Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. It is wonderful to have as a regular sponsor on our daily email Johnston Enterprises- proud to be serving agriculture across Oklahoma and around the world since 1893. For more on Johnston Enterprises- click here for their website!

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they are crushing, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.
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Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.65 million, 3 percent below 2007 and 4 percent below 2006. Net placements were 1.57 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 425,000, 600-699 pounds were 490,000, 700-799 pounds were 407,000 and 800 pounds and greater were 325,000. Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.68 million, 2 percent above 2007 and 4 percent above 2006.

Our own Ed Richards talked with Tom Leffler about the numbers on Friday afternoon- and we have Tom's take on the report on our website. Leffler says that he report should translate into higher live cattle and feeder cattle futures prices this morning- but the effect o this report will be short-lived as the weak economy is a major concern for red meat demand now and for what could be a significant part of 2009.

Click on the link below to jump to the audio with Ed and Tom as found on our website, WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com.

Click here for more on the January Cattle on Feed Report released Friday by USDA

Nelson calls the problem a "voracious demand destruction" for meat demand, as consumers both in the US and abroad cut back on purchases. Allendale is predicting that current cattle prices in the low to mid 80s will likely hold in the near term- and the with tighter supplies signaled by last Friday's Cattle on Feed report- we could see cash cattle back to the mid 90s by the end of the calendar year.

That prospect is not encouraging for the feedlots in the High Plains- as closeouts show that we are losing $200 per head on sales like that of last week at $82 per hundredweight in feedlot country. Rich Nelson says that most economists see a bottom sometime this year- maybe this summer for the economy- and that as we start to see that bottom, we could see some return by consumers to the buying of food items that are currently facing rejection because consumers have decided they simply cannot afford them.

The annual No Till on the Plains meeting begins tomorrow in Salina, Kansas- and we have details of that on the calendar. And, we will be heading to Phoenix tomorrow for coverage of the annual Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show that has most of their major highlights from Wednesday into Saturday.

Click on the link below to check these items out- and many more as well that come up this last week of January as well as into next month.

Click here for the Calendar page at WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

The merger apparently combines Pfizer Animal Health and Wyeth's Ft. Dodge Animal Health, creating the largest animal health company in the world, with initial sales that would total $3.681 billion.

Pfizer Animal Health has interests in livestock, companion animals and horses and recorded 2007 sales that were $2.639 billion. Ft. Dodge has interests in the same animal health segments and recorded 2007 sales that were $1.042 billion.

The Grand Champion Steer was shown by Ky Stierwalt, who is a Senior at Leedey High School, and among other activities, is the President of the Leedey FFA Chapter. His Steer is named Chavez- and bidders pushed the final price on the Grand Champion Steer to $50,000. Although a great payday for Stierwalt, the grand Steer price was well off last year's record of $110,000.

The Grand Champion Market Hog was the top Crossbred of the show- and was owned by Chris Hofschulte from Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Chris plans on attending OSU, starting next fall, and hopes to follow in the steps of his dad as an ag education teacher. Hofshulte received a winning bid of $16,000 for his barrow.

That Grand Champion Market Lamb was shown by Kyra Stierwalt of Leedey, Oklahoma- her wether lamb named "Maverick" got a final bid of $25,000. Kyra is fifteen years old. The Reserve Grand Champion Lamb was also shown by an Oklahoman, Charlcey Vinyard of Altus. Charlcey is a Senior at Altus High School and her lamb, named Denivor, brought $14,000 as the first animal sold on the live telecast.
We have more details on these young people and their winnings in Denver on our website- plus the Oklahoma connection when it came to showmanship as well. Click on the link below to jump there.

Click here to hear our audio overview and read more on the National Western Livestock Show Winnings of these Oklahoma Youth

The top individual of the contest was Mckenzie Walta- third overall was Josh Loppoldt, fifth overall was McKenzie Clifton and Sixth overall was Audrey Gruntmeir. The Ag Ed teacher at Kingfisher that worked with the team is Ryan Burns.

Click on the link below to our website for a picture of the team from earlier in the season- and other details of their big win in Denver.

Click here for more on the Denver win in Livestock Judging by Kingfisher FFA

In this latest PASS newsletter, Dr. Brian Arnall discusses the differences between Nitrogen sources typically used for top-dressing. The discussion also includes potential loses of the various Nitrogen sources available to producers.

There are also articles on winter canola and alfalfa- go the link below for more information.

Click here to jump to our story on the latest PASS newsletter from the Division of Ag at Oklahoma State Unversity

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture. <
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.