Benny Cox, sheep and goat sale manager at Producers Livestock Auction in San Angelo, on Saturday said that for the most part sheep prices at the auction are good and, while slaughter kid goats are selling on the strong side, other goat prices are mixed. Cox was giving a market report to Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association members at their semi-annual meeting in Fort Stockton Feb. 16.

Shorn ewes are pushed down the alley at Producers Livestock Auction toward the sale floor, September 2007. Photo by Gary Cutrer.

Both slaughter and feeder lamb prices are very strong. However, slaughter ewes and slaughter nannies are selling on the weak side. The Mexican border was shut down for the slaughter ewe trade from August 18 through October 31 and the logjam hurt the price of ewes at Producers, selling point for the majority of slaughter ewes going to Mexico from Del Rio. Fortunately for the market, speculators kept buying and holding the ewes in hopes the border would open up, Cox said.

Also, there doesn’t seem to be as much demand for replacement females — both ewes and nannies — as there has been the past few years. As to why the many replacement ewes and nanny goats that have been offered have not found buyers, he had no explanation. “With all the rain during the growing season, and the relatively good lamb market, as well as kid goat market you’d think there’d be a good demand for these replacement ewes and nannies. That hasn’t happened,” he said.