Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Edge Upward
Fat and feeder lambs found some strength this week, but not as much as carcass prices. Lamb carcasses were $3-10 higher last week and have moved up about $15 in two weeks while lambs are only up around $3.

Plains Fed Cattle Movement Nonexistent Again At Midweek
Once again, a stalemate prevailed in Plains fed cattle trading through midweek. The difference between the two sides' positions was more a chasm than a gap. Packers through Wednesday afternoon were sticking to $63 bids, feedlots to a $66 asking price.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Auction Incorporates Advanced Technology To Help Customers
The National Beef Quality Audit says $196 per head is left on the table due to mismanagement of cattle. With that in mind, the industry is in the process of finding ways to help those along the supply chain become more efficient, more effective and more profitable. Sharing of information, many believe, is part of the answer.

Five Cattle-Producing Nations Lay Out Preliminary WTO Stance
Five leading beef producing nations are taking their concerns over trade, cattle identification and marketing to their respective World Trade Organization representatives.

Clinton "Poverty Tour" Failed To Visit Areas He Impoverished
President Clinton's recent "poverty tour" brought angry responses from many Westerners. They know that while Clinton is not to blame for the poverty he saw, any more than he may claim credit for the surging economy, he is the reason for the crises facing some western towns.

New Livestock ID Program To Be Spun Off From NCBA
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has spun off a new animal identification program and expects to have it in operation by the first of September.

Emergency Ag Aid Proving To Be Costly And Divisive
Emergency federal agriculture aid is becoming an expensive headache for some lawmakers, while others demand even more spending.

Apaches Setting Sights On Elk, Not Buffalo This Day And Age
The Jicarilla Apache are no longer chasing buffalo. Now, they are concentrating on elk. Buffalo are "harder to manage than elk," says Charles Davis, who's in charge of predator control for the tribe.

NMCGA Challenges Feds' Claims On Wolf Kills
Court papers filed recently in U.S. District Court contend that reintroducing the Mexican gray wolf to the Southwest will kill far more livestock than government biologists have predicted.

Forensic Techniques Provide Much Info On Old Battlefield
It was Sept. 9, 1874, when a wagon train hauling supplies to Gen. Nelson Miles during the Red River Indian War was attacked in what is now Hemphill County of the Texas Panhandle.

Mexico Hits U.S. Beef Imports; Spares Live Cattle, Big Packers
Hard on the heels of a massive increase in import tariffs on U.S. hogs, Mexico last week announced a new round of tariffs on U.S. beef which run as high as 215 percent.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Pricess Strong In Most Areas Last Week
Prices for feeder cattle around the country last week were uneven, but generally on the strong side. Feeder steers and heifers were generally steady to $1 higher, instances $2 up although some early week sales were reported steady to $2 off.

Texas Fed Cattle Traded Lower Last Week In Thursday Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers sold mostly steady to 50 lower last week in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading. Trade was slow until late Thursday when most of the sales took place.

Angelo Feeder Lambs Higher, Cattle Steady
Feeder lambs sold firm to $2 higher this week, slaughter lambs poorly tested and slaughter ewes weak to $3 lower. Two day receipts totaled 14,792 head, around 10 percent feeder lambs, 60 percent slaughter ewes and 30 percent goats.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Feeders Higher
Feeder steers weighing 400-600 pounds sold $3-5 higher last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, weights under 400 pounds steady, over 600 pounds steady to $1 higher, heifers steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $2-4 higher, pairs and bred stock cows steady. Receipts at the three sales totaled 4877 head including 2129 at Mason’s special replacement sale.

U.S. Meat Production 1.2% Below A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 850.7 million pounds, .8 percent less than a week earlier and 1.2 percent less than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up 2.4 percent at 26.99 billion pounds.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Trade Mixed
Feeder steers and heifers weighing less than 500 pounds sold steady to $1 higher, heavier weights $2 lower, slaughter cows $1-3 lower, bulls steady to $1 lower, stock cows and pairs fully steady. Receipts totaled 1508 head.

Livestock To Mexico Higher For The Year
Total U.S. livestock exports to Mexico the first half of 1999 were up six percent from a year ago at 460,924 head compared to 432,922.

Fredericksburg Feeder Cattle About Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cows and bulls $3 higher. Receipts totaled 1593 head.

Most Milano Cattle Prices On Soft Side
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to weak, slaughter cows steady to $2 lower, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1183 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers, Heifers Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady. Weather was cool and damp with some areas getting more than 12 inches of rain. Sales were confirmed on 5213 head.

Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows $2-3 higher, bulls $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 1123 head.

Junction Feeder Lambs Steady, Most Goats Off
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes and bucks $2 higher; stock Angora nannies $3-5 lower, slaughter Angoras $3-4 lower; stock Spanish nannies mostly steady, slaughter kids $5-7 lower, other slaughter goats $1-3 lower. Receipts totaled 8200 head.

TAGRA Annual Sale Topped At $2100
Triple S Angoras, Evant, had the top doe here at the Texas Angora Goat Raisers Assn. annual show and sale. Beverly Short, Pipe Creek, had the grand champion buck of the show.

Domestic Wool Trade At Near Standstill
Wool trading was nearly at a standstill last week. Demand was light to very light during the slow seasonal time period. Most interests were adopting a "wait and see" position until fall.

Graham Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $1 higher, heifers steady except weights 450-650 pounds steady to $1.50 higher, slaughter cows fully steady, bulls $1 higher, bred stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 2148 head.

Cuero Feeder Steers Weak, Heifers Higher
Feeder steers sold weak, heifers over 400 pounds steady, lighter weights $2-10 higher, slaughter cows $1.50-2 higher. Receipts totaled 2206 head.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady to $1 lower, slaughter cows $1-2 higher, bulls steady, bred stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 542 head.

Llano Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Weak
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to weak, slaughter cows steady, bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 553 head.

Goldthwaite Feeder Lamb Prices Higher
Feeder lambs sold $2-4 higher, slaughter lambs $8 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks mostly steady; slaughter Angora nannies and muttons steady; stock Spanish nannies steady, slaughter muttons $5-8 higher, other slaughter goats fully steady. Receipts totaled 4300 head.

Mason Reports On Replacement Sale
A total of 2129 replacement cows and heifers were offered in a special sale. Registered Angus pairs and bred cows and heifers sold for $1225-1800 per unit. Commercial pairs ranged $800-1330.

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
.August 12 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. August 14 — John Scott Ranch Production Sale, at the historic John Scott Ranchy, Billings, Montana. August 16 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, Mason, Texas.