Slaughter classes steady to 2 higher . Calves and feeder cattle traded 2 to 3 higher. Market very active on good demand.

                                                                      ** NOTE**

        Due to a lack of consignments, we will not have a Replacement Cow Sale in the month of May. We hope to have a sale in June. We will let you know.

                          DO NOT let the tag companies, certain cattlemens organizations, or some government officials scare you into believing that you must have premises identification in order to comply with mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, (COOL). Undersecretary of Agriculture Bruce Knight has stated that a signed affidavit from producers is all that is needed to sell your cattle after the implementation of COOL. Neither Premises ID nor individual animal ID are mandatory, although there are those who would have you believe otherwise. Also, when you accept premises ID, you are giving up some of your Constitutional Rights, including Private Property Rights.

                                                                Convention Report

           I just returned from the R-CALF USA convention in Omaha, Nebraska. This was one of the best trips I have made concerning our industry. One of my main concerns was the cattle numbers across the nation. I have believed for a long time that the numbers were much lower than U. S. D. A. was telling us. After talking to producers and market men from all parts of the country, I  found this to be true. Everyone says the numbers are the lowest ever. The figures I was told were from 10% to as much as 50% across the nation. Industry people who are in the know predict that prices will continue to increase as the year continues. All indications are that they are right. Moisture conditions are good in most areas, and producers are looking forward to good grass this spring and summer.  On another note, I have never seen so many people speaking out against NAFTA, W T O, and other so called Free Trade Agreements. Groups from the manufacturing and trucking industries, consumer groups, and citizens groups from all over the nation were represented at the convention to discuss trade agreements and food safety. Did you know that this nation can opt out of NAFTA and the W T O at any time without penalty? I did not know this until I attended this convention. If you feel that we have been adversely affected by these trade agreements, call and/or e-mail your Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen and tell them to get us out. Also tell them to implement Country of Origin Labeling (C O O L), and the Ban on Packer Ownership of Cattle, so the packers will not be able to use their cattle supplies to beat our market down, as they have been doing for years. Keep calling until we get results. Heat up their phone lines. They are supposed to represent us, but they are selling our industry and the manufacturing and many other industries down the river. Think about this and join and support R-CALF. We need your help and support now more than ever. Together we can make changes.

                                                            Thank you,

                                                                   Ed.

                                                                       **NOTE**

           Today,January 08,2008,marks our sixteenth year here at Dothan Livestock Co.

  We would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of our customers and FRIENDS, a happy and prosporous new year.You are so very important to us .We know that without your support and continued patronage,we could not be here.From all of us here at Dothan Livestock C o.,we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

                                          DID YOU KNOW??

Feeder cattle imports from Canada,through the first three quarters of this year,are up 33% over last year and 181% from two years ago.On the flip side,feeder cattle imports from Mexico are down 20% from last year and 15% from two years ago,but only because Mexico was in the same drought pattern that Texas was and do not have the cattle to sell.If they had the available cattle,the imports would be higher and our market would be lower.

Also,USDA will increase testing of Canadian meat and poultry for contaminants,including E.coli and Salmonella,after USDA has identied a Canadian firm as the likely source of E.coli contamination responsible for the second largest beef recall in U.S. history.But note that USDA has not mentioned any tightening of the Canadian border and is still pushing to give Canada unlimited access to our border and markets and totally disregarding food safety,as well as the damage to American Producers.

Remember a few years ago when R-CALF USA was responsible for the closing of the border and we enjoyed the highest prices in the history of our industry?R-CALF is still woking every day to get tighter controls on the border,and we need your help.Call me to join.

Call your Senators and ask that they support the farm bill as it came out of committee:

support mandatory Country of Origin Labeling

support ban on packer ownership of livestock,this is urgent since NCBA said this week that it will fight to strip that measure from The Senate Ag Committee farm bill.(I wonder whose side they are on?)

Calls are urgent.Ask that the Senate Ag Committee version of the Farm Bill be kept intact.

                                                              Thanks,Ed

                                                      SUPPORT R- CALF                                                          

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