements remain scarce
a little farther west.Fat, Feeder
Lamb Prices A Bit Firmer
There was a slight firmness in the feeder
lamb market around the country this week. Some
Midwest markets were up $5, most Texas markets
firm. Slaughter lambs were generally firm to $2
higher, though some weakness was noted in Sioux
Falls on Wednesday.
Plains Cattle Feeders Holding For Better
Money At Midweek
Plains feedlots had moved a few cattle at
steady to stronger prices by presstime Wednesday,
but a bullish futures board and limited offerings
prompted most to hold for better money.
PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES
RANGE
SALES
ASI Exec Talks 201 Trade Case At TSGRA
Annual Meet
For the last couple of months,
particularly the last month, the U.S. sheep
industry has been waiting to hear the outcome of
the 201 trade case filed back in September 1998.
Patience turned to frustration as days turned
into weeks of delays.
Bob Sims Says What Thinks, And Thinks
What He Says
Straight-talking, forward-thinking and a
down to earth family man. That's how many are
likely to describe Texas cattle feeder Bob Sims.
Sims has been in the feeding business in some
capacity since 1967, and what successes he's had
over the years, he credits to his family and
friends and a lesson he learned from his coach
while playing college football.
Panhandle Water District Considers
Rainmaking Plan
Texas Panhandle pastures this summer are
lush and stock tanks are full. But memories of
last year when a promising spring turned into a
summer drouth led a group of Panhandle producers
to take steps to try and assure next summer will
be as wet as this summer.
USDA Ag
Trade Head Outlines Plan For Next Round Of Talks
As World Trade Organization negotiators
wind up their hearings across the nation this
week, Tim Galvin, administrator of the Foreign
Agricultural Service at USDA, says that while the
national economy has been booming, it has been a
year of struggle and hardship for many parts of
rural America.
Baca Unlikely Ally In Minnow-Water War
The Duke City's mayor, known for his
"environmentally correct" stances, may
go to court to delay or reverse a decision to
protect the Rio Grande silvery minnow.
Domenici Amendment Would Extend Leases
U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has
proposed an amendment to extend grazing permits
and leases until the Secretary of Interior
completes the renewal process for them.
Forest Chief Thumbs Nose At User Groups
Mike Dombeck, chief of the U.S. Forest
Service, told a recent conference of outdoor
writers that the federal agency is changing
directions.
Fence Sought To Keep Strays Below Border
Talk about your undocumented aliens ...
U.S. farmers are complaining that Mexican cattle
are wandering across an unfenced border and
destroying crops.
Royd Doyal Improves Prospect For Third
Trip To PRCA Finals
Bull rider Royd Doyal has competed twice
at the National Finals Rodeo. Now he's looking
for a third. Doyal shot from 28th
to 14th place in the Crown
Royal world bull riding standings after he won
$7912 riding at recent rodeos in Hamel, Minn.,
and Vernal, Utah.
Cattle Count Down Once Again In USDA's
Mid-Year Inventory
Some industry analysts as early as 1997
had professed to see premature rebuilding of the
nation's cow herd. They were ahead of their time
then — and still, if USDA's mid-year cattle
inventory is anywhere near accurate.
Nation’s Feeder Cattle Price Trend
Higher Again Last Week
A steady to $2 higher price trend ruled
the country’s feeder cattle market again
last week. A similar trend has persisted eight of
the past nine weeks.
Texas Fed Cattle Trend Steady In Strange
Pattern Of Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady
to a shade higher last week in Texas Panhandle
and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading, but that
doesn't tell the story.
Cattle
On Feed Up Four Percent In Seven Main Feeding
States
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter July 1 in
the seven leading feeding states totaled 8.17
million head, up four percent from the same date
last year and six percent above July 1, 1997.
Angelo Feeder Lambs Firm, Cattle Weaker
Feeder lambs sold firm this week,
slaughter lambs poorly tested, slaughter ewes
uneven with thin fleshed weak, good and choice
firm to $2 higher. Two day receipts totaled
17,108 head, including 50 percent slaughter ewes,
10 percent feeder lambs and around 40 percent
goats.
Kansas Direct Feeder Steer Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady in
Kansas direct trade last week. Sales were
confirmed on 15,005 head. The weather has cooled
off some, and wheat harvest is complete.
Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Finewools Up
Wool trading was at a complete standstill
last week. Demand was light and no sales of wool
were reported in any area. A major wool
processing company announced that it will phase
out its wool top production facility as of Jan.
1, 2000.
San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders
Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $3 higher in
Mason, Brownwood and San Saba last week, weights
under 600 pounds $2-9 higher, heifers $1-4
higher, slaughter cows steady to $2 lower, bulls,
steady, pairs and bred stock cows $50-100 higher.
Receipts totaled 3891 head at the three sales.
Abilene Feeder Steers, Heifers Mostly
Steady
Feeder steers sold mostly steady,
instances $1 higher, heifers fully steady,
slaughter cows $1-2 lower, bulls mostly steady,
stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled
1685 head.
Colorado City Feeder Steers, Heifers Up
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to
$2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady, bred
stock cows $30-50 higher, pairs $25 higher.
Receipts totaled 693 head.
July 1 U.S. Sheep Inventory Down 4% At
Nine Million Head
On July 1 the all sheep and lamb inventory
of the U.S. was down four percent from a year ago
at nine million head, according to the National
Agricultural Statistics Service.
Cuero Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Mixed
Feeder steer and heifer prices were mixed,
slaughter cows and bulls about steady. Receipts
totaled 2280 head.
Most Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2
higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1 higher.
Receipts totaled 1402 head.
Most Graham Cattle Prices Termed Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady,
slaughter cows and bulls 50 cents to $1 lower,
bred stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts
totaled 2163 head.
Milano Feeder Cattle Prices Mostly Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold weak to $2
lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts
totaled 924 head.
Goldthwaite Feeder Lamb Prices Lower
Feeder lambs sold $1-2 lower, slaughter
lambs $2 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks $3-5
higher; stock Spanish nannies $3-6 higher,
slaughter kids $2-4 lower, other slaughter goats
$3-4 higher. Receipts totaled 5400 head.
Most Lampasas Steer, Heifer Prices
Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher,
slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher. Receipts
totaled 845 head.
Llano Feeder Steers, Heifers Trade
Steady
Feeder steers sold steady with a little
weakness on heavyweights, heifers steady,
slaughter cows steady, bulls $2-3 lower. Receipts
totaled 543 head.
Junction Feeder Lambs Steady, Angoras
Rise
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes
and bucks steady to $1 lower; slaughter Angora
nannies $2-3 higher, other classes steady; stock
Spanish nannies steady, slaughter kids mostly
steady, nannies $2-3 higher, muttons and billies
steady. Receipts totaled 6000 head.
U.S. Meat Production 6.7% Above A Year
Ago
Total red meat production under federal
inspection last week was estimated at 886.1
million pounds, 16.8 percent more than the
previous holiday-shortened week and 6.7 percent
more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production
for the year to date was up 2.6 percent at 24.4
billion pounds.
Loose Ends
Coming Up...
July 22 — Special Stocker and Feeder
Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. July
22 — Video Auction, Producers Video
Auction, Fort Worth, Texas. July 23-25
— Sul Ross Range Animal Science and Rodeo
Exes Reunion ‘99, Alpine, Texas.
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