Page 18 - MWC 8-11-2022s
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The Midwest Cattleman · August 11, 2022 · P18
DROUGHT percent this past week with LIFE
A little surprised, I an-
continued from page 6 prices for 400–500 pound continued from page 5 swered that we did, indeed,
percent in early July to 34 steers down 7.9 percent. the time, that afternoon, to go have a sizeable mall.
percent in the July 18 Crop Feeder heifer prices were to the airport and pick up Bax- “If you could take me there,
Progress report. down an average of 2.5 per- ter Black, as he was scheduled I’d be mighty obliged. Christ-
Cattle producers are de- cent with prices for 400–500 to be the entertainment for mas is slippin’ up on me and I
stocking at a rapid rate as pound heifers down 6.3 per- the evening banquet. I eagerly haven’t got my wife a present,
pasture conditions deterio- cent. agreed. yet.”
rate rapidly. The volume of The Oklahoma auction I didn’t have to hold up a sign On our way to and from the
feeder cattle in Oklahoma volume of cull cows and bulls at the baggage claim. With his mall, we visited about writing,
auctions the past two weeks jumped nearly 124 percent trademark cowboy hat, bright- speaking, and entertaining. I
is up 24 percent year over over last year in the past ly colored neckerchief, and gi- had just started dabbling in
year. It appears that calves two weeks. Prices for aver- gantic handlebar moustache, writing a column at that time,
are being weaned and mar- age dressing Boning cows de- there was no mistaking him for and was published in a whop-
keted early. creased by nearly 22 percent a prospective history professor ping, two newspapers. He en-
Prices for Oklahoma steers from $85.22/cwt. in early July from back east. I introduced couraged me to keep at it, but
dropped an average of 3.5 to $66.62/cwt. this past week. myself, we shook hands, and warned, “You’ll never make
Anecdotal I proceeded to help him with any money from writin’, but
reports in- a small suitcase and several gettin’ your name out there
dicate that boxes of his latest book, that he will let you get some speaking
auctions in would hawk after he spoke. gigs, and that,” he said with a
the south- It would be about four hours wink and a smile, “is where the
ern plains before the banquet started, so money is!”
and re- I asked him if he would like to I offered to walk through the
gional cow go to the hotel to rest up, or see mall with him, but he politely
slaughter some of the sights of Spring- declined. “Gettin’ something
plants are field, Missouri. I told him that for the Missus, is kinda person-
being over- the world headquarters of Bass al.”
whelmed Pro was in Springfield, and About an hour later, he re-
with vol- that the university also had a turned with a small bag. I
umes of cat- farm, if he wanted a tour. didn’t ask, and he didn’t tell.
tle sales. “Thanks for the offer, but
does your city have a shopping
mall?”
