The U.S. Sheep and Lamb Market

In 2005, federally-inspected sheep/lamb slaughter totaled 2.55 million head. This does not include state-inspected, custom exempt, or on-farm slaughter. Total slaughter was estimated to be 2.76 million head. The 2005 U.S. lamb crop was 4.13 million head; thus USDA slaughter accounted for 61.9 percent of the lamb crop, vs. only 31 percent of the U.S. kid crop.

Lamb slaughter is very concentrated. Four slaughter plants account for two-thirds of federally-inspected sheep/lamb slaughter. Six plants account for almost 80 percent of the lamb kill. Colorado processes more sheep and lambs than any other state, almost 40 percent. While PA-NY-NJ account for almost 50 percent of federally-inspected goat slaughter, these states account for only 7.7 percent of federally inspected sheep/lamb slaughter. Yet, there are 116 USDA plants in PA, NY, and NJ that process lambs, compared to only 17 in Colorado.

The average liveweight of sheep/lambs slaughtered in 2005 was 138 lbs. The average dress weight of lambs and yearlings was 71 lbs. These are considerably heavier than the weights of lambs typically marketed in the Northeast.

Though people have varying opinions on lamb imports, imports comprise a significant portion of the U.S. lamb market: ~45 percent in 2004, compared to less than 20 percent in 1995. Australia (~67%) and New Zealand (~32%) account for 97 percent of lamb/mutton imports. The Australian sheep industry is changing some of its breeding management (using more meat-type sires) to better meet the needs of the export market.

2005 Livestock Slaughter Summary (March 2006, USDA-NASS)

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A hand-held, trigger-operated pump originally invented for milking mares is now being used for milking sheep and goats.

The Udderly EZ™ Milker can be used to collect milk or colostrum from a newborn's mother or nurse animal for immediate use. It can be used by people who milk a few sheep or goats or by people who suffer from pain that makes it difficult for them to milk.

The Udderly EZ™ Milker can be used on horses of all sizes, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, zebras, camels, and miniature cows. It is made in the USA.

Read article in Sheep Industry News.

Top Two Complaints of American Wool

The top two complaints of American wool are poly and colored fiber contamination. Color-fiber contamination can be reduced by sorting sheep prior to shearing by wool type and keeping belly wool, stained wool, and locks separate from fleece wool.

Poly contamination from hay baling twine and plastic tarps is the single largest complaint by users of U.S. wool. Producers can reduce contamination by picking up and disposing of poly twine, not using it for temporary repairs, and eliminating the use of poly tarps at shearing time.

The minimum preparation level for U.S. wool is to keep fleece wool, belly wool, and tags separate for marketing.

Source: Sheep Industry News, November 2006

The U.S. Goat Market

In 2005, federally-inspected goat slaughter totaled 566,208 head. This does not include state-inspected (e.g. the NYC live market slaughter), custom exempt, or onfarm slaughter. The number of goats slaughtered in federally-inspected plants increased 45.1 percent between 1998 and 2003. The 2005 U.S. kid crop was 1.84 million head; thus USDA slaughter only accounted for 31 percent of the kid crop.

Unlike other livestock industries, the Northeast accounts for the majority of goat slaughter. New Jersey kills more goats than any other state: 36.9 percent. Slaughter plants in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania account for almost 50 percent of USDA goat slaughter. By way of comparision, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania account for less than 8 percent of USDA sheep/lamb slaughter.

Imports comprise about 50 percent of the goat market: 21.3 million pounds in 2005. Most is supplied as frozen meat from Australia. From 2000-2004, imports rose 21 percent annually. Imports have slowed in recent years. The increase from 2004 to 2005 was only 1 percent and is projected to be 4 percent this year.

Mid-pregnancy shearing pays off

Studies at New Zealand's Massey University showed that shearing a twin-bearing ewe at mid-pregnancy can increase lamb birth weights, weaning weights, and survival rates.

Researchers found that twin or triplet lambs born to ewes that were shorn 88 days after mating had up to 1.5 lbs. greater birth weight, up to 2.2 lbs. more weaning weight, and survivability was 3% higher. The ewes also grew 8.8 oz of extra wool for the year.

The "cold stress response" induced by the mid-pregnancy shearing makes the ewe metabolize some of her body fat reserves, generating more available energy for the unborn lambs. The ewes need to be kept well fed in order to obtain the birth weight response.

Read full article in Sheep! Magazine

Sheep Industry News Now Online

The Sheep Industry News is now available for viewing at www.sheepindustrynews.org. The site was developed as another way to offer this sheep-specific publication to interested readers.

This easy-to-navigate site allows visitors a way to view the top stories, along with pictures, for each edition. It provides a left-hand navigational bar for easy movement through the site, gives more exposure to the publication’s advertisers, and allows visitors to access past issues of the Sheep Industry News. Visitors will be able to navigate between this site as well as http://www.sheepusa.org/.

Source: ASI

How do the Aussies control parasites?

Worms, lice and blowflies are the three biggest health problems for the Australian sheep industry and represent over $700 million in direct and indirect costs to Australian woolgrowers every year.

During September-October 2004, a 10 page questionnaire, asking about worm, blow-fly and lice control practices, was mailed to a random sample of 4,386 sheep producers in the major sheep production regions of Australia. 52.3 percent of producers responded to the survey.

• On average, 44 percent of sheep producers use worm egg counts to monitor the need to drench.
• Those who use worm egg counts, check weaners 3 times per year.
• On average, 48 percent of sheep producers say they have conducted a drench resistance test of some kind, although of these, only 23 percent tested within the last two years.
• Of those testing for drug resistance, only 33 percent said they are using a fecal egg count reduction test or the DrenchRite test, the only recognized drug resistance tests.
• 14 percent of producers use rams selected for resistance to worms as a strategy for controlling worms.
• 20 percent of flocks had lice at their last shearing. 22 percent of producers never treat for lice. 22 percent treat on an as-need basis. 56 percent treat treat for lice annually. Over 80 percent of dips use diazinon.
• 91 percent of Merino sheep are mulesed. Mulesing involves surgically removing the skin around the breech (backside) to prevent wool growth which reduces the risk of fly strike caused by a unique and very aggressive Australian blowfly (Lucilia cuprina).
• The majority of producers (61%) said their lambs' tails were docked level with the vulva -- the recommended length of tails for minimizing fly strike.

Due to the large flock sizes (avg. 2,200) in Australia, the FAMACHA© system is not widely used to make deworming decisions.

Integrated Parasite Management in Sheep Project Benchmark Survey

Dwarfism in Texel Sheep

The best known inherited chondrodysplasia* of sheep is spider lamb syndrome in Suffolks and Hampshires. Affected lambs have abnormally long limbs and neck with angular limb formalities. A case report from New Zealand describes a different syndrome that was seen in a commercial flock of 1,100 ewes of mixed breeds in New Zealand. Over a 5 year period, up to 20 of 1,500 lambs born each year developed signs of dwarfism after birth, sometimes as early as 1 week of age or as late as 9 weeks.

The lambs showed reduced growth rate and a short neck and wide-based stance that often progressed to a deformity of the forelimbs and reluctance to walk. Some lambs died suddenly after exercise (being worked with sheep dogs), and these lambs had trachael collapse. Mildly-affected individuals had a short, blocky stature and some survived to breeding age. All of the affected lambs had Texel breeding on both sides of the pedigree, and some were twins to normal lambs.

This chondrodysplasia differs from those previously described in sheep and is considered to be a newly-recognized, recessively-inherited genetic disease of the Texel breed. This disease of sheep may provide a suitable model for studying various forms of therapy for human chondrodysplasias.

Source: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 2005.

Chondrodysplasia - a hereditary skeletal disorder characterized by improper growth of the cartilage portion of the ribs.

West Virginia Small Ruminant Project

The West Virginia Sheep Management Project is evolving into the West Virginia Small Ruminant Project. With the increased interest and tremendous growth of the meat goat industry in West Virgnia and throughout the region, WVU faculty working with the project are trying to provide additional educational opportunities and services in the areas of Meat Goat Production and Marketing.

The Small Ruminant Project has a new director. Brad Smith, WVU Extension Agent in Grant County has taken on a 50% appoinment as director. Brad has been involved with the Sheep Management Project since its inception nearly 10 years ago. Brad will be hiring an assistant.

The Small Ruminant Project office is maintained at the Community Center in Franklin, West Virginia can be reached at (304) 358-3661. Brad can be reached at (304) 257-4688 or Brad.Smith@mail.wvu.edu.

Source: News Ewe Can Use, Fall 2006

West Virginia Sheep Management Project
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