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August 26, 2016 CapitalPress.com 13 Farm Market Report Sheep/Wool Market Reports Hay Market Reports Compiled by USDA Market News Service • St. Joseph, Mo.-Portland Hay prices are dollars per ton or dollars per bale when sold to re- tail outlets. Basis is current delivery FOB barn or stack, or delivered customer as indicated. Grade guidelines used in this report have the following relation- ship to Relative Feed Value (RFV), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients), or Crude Protein (CP) test num- bers: Grade RFV ADF TDN CP Supreme 185+ <27 55.9+ 22+ Premium 170-185 27-29 54.5-55.9 20-22 Good 150-170 29-32 52.5-54.5 18-20 Fair 130-150 32-35 50.5-52.5 16-18 Utility <130 36+ <50.5 <16 WASHINGTON-OREGON HAY (Columbia Basin) (USDA Market News) Moses Lake, Wash. Aug. 19 This week FOB Last week Last year 4,770 11,393 6,720 Compared to Aug. 11: All grades of export Alfalfa steady. Domes- tic Alfalfa not well tested this week. Export buyers are looking for negative GMO, 160 or better RFV test and 1,000 or less on the ni- trate levels. Trade light with light to good demand. Retail/Feedstore steady in a light test. Demand remains good. Tons Price Alfalfa Large Square Supreme 100 $155 Premium 400 160 Good 500 $125 250 $130 400 $155 Fair 30 $100 1500 $95 Alfalfa Small Square Good 280 $150-160 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Small Square Premium 50 $210 Good/Prem. 30 $160 Orchard Grass Small Square Premium 130 $225 Wheat Straw Large Square Utility 1100 $60-65 OREGON AREA HAY (USDA Market News) Portland, Ore. Aug. 19 This week FOB Last week Last year 6,904 13,539 6,386 Compared to Aug 12: Prices trended generally steady compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays with the retail/stable hay. Many hay producers are selling or have already sold most of their irst and second cutting hay, and are working on later cutting(s) re- sulting in higher volumes of hay moving. Tons Price CROOK, DESCHUTES, JEFFERSON, WASCO COUNTIES Alfalfa Small Square Good 10 $205 Orchard Grass Small Square Prairie Grass Small Square Oat Small Square EASTERN OREGON Alfalfa Large Square KLAMATH BASIN Alfalfa Small Square Prairie Grass Small Square Wheat Small Square LAKE COUNTY Alfalfa Large Square Premium Good Good Good 29 50 25 25 $230-250 $220 $215 $160 Premium 600 Good/Prem. 600 $120 $100 Prem./Sup. 25 Premium 25 Premium 25 $200 $200 $170 Premium 550 170 Good/Prem. 4500 $165 Alfalfa Small Square Premium 60 $190-200 Good 30 $200 Triticale Large Square Good 350 $80 HARNEY COUNTY: No new sales conirmed. IDAHO HAY (USDA Market News) Moses Lake, Wash. Aug. 19 This week FOB Last week Last year 700 1,235 670 Compared to Aug. 12: All grades of Alfalfa steady. Trade near standstill on Alfalfa with light demand as exporters and dairies quit buying. Retail/feed store/horse not tested this week. Tons Price Alfalfa Large Square Supreme 200 $180 Premium 500 $110-125 CALIFORNIA HAY (USDA Market News) Moses Lake, Wash. Aug. 19 This week FOB Last week Last year 43,550 26,962 7,405 Compared to Aug. 12: All classes traded steady. Demand mod- erate. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, this is the dry season for the West Coast, so changes are rare this time of year. Demand picking up in Region 2. Oat hay and forage mix traded activity slow in Region 3. Corn Silage getting chopped in Region 3. Tons Price REGION 1: NORTHERN INTERMOUNTAIN Includes the counties of Siskiyou, Modoc, Shasta, Lassen, and Plumas. Alfalfa Supreme 900 $165-172 Premium 900 $155 930 $325-335 325 $160-180 Good 1100 $100-110 785 $220-235 150 $120-140 Fair 400 $95 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Premium 25 $220 Orchard Grass Premium 350 $180-300 Oat Premium 300 $100 REGION 2: SACRAMENTO VALLEY Includes the counties of Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, Yolo, E Dorado, Solano, Sacramento. Alfalfa Premium 289 $160-170 Good 270 $110-130 Fair 125 $100 Utility 315 $90 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Premium 50 $240 Oat Premium 200 $110 Fair/Good 200 $80 Fair 25 $75 Wheat Premium 150 $110 Triticale Premium 25 $80 REGION 3: NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY Includes the counties of San Joaquin, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Tu- olumne, Mono, Merced and Mariposa. Alfalfa Supreme 1008 $170-210 Premium 930 $160-200 75 $180 50 $215 Good/Prem. 300 $150 Good 200 $140 Fair/Good 500 $120 Fair 2400 $90-110 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Premium 25 $200 Orchard Grass Premium 50 $200 Sudan Premium 100 $130 REGION 4: CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY Includes the counties of Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Inyo. Corn Standing Good 24,000 $40 REGION 5: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Includes the counties of Kern, Northeast Los Angeles, and West- ern San Bernardino. Alfalfa Premium 75 $200 Good 100 $140-180 Fair 948 $105-115 Forage Mix-Three Way Premium 100 $180 REGION 6: SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA Includes the counties of Eastern San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial. Alfalfa Supreme 250 $225 Premium 100 $165 125 $155-180 Good/Prem. 75 $145 Good 500 $137 Fair 1000 $85 1500 $130-140 Utility 800 $85 50 $80 Bermuda Grass Premium 225 $160-180 Bermuda Straw Good 250 $26 Grain Market Reports Compiled by USDA Market News Service • Portland Grains are stated in dollars per bushel or hundredweight (cwt.) except feed grains traded in dollars per ton. National grain report bids are for rail delivery unless truck indicated. PORTLAND GRAIN (USDA Market News) Portland Aug. 18 PACIFIC NORTHWEST MARKET SUMMARY Cash wheat bids for July delivery ended the reporting week on Thursday, Aug. 18, were higher compared to Aug. 11 noon bids for August delivery. September wheat futures ended the reporting week on Thursday, Aug. 18, higher as follows compared to Aug. 11 closes: Chicago wheat futures were 10.75 cents higher at $4.27, Kansas City wheat futures were 8.75 cents higher at $4.21 and Minneapolis wheat fu- tures trended 24.25 cents higher at $5.2775. Chicago September corn futures trended 11 cents higher at $3.32 and September soybean futures closed 30.50 cents higher at $10.3225. Bids for U.S. 1 Soft White Wheat delivered to Portland in unit trains or barges during August for ordinary protein trended 18.75 to 19 cents per bushel higher compared to Aug. 11 prices for the same delivery period at $5.05-5.14. Some exporters were not issuing bids for nearby delivery. White club wheat premiums were zero to 10 cents per bushel over soft white wheat bids this week compared to zero to 5 cents per bushel over soft white wheat bids last week. One year ago bids for U.S. 1 Soft White Wheat any protein for August delivery by unit trains and barges to Portland were $5.4925 and bids for White Club Wheat were also $5.4925. Forward month bids for soft white wheat ordinary protein were as follows: September $5.07-5.18, October $5.1425-5.23, November $5.1425-5.28 and December $5.1425-5.31. One year ago, forward month bids for soft white wheat for any protein were as follows: September $5.4925, October, November and December $5.5375. Bids for U.S. 1 Soft White Wheat guaranteed maximum 10.5 per- cent protein during August trended 10.75 to 12 cents per bushel higher than week ago prices for the same delivery period at $5.02- 5.12. Some exporters were not issuing bids for nearby delivery. White club wheat premiums for guaranteed maximum 10.5 per- cent protein soft white wheat this week were zero to 5 cents per bushel over soft white wheat bids this week and last week. One year ago bids for U.S. 1 Soft White Wheat guaranteed max- imum 10.5 percent protein for August delivery by unit trains and barges to Portland were $6.1925-6.4925 and bids for White Club Wheat were $6.9425-7.5425. Forward month bids for soft white wheat guaranteed 10.5 percent proteins were as follows: September $5.10-5.12, October $5.15- 5.1925 and November $5.1925. One year ago, forward month bids for soft white wheat for any pro- tein were as follows: September $6.2425-6.5525, October $6.2375- 6.4975, November $6.2375-6.5675 and December $6.2375-6.5875. Bids for 11.5 percent protein U.S. 1 Hard Red Winter Wheat for August delivery were 8.75 cents per bushel higher compared to last week’s noon bids for August delivery. Some exporters were not issuing bids for nearby delivery. This week, bids were as follows: August $5.01-5.31, September $5.01-5.36, October, November and December $5.2175-5.6175. Bids for non-guaranteed 14.0 percent protein U.S. 1 Dark North- ern Spring Wheat for Portland delivery during August were 24.25 cents per bushel higher than Aug. 11 noon bids for the same delivery period. Some exporters were not issuing bids for nearby delivery. Bids for non-guaranteed 14 percent protein were as follows: August $6.1275-6.2775, September $6.1275-6.4275, October, November and December $6.11-6.46. COARSE FEEDING GRAINS Bids for U.S. 2 Yellow Corn delivered full coast Paciic Northwest - BN shuttle trains for August delivery were 1 to 6 cents per bushel higher from $4.47-4.52 per bushel. Forward month corn bids were as follows: September $4.47-4.50, October $4.52-4.54, November $4.49-4.50, December $4.47-4.50 and January $4.4975. Bids for U.S. 1 Yellow Soybeans delivered full coast Paciic Northwest - BN shuttle trains for August delivery were not available as most exporters were not issuing bids for nearby delivery. Forward month soybean bids were as follows: September, October and November $11.4950, December $11.4050-11.5050 and January $11.3650-11.3850. Bids for U.S. 2 Heavy White Oats for August delivery trended steady at $3.2650 per bushel. PACIFIC NORTHWEST EXPORT NEWS There were 13 grain vessels in Columbia River ports on Thurs- day, Aug. 18, with four docked compared to 17 last week with ive docked. There were no new conirmed export sales this week from the Commodity Credit Corporation of the USDA. CALIFORNIA GRAINS (USDA Market News) Portland Aug. 18 Prices in dollars per cwt., bulk Inc.= including; Nom.= nominal; Ltd.= limited; Ind.= indicated; NYE=Not fully estimated. GRAIN DELIVERED Mode Destination Price per cwt. BARLEY – U.S. No. 2 (46-lbs. per bushel) FOB Kern County NA Rail Los Angeles NA Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock $9.75 Petaluma-Santa Rosa $9.75 Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock NA Kings-Tulare-Fresno Counties NA Colusa County NA CORN-U.S. No. 2 Yellow FOB Turlock-Tulare $7.98 Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock NA Kings-Tulare-Fresno $6.85-7.10 Rail Single Car Units via BNSF Chino Valley-Los Angeles $8.29-8.32 Truck Petaluma-Santa Rosa NA Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock $8.29 Los Angeles-Chino Valley NA Kings-Tulare-Fresno Counties $8.29 Glenn County NA SORGHUM-U.S. No. 2 Yellow Rail Los Angeles-Chino Valley via BNSF Single $8.09 Truck Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock NA OATS-U.S. No. 1 White Truck Petaluma NA Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock $11.25 Rail Petaluma NA WHEAT-U.S. No. 2 or better-Hard Red Winter (Domestic Values for Flour Milling) Los Angeles 12 percent Protein NA Truck/Rail Los Angeles 11-12 percent Protein Los Angeles 12 percent Protein NA FOB Tulare-Kern-Merced NA WHEAT-U.S. Durum Wheat Truck Imperial County NA Kings-Tulare-Fresno Counties NA WHEAT-Any Class for Feed FOB Tulare NA Kings-Tulare-Fresno Counties NA Kern County NA Truck/Rail Los Angeles-Chino Valley NA Truck Petaluma-Santa Rosa NA Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock NA King-Tulare-Fresno Counties NA Fresno NA Merced County NA Colusa County NA Kern County NA Prices paid to California farmers, seven-day reporting period end- ing Aug. 18: No new sales conirmed. Truck Livestock Auctions Cattle prices in dollars per hundredweight (cwt.) except some replacement animals per pair or head as indicated. California SHASTA (Shasta Livestock Auction) Cottonwood, Calif. Aug. 19 Current week Last week 549 703 Compared to Aug. 12: Slaughter cows steady. Feeder cattle spotty on lower week in futures. Range from steady to $5 lower. Off lots and sin- gles $25-50 below top offerings. Slaughter cows: High yielding $71-75; $76-81 high dress; Boning $65-70; Cutters NA. Bulls 1 and 2: $75-98. Feeder steers: 550-600 lbs. $135-150; 650-700 lbs. $128-135; 700-750 lbs. $126-131; 750-800 lbs. $125-130.50; 800-900 lbs. $124-130. Feeder heifers: 400-450 lbs. $145-156; 450- 500 lbs. $137-148; 500-550 lbs. $144; 700-750 lbs. $125.50; 750-800 lbs. $120-130.50. Calvy cows: No test. Pairs: No test. Idaho CALDWELL (Treasure Valley Livestock) Aug. 1 Steers (wt.): 400-500 lbs. $96; 500-600 lbs. $92; 600-700 lbs. $43; 700-800 lbs. $71; 800 lbs. and up $92. Steers (hd.): 100-200 lbs. $200; 300-400 lbs. $130. Heifers (wt.): 300-400 lbs. $106; 400-500 lbs. $60; 500-600 lbs. $64.75; 700-800 lbs. $59.50; 800-900 lbs. $52; 900-1000 lbs. $89.50; 1000- 1100 lbs. $85; 1100-1200 lbs. $86.75; 1200 lbs. and up $86.50. Heifers (hd.): 400-500 lbs. $200. Bull Calf (wt.): 500-600 lbs. $61. Bull Calf (hd.): NA. Cows (wt.): 900-1000 lbs. $52.75; 1000-1100 lbs. $70.70; 1200-1300 lbs. $68.75; 1300-1400 lbs. $71.25; 1400-1500 lbs. $70.50; 1500-1600 lbs. $75.25; 1600-1700 lbs. $73.75; 1700-1800 lbs. $74.75; 1800-1900 lbs. $76. Heiferettes (wt.): NA. Holstein Bulls (wt.): NA. Oregon EUGENE (Eugene Livestock Auction) Junction City, Ore. Aug. 20 Total head count: 259. Market conditions compared to last week: Cows and bulls steady; feeder cattle steady on a light test due to 100+ degree weather Top cows: High dressers $65-74, low dressers $55-65; Top 10 cows $66.63. Top bulls: High dressers $87-89. Feeder Bulls: 300-500 lbs. $130; 500-700 lbs. $110-114; 700-900 lbs. $90-119. Choice steers: medium to large frame No. 1 and No. 2: 400-500 lbs. $125-140; 500-600 lbs. $115-129; 600-700 lbs. $110-129.50; 700-800 lbs. $110-122. Choice heifers: medium to large frame No. 1 and No. 2: 300-400 lbs. $110-130; 400-500 lbs. $112; 500-600 lbs. $115-124.50; 600-700 lbs. $110-121.50; 700-800 lbs. $102-117. Bred Cows: $610-750 head. Pairs: $925- 1500 pair. Head calves (up to 250 lbs.): Beef $200-385 head; Dairy $25-165 head. Feeder lambs: 50-90 lbs. $130-170; 90-130 lbs. $110-155. MADRAS (Central Oregon Livestock Auction) Aug. 15 Total head count: 206. Baby calves: NA. Steers: 300-400 lbs. $150-160; 400-500 lbs. $150-160; 500-600 lbs. $140-150; 600-700 lbs. $135-145; 700-800 lbs. $130-140; 800-900 lbs. $125-135. Bulls: High yield. $95-99; Mostly $95; Thin- ner $88-94. Pairs: NA. Bred cows: NA. Heifers: NA. Heiferettes: 300-400 lbs. $150-160; 400-500 lbs. $140-150; 500-600 lbs. $130-140; 600-700 lbs. $125-135; 700-800 lbs. $120-130. Cows: Heiferettes $95; Fleshy cows $75; high-yield $78; medium-yield $72; low-yield $65. VALE (Producers Livestock Market) Aug. 17 Total receipts: 751 head. Comments: Several nice strings of yearlings offered with extremely good demand. Steer calves: 300-400 lbs. $143-172; 400- 500 lbs. $152-165; 500-600 lbs. $140-150. Heifer calves: 400-500 lbs. $129-141; 500- 600 lbs. $129-140. Yearling steers: 600-700 lbs. $128-136; 700-800 lbs. $119-138; 800-900 lbs. $124- 134; 900-1000 lbs. $104-110. Yearling heifers: 600-700 lbs. $139-152.50; 700-800 lbs. $139-146; 800-900 $127-140; 900-1000 lbs. $114-132. Light Holstein steers, 600 lbs. and under: NA. Light Holstein steers, 700 lbs. and over: NA. Stock cows (young): NA. Stock cows (B.M.): $1260-1530. Pairs, young: NA. Butcher cows: $64-73. Thin shelly cows: $48-59. Butcher bulls: $72-86. Cattle Market Reports Compiled by USDA Market News Service • Oklahoma City-Des Moines-St. Joseph, Mo.-Moses Lake, Wash. Cattle prices in dollars per hundredweight (cwt.) except some replacement animals per pair Ore- gon head as indicated. NATIONAL FEEDER AND STOCKER CATTLE (Federal-State Market News) St. Joseph, Mo. Aug. 19 This week Last week Last year 192,900 466,100 178,200 Compared to Aug. 12: Calves and yearlings started out the week on a steady to 3 higher trend, however mid to late week auctions trended steady to weak, with some instances marked up to $3 lower. The cattle complex appears to have taken a breath this week as a slight correction seemed to be in store after a couple weeks worth of higher markets. Grazers have taken on quite a bit of in- ventory recently and they want to get the calves in their pens straightened up before moving on to the next group. This week’s lower fed cattle trade came as a surprise to cattle feeders after recent weekly gains in the market. However, packers are always cautious this time of year as beef demand typical- ly wanes after the Labor Day holiday. Boxed beef values have become stagnant this week as Choice was a little over $1 lower and Select cutout steady with the Aug. 11 close at $200.07 and $193.60 respectively. In the South Plains this week, all the market could muster was $1 lower trading at $118, while the North Plains dressed trade was steady to weak at $186-187. Feedlots appear to be current at this time coupled with this week’s estimated slaughter of 599,000 head is a good thing for the cattle industry at this time. On Aug. 14 at Sioux Falls Regional Stockyards in Worthing, S.D., a load of 717 lb. thin steers coming off grass sold for a whopping $166.75. Also at Tri-State Livestock in McCook, Neb., six loads of 907 lb. steers sold from $152-152.10 while on Thursday in Valentine, Neb. two loads of 837 lb. steers sold at $156.25. Optimism abounds for those feedyards willing to take on the inventory at those levels; however, there have been many strings of yearlings coming off grass in the North Central region that will gain like a house-a-ire when a high protein and con- centrate diet is put on in front of them. The previous week’s record corn production estimate of 15.2 bb has assured friendly cost of gains in the near future. Cattle on Feed Report was released Aug. 19 with Aug. 1 reported at 102 percent; Placements at 102 percent and Market- ings at 99 percent with placements being above estimates and others coming in near the industry analyst estimates. Auction volume this week included 59 percent weighing over 600 lbs. and 38 percent heifers. AUCTIONS This week Last week Last year 151,600 162,800 136,300 WASHINGTON There were not enough feeder cattle sales to report. DIRECT This week Last week Last year 40,200 93,500 24,500 SOUTHWEST (Arizona-California-Nevada) 3,100. No cattle over 600 lbs. No heifers. Hol- steins: Large 3 300 lbs. $135 September Del; 300 lbs. $130-134 November-December Del; 300 lbs. $135 December Del; 600 lbs. $97 Current Del. NORTHWEST (Washington-Oregon-Idaho) There were no direct sales reported. NATIONAL SLAUGHTER CATTLE (USDA Market News) Oklahoma City, Okla. Aug. 19 Slaughter cattle sold mostly $1-2 lower. Cash cattle continue to trade higher than the futures board. Slaughter rates also well above last year. Retailers helping the beef movement as they are widely featuring beef products in the store. Boxed Beef prices Aug. 19 averaged $196.84 down $.63 from Aug. 12. The Choice/Select spread is $6.47. Slaughter cattle on a national basis for negotiated cash trades through Aug. 19 totaled about 59,370 head. The previous week’s total head count was 112,618 head. Midwest Direct Markets: Live Basis: Steers and Heifers: $117 Dressed Basis: Steers and Heifers N/A. South Plains Direct Markets: Live Basis: Steers and Heifers $116. Slaughter Cows and Bulls (Average Yielding Prices): Slaughter cows and bulls steady to $3 lower than last week. Cutter Cow Carcass Cut- Out Value Aug. 19 at the close was $170.82 down $1.10 from Aug. 12. NORTHWEST DIRECT CATTLE (USDA Market News) Moses Lake, Wash. Aug. 19 This week Last week Last year 5,950 14,000 5,900 Compared to Aug. 12: Feeder cattle mostly steady. Cattle futures declined somewhat midweek but demand for feeder cattle remained good. The feeder supply included 64 percent steers and 34 percent heifers. Nearly 96 percent of the supply weighed over 600 lbs. Prices are FOB weighing point with a 1-4 percent shrink or equivalent and with a 5-12 cent slide on calves and a 3-8 cent slide on yearlings. Current sales are up to 14 days deliv- ery. Delivered prices include freight, commissions and other expenses. Feeder Steers Medium and Large 1 Current delivery: Delivered: 875 lbs. $147; 900-960 lbs. $139.50-140; 1010 lbs. $139.75; September 775 lbs. $151.75; 825 lbs. $149; 900-975 lbs. $142.40- 147.90; October delivery 625-650 lbs. $149-152; 875 lbs. $135; 650 lbs. $143- 144.50. Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1 Current de- livery: Delivered: 860- 885 lbs. $136; 925 lbs. $131; September 800 lbs. $145; September- October 850 lbs. $137; October 580-600 lbs. $139-142; 850 lbs. $137; November 625-635 lbs. $133-134.50. Compiled by USDA Market News Service • Greeley, Colo.-San Angelo, Texas Wool prices in cents per pound and foreign currency per kilogram, sheep prices in dollars per hundredweight (cwt.) except some replacement animals on per head basis as indicated. NATIONAL WOOL REVIEW (USDA Market News) Greeley, Colo. Aug. 19 Domestic wool trading on a clean basis has been at a standstill this week. No conirmed trades were reported. Domestic wool trading on a greasy basis was at a standstill this week. There were no conirmed trades reported. Domestic wool tags No. 1 $.60-.70 No. 2 $.50-.60 No. 3 $.40-.50 NATIONAL SHEEP SUMMARY (USDA Market News) San Angelo, Texas Aug. 19 Compared to last week: Slaughter lambs were mostly steady to $5 higher, except steady to $10 lower at Ft. Collins, Colo. Slaughter ewes were mostly steady, instances $6-10 higher. Feeder lambs were steady. At San Angelo, Texas, 5,125 head sold. No sales in Equity Electronic Auction. In direct trading slaughter ewes and feeder lambs were not tested. 7,500 head of negotiated sales of slaughter lambs were steady. 8,900 head of formula sales had no trend due to conidentiality. 4,189 lamb carcasses sold with 45 lbs. and down $7.61 lower; 45-75 lbs. no trend due to conidentiality; 75-85 lbs $2.69 higher and 85 lbs. and up $3.75 higher. SLAUGHTER LAMBS Choice and Prime 2-3: San Angelo: shorn and wooled 100-140 lbs. $130-148. SLAUGHTER LAMBS Choice and Prime 1: San Angelo: 40-60 lbs. $220-242; 60-70 lbs. $190-220, few $220-234; 70-80 lbs. $166-190, few $190-198; 80-90 lbs. $160-180, few $188- 194; 90-110 lbs. $152-172. DIRECT TRADING (Lambs with 3-4 percent shrink or equivalent): 7,500 Slaughter Lambs shorn and wooled 127- 163 lbs. $140-175 (wtd avg $162.81). SLAUGHTER EWES: San Angelo: Good 2-3 (leshy) $49-58; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium lesh) $60-70; Utility 1-2 (thin) $48-60; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) $40- 50; Cull 1 (extremely thin) $25-36. FEEDER LAMBS Medium and Large 1-2: San Angelo: 60-70 lbs. $186-196; 70-90 lbs. $176-192; 90-100 lbs. $171-186. REPLACEMENT EWES Medium and Large 1-2: San Angelo: hair ewe lambs 60-70 lbs. $216- 234; 70-90 lbs. $178-214 cwt; mixed age hair ewes 90-150 lbs. $85-135 cwt. NATIONAL WEEKLY LAMB CARCASS Choice and Prime 1-4: Weight Wtd. avg. 45 lbs. Down $488.05 45-55 lbs. Price not reported due to conidentiality 55-65 lbs. Price not reported due to conidentiality 65-75 lbs. Price not reported due to conidentiality 75-85 lbs. $326.65 85 lbs. and up $313.29 Sheep and lamb slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 38,000 compared with 37,000 last week and 37,000 last year. California Egg Reports Compiled by USDA Market News Service • Des Moines Shell egg marketer’s benchmark price for negotiated egg sales of USDA Grade AA and Grade AA in cartons, cents per dozen. This price does not relect discounts or other contract terms. DAILY CALIFORNIA SHELL EGGS (USDA Market News) Des Moines, Iowa Aug. 19 Benchmark prices are steady. Asking prices for next week are 17 cents higher for Jumbo, 14 cents higher for Extra Large, 17 cents higher for Large and 13 cents higher for Medium and Small. The under- tone is steady. Offerings are light for Jumbo and light to moderate on the balance of sizes. Retail demand is fairly good to good with food service sales moderate to fairly good. Supplies are light to moderate. Market activity is slow to moderate. Small benchmark price 57 cents. Size Range Size Range Jumbo 156 Extra large 133 Large 120 Medium 77 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Prices to retailers, sales to volume buyers, USDA Grade AA and Grade AA, white eggs in cartons, delivered store door. Size Range Size Range Jumbo 128-138 Extra large 96-106 Large 91-100 Medium 42-47 Storms damage trees in Mexican monarch butterly reserve By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Storms caused a big spike in the number of trees blown down or severely damaged in forests where migrating monarch butterlies spend the winter in central Mexico, ex- perts reported Tuesday. The March tempests caused the loss of 133 acres of pine and ir trees in the forests west of Mexico City, more than four times the amount lost to illegal logging. It was the biggest storm-re- lated loss since the winter of 2009-10, when unusually heavy rainstorms and mud- slides caused the destruction of 262 acres of trees. “Never had we observed such a combination of high winds, rain and freezing tem- peratures,” monarch expert Lincoln Brower said of the storms of March 8-9. Two big storm losses within ive years may suggest changes in the climatic con- ditions that have allowed the survival of patches of moun- taintop forests. An additional 16 acres of trees were lost to drought this year. “This points up just how fragile these forests are, and how fragile the monarchs are, and it makes clear the importance of reforestation efforts,” said Omar Vidal, director of the conservation group World Wildlife Fund Mexico. The monarchs depend on inding relatively well-pre- served forests, where mil- lions of orange-and-black butterlies hang in clumps from the boughs. The trees, and the clumping, help pro- tect the butterlies from cold rains and steep drops in tem- perature. That is why illegal logging in the 33,484-acre nucleus of the reserve is so damaging. Conservationists have tried to convince the largely im- poverished farm and moun- tain communities that ac- tually own most of the land that the forest is worth more to them in terms of tourism when left standing than when it is cut down for logs. In April, Mexico’s gov- ernment announced it would create a special national po- lice squad to patrol nature reserves and ight environ- mental crimes. While the force has not yet formally de- ployed, illegal logging in the monarch reserve dropped this year, from almost 49.4 acres in 2015 to about 29.6 acres. Unlike in past years, when most logging was done in the farming communities, about three-quarters of the tree-cut- ting this year occurred on public lands in the reserve’s core area — precisely the kind of terrain that environ- mental police could most ef- fectively protect. “This is why we insist that illegal logging in the reserve has to be eliminated, and that the destruction of (the but- terly’s) milkweed habitat in the United States has to be stopped, so that the monarchs have the ability to better re- spond to these extreme cli- mate events” like the March storms, Vidal said. Brower criticized author- ities’ decision to quickly ap- prove “salvage” logging of trees downed by the storms, suggesting it strengthened logging interests and disturbs the forests chances for natu- ral regrowth. He wrote that the “deci- sion to authorize the very ex- tensive salvage logging was possibly the worst manage- ment mistake that could have been made.” “The photos I have seen of hundreds of logs on trucks coming out of the reserve, and of huge stacks of piled carefully cut logs below (the butterly reserve of) Rosario, are atrocious.” The damage comes after a rebound for the monarch. The area covered by the but- terlies this winter was more than 3 1/2 times that of a year earlier. They clump so dense- ly in the pine and ir forests that they are counted by the area they cover rather than by individual insects. The number of monarchs making the 3,400-mile mi- gration from the United States and Canada had been declining steadily before re- covering in 2014. This winter was even better. In Decem- ber, the butterlies covered 10 acres, compared to 2.8 acres in 2014 and a record low of 1.66 acres in 2013. That’s still well below the 44 acres the covered 20 years ago.
