Cattle Feed Yards Struggle As Consumers Shy Away From Beef

By BARRY SHLACHTER Cattle feed yards in the Texas Panhandle and elsewhere have been operating at a loss for 18 months, and while many would like to sell their sprawling operations, there are either no buyers or no banks willing to provide financing, industry observers say.Easing grain prices have lowered feed costs, but in the recession, consumers continue to show low interest in beef, punishing the industry, said Don Close, market director of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association in Amarillo.