Sunday, February 15, 1998

Ag Commissioner candidate Pete Patterson to meet farmers

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

As Democratic candidate for Texas Ag Commissioner, Pete Patterson will meet farmers, ranchers and others at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in De Leon City Hall.

A barbecue meal will be served.

Patterson said he looks forward to meeting area voters, answering questions and sharing his views concerning the future of Texas Agriculture and the direction it needs into the 21st Century.

People from throughout Central Texas are invited to attend and meet Patterson.

Candidates for other state and local offices also will be on hand.

Texas cattle inventory is up

The inventory of Texas cattle and calves totaled 14.3 million head as of January, up 1 percent from last year's inventory of 14.1 million at the same month.

Although more cattle than last year, the 1998 number is still 5 percent below 1996.

"Many producers were forced to reduce herds during the drought of 1996, however, good hay supplies and pasture conditions -- along with lower grain prices during 1997 -- allowed producers to do some rebuilding," said Dennis Findley. "An overall younger cow herd and some later calving contributed to higher numbers of young stock on hand this year."

Findley is state statistician for the Texas Agricultural Statistics Service.

Texas continues to rank No. 1 in the nation in the total number of cattle and calves, with 14 percent of the total U.S. inventory.

The total cattle and calf inventory in the United States totaled 99.5 milion head as of January, 2 percent below last year's inventory at the same time -- and 4 percent below January 1996.

More sheep in Texas this year

The Texas sheep and lamb inventory is increasing.

Inventory of all Texas sheep and lambs totaled 1.5 million head as of January, up 7 percent from a year earlier.

But the Texas increase was the opposite of the national trend.

Nationally, the inventory of all sheep and lambs on totaled 7.62 million head as of January, down 4 percent from the same time in 1997.

Jordan Cattle Auction to stage two big sales

Jordan Cattle Auction in San Saba is about to stage its "Two Sales In One" extravaganza there.

A 5 p.m. Beef Burger Supper will kick off the first sale on Feb. 27. Some 1,250 head of cattle be offered from one ranch with one raising-set of bred heifers.

These heifers were raised on the Desert Cattle Co. Ranches and conditioned and bred on the Mahone Cattle Co. ranches.

Registered Beefmaster bulls ran in pastures with these heifers last July.

Then at 9 a.m. Feb. 28, a whopping 4,650 head of cattle will be offered in the All-Breed Replacement Female Sale. These will include young pairs, bred cows and heifers, along with open replacement yearling heifers.

For more information on this big sale, you can call Jordan Cattle Co. at (915) 372-5159.

National Anxiety IV sale is tomorrow

Speaking of great cattle sales, the 49th Annual National Anxiety IV Hereford Breeders Sale is 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Scurry County Coliseum Ag Annex in Snyder.

Some 56 bulls, seven females -- pairs, bred and open heifers -- will be offered.

Auctioneer Stanley Stout of Linwood, Kan., will sell the cattle.

Some 14 ranches have consigned Herefords for tomorrow's top notch sale.

Beef and Forage Seminar at De Leon

A Comanche County "Beef and Forage Seminar" is Thursday at De Leon City Hall.

Registration and viewing of exhibits begins at 8:30 a.m, with the program to get started at 9 a.m.

The program will last through a sponsored lunch.

One continuing education unit can be obtained by private, non-commercial and commercial pesticide applicators.

To pre-register, call the Extension Service Office at Comanche at (915) 356-2539.

"Beef cattle producers who have an interest in improving their pounds of beef per acre or have considered rotation grazing -- but don't know where to start -- will want to attend the Beef and Forage Seminar," said Bob Whitney, Comanche County Extension agent.

The Russian bees are coming

Russian bees are ready to invade the South. Actually, they already have.

But don't panic. They are nice bees -- not like wildly aggressive Africanized bees.

And -- they are being brought into the United States deliberately.

Russian honey bees that may be able to resist bee-killing mites have passed quarantine inspection at Grand Terre Island in Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

This will allow scientists with USDA's Agricultural Research Service to begin outdoor experiments to see if the Russian bees could become allies of domestic honey bees under attack from varroa and tracheal mites.

If the mild-mannered Russian bees prove to be mite-resistant critters, then scientists could distribute the bees -- as offspring of Russian queens and American drones -- to beekeepers.

In turn, the American beekeepers could use the hybrids of this marriage to breed new colonies and put pesky mites out of business.

The naturally-resistant honey bees also would an alternative to chemical insecticides that would be good for the environment.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service inspectors agreed with ARS evidence showing the Russian bees carry no foreign pests or diseases -- and are safe to U.S. citizens and ecosystems.

USDA lifted a 7-month-long quarantine on Feb. 5, giving the project the green light.