ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, May 30, 1996                 TAG: 9605300094
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-6  EDITION: METRO 

IN BUSINESS

Virginia farmers reported an estimated 89,000 cattle and calves valued at $29.1 million died during 1995, according to the Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service.

The death figure was the lowest since 1990, when estimated deaths also were 89,000. In 1993, when severe ice storms contributed to livestock deaths, 104,000 were estimated. The total cattle and calf population in Virginia on Jan. 1 was 1.8 million, the agency said.

The leading cause of death was complications in calf births. Digestive problems caused the largest number of calf deaths, 23.8 percent.

Calves represented 65,000 or 73 percent of the deaths last year, the agency said. Other causes of calf deaths were: respiratory problems, 22.2 percent; problems from birth, 19.2 percent; weather-related problems, 10 percent; and predators, 2.5 percent. Coyotes were responsible for half of the predator deaths, and dogs caused 43.8 percent.

The cattle deaths from calving amounted to 18.8 percent, followed by respiratory problems, 16.3 percent; weather-related injuries, 7.1 percent; and digestive problems, 6.3 percent.

Nationwide, 4.38 million cattle and calves were lost in 1995 at a cost of $1.8 billion, the agency said. |-Staff report Scott & Stringfellow

plans stock buyback

Scott & Stringfellow Financial Inc., Richmond securities broker and investment company with an office in Roanoke, said Wednesday it will buy as many as 200,000 shares or 9.1 percent of its common stock from shareholders.

The offer starts today and ends June 27. The company will offer $17 to $19 a share, selecting the lowest price that will allow it to acquire the number of shares it seeks. All shares in the offering will be bought at the same price.

The process is referred to as a Dutch auction. If the number of shares tendered is equal to or less than the number of shares the company wants to buy, the purchase price will be the highest one specified by the shareholders. If the number is greater, the company will choose the price that will allow it to buy the number of shares it seeks.

The board also raised the quarterly dividend from 10 cents to 12 cents, to be paid July 12 to shareholders of June 28. |-Staff report

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