The Cattleman Update

In a unanimous decision issued Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a California law that bans the processing of all non-ambulatory animals.

U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) inspectors in Laredo halted a trophy deer hide infested with ticks from entering the U.S. on Jan. 13. Detailed examination of the hide revealed 23 live ticks and the hide was voluntarily surrendered for destruction. A USDA entomologist identified the pest as Boophilus sp., which includes cattle fever tick, a pest of quarantine significance in cattle. Cattle fever ticks are capable of carrying and transmitting babesia, a blood parasite deadly to cattle.

For the week ending Jan. 21, feeder cattle prices at the Texas locations covered by USDA Market News were mostly steady to $4 higher per hundredweight. Texas direct feeder cattle sales were steady to $2 higher, with a few up to $5 higher. Oklahoma City was mostly steady on feeder cattle; steady to $2 lower on steer calves; and steady to $2 higher on heifer calves. Buyers continue to actively pursue available cattle, with prices mostly steady to higher across the region. However, reports also noted that the rate of increase has slowed somewhat. more…