The National Livestock Weekly December 20, 2004 • Vol. 84, No. 10 “The Industry’s Largest Weekly Circulation” www.wlj.net • E-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] A Crow Publication ‘Yard’ show to grow; ‘hill’ entries down With the possibility western drought conditions fered during the last week of the show was un- have been alleviated and the outlook for strong cat- known as entries are still being accepted. tle prices next year, officials with the National West- Entries for individual open breeding shows are ern Stock Show said they expect more cattle to be below 4,000 head, the first time that has happened exhibited in the stockyards in 2005, compared to since 2000. Last week entries were at 3,873, com- 2004. However, while entries are up in the stock- pared to 4,275 entries for 2004 and 4,497 head en- yards, the number of cattle to be exhibited “on the tered for 2003. hill” are expected to be down from the previous few Angus, once again, leads the way in entries with shows. 714 head, while Herefords have 667. In both cases, The 2005 show is scheduled for Jan. 8-23, and is those numbers are up from last year. The biggest expected to see more activity from commercial cat- jump in entries was seen in the Charolais show tle producers in the stockyards area than the last where 236 cattle have been signed up, compared to couple of years. 101 last year. The Charolais show growth was at- Through last week, cattle producers had entered tributed to the National Western being the breed’s 34 carloads of bulls for the 2005 yard show, while national show this year. another 331 pens of bulls were entered. Last year Other breeds showing increases in entries for there were 26 carloads entered, with 22 showing up, 2005 are Braunvieh, Lowline, Miniature Herefords, and 309 pens entered, with 204 actually making it Simmental and Tarentaise. ttle Shows to the show. Entry decreases have been reported from Gelb- of Ca Show officials expect a larger percentage of en- vieh, Highland, Limousin, Longhorns, Maine-An- rbowl tries to show up this year because a lot of western jou, Red Angus, Salers and Shorthorn. The biggest The Super and Intermountain producers are looking to repop- decrease was reported in the Shorthorns where ulate or increase their herds. They also need bulls 164 fewer animals were entered, compared to the to breed with those extra females in 2005. 2004 show. Only three breeds hold carload shows at the Na- There is one new breed being featured at the Na- tional Western. Herefords are expected to have the tional Western this year—Galloways—with14 head largest carload show, with 14 entries. Limousin entered. No breeds were lost for the 2005 stock producers had entered 11 carloads through last show. week, while Angus exhibitors entered nine. One of the specialty shows most watched during The pen show will once again be dominated by the last few days of the event is the working stock Angus, with 87 pens entered. After that, Limousin dog competition. This year 137 dogs have been en- has 44 entries, Herefords have 43, Simmental 41, tered for the three-day competition, 22 fewer than Maine-Anjou 32, Gelbvieh 26, Charolais 17, Short- were entered for the 2004 show. Unlike last year horns 11, Red Angus 11 and Chianina 7. when preliminary rounds were held on the campus Three breeds will feature pen of female shows. of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, all Maine-Anjou leads with 19 entries, while Red An- herding competition will be held at the National gus has 7 entries and Charolais has 3. Western complex in Denver. — Steven D. Vetter, The number of commercial bred heifers to be of- WLJ Editor Japan presented age vertification Hage case — Bone ossification publicly, however. expense and because international science guide- in front unlikely tool. The team presented the results from a US- lines indicate minimal risk of cattle 30 months DA study that shows the U.S. carcass-grading or younger carrying the disease and no need for USDA officials were in Tokyo last week in an program can prove that the beef the U.S. plans testing. of judge effort to show the Japanese government that the to export to Japan comes from cattle 20 months The U.S. and Japan agreed that cattle birth U.S. can accurately determine the age of cattle or younger. The 20-month requirement was records would suffice for age verification, but that — Judge’s request without specific birth records, and that U.S. part of a preliminary trade pact agreed to by both level of paperwork is considered extremely oner- for settlement beef destined for Japan will originate from countries in October. ous by U.S. industry participants. As an alter- younger cattle. Currently, Japan’s trade rules still require that native, the USDAis proposing to use its carcass not met. USDA sources said the team of technical ad- all U.S. cattle be tested for bovine spongiform grading program. A conference call Dec. 10 visers left for Japan Tuesday and that a set of encephalopathy (BSE) before beef shipments USDA did not divulge what part of the car- placed the compensation phase meetings were scheduled throughout the rest would be allowed. The U.S. has refused to ac- cass grading could verify exact age of cattle. of the Hage v. United States of the week. No specific schedule was announced cept that condition in the past because of the University meat scientists indicated last week, case back in the hands of Fed- however, it could be done using tests that de- eral Judge, Loren Smith. After tect levels of certain fatty acids in meat. Bone the closing arguments in the ossification was expected to be the verification U.S. Court of Federal Claims on protocol, but researchers said it is effective in Nov. 17, Judge Smith was very Fed cattle trade slower determining if an animal is older or younger than direct in urging the parties to Fed cattle trade was extremely slow last head with a break-even price of $81.13 cwt, 30 months—not 20 months. settle. After weeks of negotia- week. Packers are looking toward a couple of and an average buy of $84.68. Even though Japanese negotiators agreed in tions, the conference call deter- short slaughter weeks through the holidays Through Thursday, only 46,000 head of cat- the preliminary deal that Japan would accept mined that a settlement ap- and they just don’t need the cattle. Few cat- tle traded nationwide. Those cattle traded U.S. beef from cattle 20 months of age and peared impossible because the tle traded, mostly at $83-84. between $82-84.50 live and $130-$135 dressed. younger, the country’s Food Safety Commis- two parties were too far apart Boxed beef values have been under pres- Formula trade was also light with only 15,000 sion has not approved the deal. Last week’s and the court will have to de- sure, as wholesale meat buyers have been re- head trading Thursday at an average weight meetings were expected to result in that Japan- cide the case. luctant to extend any significant forward con- of 784 pounds and an average price of $143.37. ese commission making its decision before mid- Judge Smith advised counsel tracts to packers. Beef trade was very slow For the week ending Dec. 11, 627,000 head January. to explore “any and all common until packers lowered prices at mid-week to passed through packing plants. Through Thurs- Most USDAofficials said last week they were See Hage on page 5 move some volume. It appears that buyers are day slaughter was running at 15,000 head be- hopeful a resolution to the ongoing dispute content to make a monthly buy, keeping pack- hind the week before. Expected slaughter for would be reached within the next month. How- ers in limbo. last week was approximately 610,000 head. ever, even if that was to happen, it’s more like- Choice cutout values were at $138 and Se- With two holiday shortened weeks, the prospects ly that Japan would start allowing U.S. beef to lect was at $129 mid-week. Packers have been of stronger slaughter are not very good. cross its borders sometime after April. Japan- in an awkward position for some time with a According to Jim Robb at the Livestock ese officials are expected to allow at least a 60- consistent string of losses that have been go- Market Information Center, there’s plenty of day comment period once a new beef import reg- ing on for four months. The latest packer meat in front of consumers. Net beef supplies ulation is put into place. It is unlikely U.S. beef margin index showed packers losing $43 per See Market on page 15 imports will be allowed before the comment deadline is reached. — Steven D. Vetter, WLJ Editor INSIDE WLJ Time Sensitive EPA DIRECTOR — A friend to COW ACCIDENT — A Utah STOCK SHOW — This week’s FEEDLOT FIRE — A Canadian- INDEX producers, Mike Leavitt, will be rancher is being charged with WLJ features stories about the owned horse feedlot in northern Beef Bits ............................P-3 (priority handling) leaving his post as director of the manslaughter after a motorist hit upcoming National Western Stock Montana is causing scrutiny of Sale Reports ....................P-10 Environmental Protection Agency one of his cows on a state high- Show and Rodeo Jan.