Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Take A Jump
Fat and feeder lamb prices took a healthy jump this week, some sales as much as $5 higher. Carcass prices on the East Coast were mostly unchanged except for weights over 85 pounds, which sold $2 lower. Carcasses weighing 55 pounds and down were $163.50-166, 55-65 pounds $163.50-164, 65-85 pounds $176.50-168, and over 85 pounds $162.50-163. A limited volume of lamb cuts in the distributive trade was a little lower on loins and higher on racks.

Plains Fed Cattle Trade At Customary Standstill
Plains feedlots and packers stood anywhere from $3 to $5 apart on their notions of adequate prices through midweek, buyers offering $68-69 and potential sellers seeking $72-73.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

A&M Conducting Ranch-Scale Study Thanks To Waggoner Ranch
Better understanding the intricacies of rangelands is a critical part of any successful ranching operation. Volumes and volumes of range-related research have been conducted over the last 50 years. That research, however, has primarily been conducted on a small scale, and in the end it is sometimes hard for the ranching community to relate to.

Cattle Feeder Touts NCBA's Beef "Brand-Like Initiative"
Since the National Cattlemen's Beef Association announced its "brand like initiative" a couple of years ago, a core group has been working on developing it and putting it in place.

Forecasters Predict Continued Warm, Dry Weather Across Texas
As Thanksgiving nears, ranchers and hands across the Great Plains are still in shirtsleeves — and probably will have little need for either coats or slickers for a while.

LMA Sending 146,000 Signatures To USDA On Checkoff Referendum
The Livestock Marketing Association is submitting to the U.S. Department of Agriculture signatures from approximately 146,000 beef producers seeking a vote on whether to continue the mandatory beef checkoff.

Clinton Touts Administration Position On Various Ag Issues
Opening foreign markets is a high priority for his administration, President Clinton said here recently.

Hitch Optimistic About Feeding Industry As He Takes TCFA Reins
An Oklahoma cattle feeder was upbeat as he took the reins of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association this month.

Senate Ag Committee Chairman Argues Against Subsidy Return
Under pressure from farmers squeezed by slumping crop prices and growing stocks of unsold grain and soybeans, many in Congress want to reinstate subsidies abandoned just three years ago.

Ecos' Jury Still Out On Smith As Senate Environment Chairman
Sen. Bob Smith's rise to the Environment and Public Works Committee chairmanship has raised concern and curiosity over whether he'll steer a sharply different course than his moderate Republican predecessor, the late John Chafee of Rhode Island.

Midwest Grain Harvest So Big It's Outstripping Silo Space
Overflow corn at Akron Services is sitting on the ground, forming a rich yellow mountain twice as big around and about half as tall as the squat metal silos that don't have room to hold it all.

Officials Go Batty Over Bugs In Land Of Fruits And Nuts
A state wildlife official wants students to bug off during an annual science project that has some doing their homework at a Newport Beach wildlife reserve.

Forest Official Can't Take Heat; Getting Out Of Kitchen
A Forest Service supervisor who resigned in protest of an ``anti-federal fervor'' in Nevada claims public land managers in the state fear for their safety and conservation advocates are afraid to speak out.

ITC Rules Canadian Cattle Cause No Harm
A federal commission ruled last week that imports of Canadian cattle are not hurting American ranchers and rejected an anti-dumping duty proposed by the Commerce Department.

Sandvick Barely Makes NFR Cut, All-Around Cowboy Race Close
Larry Sandvick is seeing dollar signs. The 33 year-old bareback bronc rider from Kaycee, Wyo., who won nearly $60,000 and a world title at the '98 National Finals Rodeo, has earned a shot at the $4.4 million 1999 National Finals Rodeo.

Nation’s Feeder Cattle Trends Higher, Grazing Prospects Dim
Feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly across the country last week, but most were steady to $2 higher. Feeder cattle continued to sell higher and slaughter cattle held $70 again despite several negative factors.

Texas Fed Cattle Higher Last Week In Thursday-Only Trading
Slaughter steers and heifers sold 50 cents to $1 higher in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week. Trade was at a standstill until around noon on Thursday, when buyers raised bids to the $69-70 level and feedlots became willing sellers.

U.S. Wool Stymied, Aussie Wools Higher
Wool trading was nearly at a standstill in all areas across the country. Demand remains light, as does seller interest.

U.S. Meat Production 1.6% Above A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 894.5 million pounds, 2.6 percent less than a week earlier but 1.6 percent more than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up 2.4 percent at 39.6 billion pounds.

Most Colorado City Cattle Trend Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-4 higher, slaughter cows steady to $2 higher, bulls $2 higher, bred stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 1047 head.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls mostly steady, stock cows $20-30 higher. Receipts totaled 1611 head.

WCTAA Angus Bull Sale Tops At $4400
The West Central Texas Angus Association offered 59 bulls at their annual sale, and 51 sold for an average of $2200.

Kansas Direct Feeder Steers Up Last Week
Feeder steers sold firm to $2 higher in Kansas direct trade last week, heifers too few for a market test. The weather remains warm, but dry conditions are not conducive for wheat pasture growth. Sales were confirmed on 8780 head.

Cape Mohair Sale Firm, Moves 98%
The South African Cape mohair sale Tuesday offered 669 bales, or around 221,000 pounds, and sold 98 percent. Demand remained good for all types of hair, according to the Mohair Council of America.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Trade Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $4-6 higher, most advance on 425-550 lbs., slaughter cows and bulls steady to $2 higher. Receipts totaled 605 head.

Milano Feeder Steers Move To Higher Level
Feeder steers sold firm to $2 higher, heifers firm, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1484 head.

USDA Claims E.Coli Incidence High In Beef; Data Conflicts
USDA may require packers to do more testing for E. coli bacteria because of research the agency claims shows the pathogen to be more prevalent in cattle than previously thought.

Angelo Feeder Lambs, Cattle Move Higher
Feeder lambs sold $3-5 higher this week, slaughter lambs $5 higher, slaughter ewes firm, instances $2 higher. Receipts totaled 12,466 head, around 60 percent slaughter ewes, 10 percent feeder lambs, five percent slaughter lambs and 25 percent goats.

Fredericksburg Cattle Prices Called Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1912 head.

Junction Fat, Feeder Lambs Trend Higher
Fat and feeder lambs sold $1-3 higher, slaughter ewes and bucks $1-2 higher; fat Angora slaughter kids $1-3 lower, other slaughter Angoras $2-4 higher, Spanish kids $2-3 lower, nannies and billies $2-4 higher. Receipts totaled 4460 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Steers Mixed
Feeder steer prices were mixed last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba. Steers weighing less than 600 pounds sold $2-4 higher, heavier weights steady to $2 lower, heifers steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady, pairs and bred stock cows steady. Receipts totaled 2881 head at the three sales.

Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows $1-1.50 higher, bulls 50 cents to $1 higher. Receipts totaled 1253 head.

NEW OFFICERS for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association

Loose Ends

Coming Up...
November 18 — Video Cattle Auction, Producers Video Auction, Fort Worth, Texas. November 18 — 45th Annual Highland Hereford Bull Sale, Fairgrounds, Marfa, Texas. November 18 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas.