DR. SCOTT P. GREINER
A significant health issue faced by sheep producers in the Mid-Atlantic region is internal parasites. As the level of parasite drug resistance increases, control programs based solely on anthelmentic drugs are becoming less effective. The prevalence of drug resistant worms is increasing, and new drug products to control worms are generally not available.
DR. ELIZABETH FERRARO
There is a growing trend today away from the very large sheep ranches toward an increasing number of small independent sheep farms. These farms are increasing in number in the central and eastern sections of the U.S. The small farmer with 100 acres or less is interested in meeting the niche market demands of a diverse sheep market. These demands extend from ethnic lamb and mutton all the way to the production of high quality hand spinner fleece.
Dual Purpose Breeds
There is also a gaining interest in dual-purpose breeds of sheep by the farmer who has limited space and wants to make the most money from the small number of sheep owned. As in many small businesses today we also find a number of these small farms run by women. The increase in women sheep owners awakens an awareness of the relationship between sheep farming and the fiber arts, including hand spinning, weaving and felting.
W. DEE WHITTIER
ANNE ZAJAC
STEVEN H. UMBERGER
An understanding of the Haemonchus life cycle is important to understanding effective control programs. The life cycle of Haemonchus is defined as direct. This means that it does not need any other animals in order to complete its cycle. Adult Haemonchus worms live in the abomasum and lay eggs in huge numbers that are then passed in the manure (Figure 1). Following passage onto the pasture in the manure, they must develop into infective larvae before they are capable of infecting the sheep.
SHEEP ON SHARES?
GAYLE SMITH
Like other segments of agriculture, the sheep industry seeks ways to continue its business in the future. Because the amount of capital needed to enter the sheep business can be prohibitive for many young producers, a solution some are experimenting with are share agreements.
According to David Ollila, South Dakota State University (SDSU) extension sheep field specialist, young producers seek out producers nearing retirement age to help them get started in the sheep business. If the two can pair up and develop a suitable arrangement, many times the young producer can obtain a flock on shares, Ollila said.
KEEPING WATCH OVER THE FLOCK
AMANDA RADKE
Livestock producers gearing up to turn sheep out to pasture for summer grazing have many considerations to keep in mind. While vaccinations, deworming, fixing fence, and pest and weed control are on the summer turn-out checklist, another obstacle is protecting livestock from predators. Traditionally, guard dogs help keep the flock safe from coyotes, fox, mountain lions and wolves, but there are some keys to be aware of when buying, training and maintaining the investment of these dogs.
The National Sheep Symposium will bring top sheep production experts from across the United States to the Clay County Fairgrounds in Spencer, Iowa, on July 27 and 28. The symposium, titled “Using Technology to Attack the Let’s Grow with twoPLUS Initiative,” joins the campaign to encourage current producers to expand their sheep numbers by 2014.
The 81st annual International Wool Textile Organization Congress (IWTO), themed WOOL IN THE CITY, commenced on May 7 in New York City. The conference was hosted by the American Wool Council, a division of the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), with 249 attendees from 23 countries and provided a forum for all segments of the wool industry to discuss trends and new opportunities. Attendees participated in sessions that focused on both technical advancements in wool processing as well as changes in marketing and product positioning.
Research at the University of Wyoming to develop genetic selection tools to improve sheep efficiency could help producer profitability.
A four-year, $499,991 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund research into the differences in sheep rumen microbial populations.
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) recently released a paper on the trade-offs between animal health and public health, The Direct Relationship between Animal Health and Food Safety Outcomes. The summary, chaired by Iowa State University’s Scott Hurd, discussed consumer trends regarding livestock production practices, and how those trends, if used to guide policies and regulations, could potentially have adverse affects on human health.
CJ BIO America broke ground recently on their first U.S. construction project, a $320 million lysine production facility at the North Central Ag Industrial Park west of Fort Dodge, Iowa.
The ceremony highlighted the creation of more than 170 jobs in central Iowa by 2014. The factory will annually produce more than 100,000 metric tons of amino acids to supplement animal feeds.
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