Proceedings. of the 3 rd Biennial Spooner Dairy Sheep Day

Transcription

1 Proceedings of the 3 rd Biennial Spooner Dairy Sheep Day Saturday, August 25, 2007 Spooner Agricultural Research Station College of Agricultural and Life Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison Spooner, Wisconsin

2 Spooner Sheep Day was held annually at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station for 50 years from 1953 through We believe that it is the longest running agricultural field day of the several organized each year on the various Agricultural Research Stations of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison. After the 2002 Spooner Sheep Day, the decision was made to hold the traditional Spooner Sheep Day every-other year on even-numbered years. This decision was made so that a Spooner Dairy Sheep Day could be held on odd-numbered years with a program that could be better tailored to the focused issues of the dairy sheep industry. Therefore, there is still a sheep field day at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station every year, and even though the 2007 field day is only the 3 rd Spooner Dairy Sheep Day, it is the 55 th consecutive annual sheep field day held at the station, and we hope to host many more. David L. Thomas, Proceedings Editor Department of Animal Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cooperative Extension University of Wisconsin-Extension 1675 Observatory Drive Madison, WI dlthomas@wisc.edu 2007 i

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS PROGRAM 1 EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION ON MILK PRODUCTION OF DAIRY EWES C. M. Mikolayunas, D. L. Thomas, Y. M. Berger, K. A. Albrecht, D. K. Combs, and S. R. Eckerman. 2 THE EAST FRIESIAN BREED OF SHEEP IN NORTH AMERICA Yves M. Berger RAISING LAMBS THE RIVER RIDGE WAY - Larry and Emily Meisegeier and Ruth Grinnell DAY WEANING SYSTEM - Kim Cassano and Rich Toebe.. 21 MIX WEANING AT DREAM VALLEY FARM - Tom and Laurel Kieffer. 22 EFFECT OF PREPARTUM PHOTOPERIOD ON MILK PRODUCTION OF DAIRY EWES - C. M. Mikolayunas, D. L. Thomas, Y. M. Berger, T. F. Gressley, and G. E. Dahl. 25 PROGRESS REPORT: EFFECTS OF PREPUBERTAL GROWTH RATE OF EWE LAMBS ON THEIR SUBSEQUENT LAMB AND MILK PRODUCTION - David L. Thomas and Yves M. Berger 32 SHEEP PASTURE MANAGEMENT FOR Phil Holman 40 KATAHDIN HAIR SHEEP AT THE SPOONER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION - David L. Thomas and Yves M. Berger PERFORMANCE OF THE SPOONER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION FLOCK - Yves M. Berger ii

4 PROGRAM 3 rd BIENNIAL SPOONER DAIRY SHEEP DAY (Focusing on research and issues of the dairy sheep industry.) Spooner Agricultural Research Station of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Spooner, Wisconsin Saturday, August 25, :30 a.m. Registration - Station Headquarters 9:00 Welcome and Station Update Heidi Zoerb, Academic Planner in the Office of the Dean; Dick Straub, Director of Agricultural Programs and Agricultural Research Stations; Dan Schaefer, Chair of the Department of Animal Sciences; and Yves Berger, Superintendent of the Spooner Agricultural Research Station; College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison 9:15 Supplementation of Lactating Dairy Ewes Claire Mikolayunas, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Animal Sciences, UW-Madison 10:00 Assessment of the East Friesian Gene Pool in North America Yves Berger 10:30 Break 10:45 The Lamb Weaning and Milking System that Works in Our Operation Day 1 Weaning and Milking Larry and Emily Meisegeier, Dairy Sheep Producers, Bruce, WI Later Weaning and Milking Rich Toebe and Kim Cassano, Dairy Sheep Producers, Catawba, WI Later Weaning and Day-1 Milking (MIX System) Tom and Laurel Kieffer, Dairy Sheep Producers, Strum, WI Noon Lunch - Purchase tickets at the time of registration 1:15 p.m. Photoperiod Effects on Milk Production of Dairy Ewes Claire Mikolayunas 1:45 Effect of Level of Nutrition of Ewe Lambs on Their Milk Production Dave Thomas, Professor of Animal Sciences, UW-Madison 2:15 Move to Sheep Pastures and Barn 2:30 View Sheep Pastures and Discussion of Pasture Issues and Research Phil Holman, Assistant Superintendent, Spooner Agricultural Research Station 3:15 Dairy Sheep, Katahdin Hair Sheep, Sheep Barn, and Milking Parlor Open for Self-Guided Tour with Staff Available to Answer Questions 4:00 Adjourn Attendance at the educational sessions of the Spooner Dairy Sheep Day is free. There is a charge for the lamb barbecue lunch. For more information, contact Lorraine Toman at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station (phone: 715/ , lltoman@wisc.edu). Spooner Dairy Sheep Day is sponsored by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cooperative Extension, University of Wisconsin- Extension. Make Plans Now to Attend the rd Biennial Spooner Sheep Day on Saturday, August 23,

5 EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION ON MILK PRODUCTION OF DAIRY EWES C. M. Mikolayunas 1, D. L. Thomas 1, Y. M. Berger 2, K. A. Albrecht 3, D. K. Combs 4, and S. R. Eckerman 1 1 Department of Animal Sciences, 2 Spooner Agricultural Research Station, 3 Department of Agronomy, and 4 Department of Dairy Science University of Wisconsin-Madison Introduction Dairy sheep production throughout the world is generally pasture-based, with ewes receiving supplement in the milking parlor. No studies have reported the effect of supplementation under dairy sheep production conditions in the United States - genetics based on Lacaune and East Friesian breeds and grazing of improved, temperate pastures. Two grazing trials were conducted at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station to determine the effect of supplementation of ewes at different stages of lactation and the effect of different levels of supplement. Nutrient Requirements Can a dairy ewe consume enough pasture dry matter? Previous authors have suggested that dairy ewes can consume 4 to 6 % of their body weight (BW) in dry matter (DM) per day. However, these estimates are based on ewes of different breeds with lower production levels. Avondo and Lutri (2004) presented data of various breeds with weights of 93 to 165 lb. and milk production levels of 2.4 to 4.4 lb./d. Dairy ewes at the Spooner Station can weigh over 220 lb. and produce up to 6.5 lb./d. A recent confinement feeding trial at the Spooner Station found intake levels between 3.2 and 3.9 % of BW for ewes producing 5.3 to 5.7 lb./d. Large ewes may eat less DM as a percent of their BW due to the increased size of their rumen, which can hold feed longer and extract more nutrients per lb./dm than smaller ruminants. Based on an average level of intake of 3.7% BW, a typical dairy ewe from the Spooner Station in mid-lactation weighing 198 lb. may consume 6.3 lb. DM/d. Based on this level of intake, she would need to consume 49 lb. of fresh pasture (at 15% DM), 14.6 lb. silage (at 50 % DM) or 8.3 lb. dry hay (at 88% DM). Due to the high water content of pasture and the size of a ewe s rumen, she may have a hard time eating such a quantity of pasture. However, previous reports of DM intake levels of lactating ewes on pasture indicated levels of intake ranging from 3.4 to 5.8% BW (Pulina et al., 2005; Molle et al., 2003). Therefore, if pasture availability is high, this typical ewe may be able to consume enough forage DM. According to the Small Ruminant Nutrition System (2006), a ewe of this size, with a milk production level of 5.68 lb./d (5.5% fat and 4.8 % protein), has an energy requirement of about 2 times maintenance or 3.5 Mcal/d net energy for maintenance and 3.7 Mcal/d net energy for lactation. In addition, the ewe has a protein requirement of 0.75 lb./d of metabolizable protein. Can pasture provide enough energy and protein to meet this ewe s maintenance and milk production requirements? 2

6 Can pasture provide enough dietary energy? Energy for ruminants comes primarily from two types of carbohydrates, fibrous carbohydrates (measured as neutral detergent fiber, NDF) and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC). Both sources are fermented in the rumen primarily to produce energy for microbial growth. In the process, fermentation by-products are released, including methane, carbon dioxide, heat and acids. The volatile fatty acids (VFA) released include acetate, butyrate and propionate, which are absorbed across the rumen wall and used by the ruminant for muscle growth, adipose tissue formation, and lactation. Fibrous carbohydrates contain cellulose and hemicellulose and are bound to lignin in plant cell walls. The fiber particles contribute to rumen health by stimulating chewing action and saliva production by the ruminant. Saliva contains sodium bicarbonate, which helps to maintain a neutral rumen ph for rumen microbes. The slow fermentation of fibrous carbohydrates stimulates the production of acetic acid, a precursor of milk fat. A reduction in dietary fiber is associated with a decrease in rumen health and a depression in milk fat. If dietary NDF levels are too high, it can have a negative impact on dry matter intake and milk yield. Non-fiber carbohydrates, including simple sugars and starch, ferment quickly in the rumen. These sugars provide an energy source for microbial growth. Since their fermentation is nearly complete, NFC yields more VFA than NDF carbohydrates. The fermentation of dietary NFC promotes the production of propionic acid, an important precursor of milk lactose. Since lactose is the main osmole in milk, the amount of lactose produced is closely related to the amount of milk produced. In dairy ewes, lactose levels average 4.8%. If NFC levels are too low, then DM intake, fiber digestion, and milk yield may be limited. If NFC levels are too high, the large increase in VFA will contribute to rumen acidosis and decreased intake and milk production. In addition, high NFC may contribute to body fat deposition in late lactation ewes due to hormonal regulation and energy partitioning (Cannas, 2002). The type and level of carbohydrates affect the growth of rumen microbes, which are the main sources of protein for ruminants and the production of VFA, which are utilized directly by the host ruminant. Therefore, the levels of these two energy sources must be closely monitored to avoid health problems and limits to production. Cannas (2002) dietary guidelines for ewes at high production levels (3.7 to 4.6 lb. of 6.5 % fat corrected milk/d) recommend NDF levels of 33 % DM and NFC levels of 38% DM. Based on NRC tables for pasture combinations, Table 1 indicates that while NDF levels may be adequate, forages alone cannot provide adequate NFC to meet the needs of high producing dairy ewes. Grain supplements such as corn and soybean meal can provide supplemental NFC to a forage-based diet. Table 1. Composition of feeds. Pasture Pasture Pasture Corn Barley Soybean Meal Grass Mix Legume NDF NFC RDP RUP (Complied from Combs,1999 and NRC, 2007) 3

7 Can pasture provide enough protein? Amino acids are essential for tissue and wool growth, milk production, and gluconeogenesis. Ruminant requirements for amino acids may be supplied either by dietary protein which escapes rumen degradation (RUP) or by microbial protein synthesized from rumen degraded dietary protein (RDP) or non-protein nitrogen. Microbial protein can account for 60% of the protein reaching the small intestine and is abundant in essential amino acids (Wattiaux, 1999). Achieving a mixture of microbial and dietary protein sources is ideal for lactating ruminants. The majority of protein in pasture is RDP (Table 1), which is converted to ammonia or branched chain fatty acids and utilized by rumen microbes for growth. Non-protein nitrogen compounds, such as urea in feed or saliva, may also be converted to ammonia and utilized by rumen microbes or absorbed directly. The extent of microbial growth from the ammonia pool also depends on energy available from dietary carbohydrates. If rumen ammonia levels are too low to meet microbial growth requirements, there will be a shortage of rumen bacteria and a reduction in feed digestibility. If rumen ammonia levels exceed microbial capacity or energy availability, the excess ammonia will be absorbed across the rumen wall. Once in the bloodstream, the liver converts ammonia to a detoxified form, urea, which can be recycled to the rumen through the blood or excreted in urine or milk (Van Soest, 1994). As dietary nitrogen increases beyond the blood s holding capacity, excess urea is expelled in urine or milk. Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) levels are closely related to blood urea nitrogen levels in sheep and can be used as an indicator of protein utilization (Cannas, 2002). Recommended levels for sheep range from 14 to 22 mg/dl (Cannas, 2002). Rumen undegradable protein (RUP) is absorbed directly in the small intestine, providing amino acids of high biological value. While microbial protein can provide most of the absorbed protein required by ruminants, dietary RUP may provide amino acids which compliment microbial protein, such as methionine and lysine. Supplementation of RUP sources have been shown to increase milk yield in dairy cattle, though results are mixed (Santos et al., 1998). Variations are often due to the source and quality of the RUP sources. In lactating blackfaced ewes, supplementation with rumen protected (or rumen undegradable) methionine (Lynch et al., 1991) increased growth of their lambs, indicating that low levels of methionine may limit milk production in ewes. Sheep have a high requirement for sulphurcontaining amino acids (methionine and cystine) to support wool growth, and high levels of milk production may increase this requirement. Therefore, RUP sources may be important to maintain milk production in lactating ewes. When feedstuffs high in RUP were supplemented to low producing dairy ewes, there was a numerical, though not significant, increase in milk yield (Ubertalle et al., 1998). The response to RUP may have been limited by the production potential of this breed of dairy ewe. Results from two different supplementation trials conducted in 2005 and 2006 at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station suggest that RUP may have contributed to the differences in milk yield response between the trials. 4

8 2005 Trial In 2005, 56 3-yr-old ewes were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial treatment design; in early (21 ± 10 DIM) or late lactation (136 ± 9 DIM) at the start of the trial and receiving 0 or 1.8 lb. DM/d (2 lb./d as-fed) of a corn and soybean meal supplement during the grazing period. On May 25, 2005, ewes began grazing and supplementation treatments were started. Ewes were machine milked twice per day and provided pasture for approximately 20 hr/d. Ewes were rotationally grazed through 20 acres of pasture, ranging in composition from 40% to 95 % orchardgrass and 60% to 5% kura clover and/or various other grass species. Milk production testing was conducted weekly, bi-weekly milk samples were analyzed for milk fat, milk protein, and a sample was compiled for milk urea nitrogen analysis. Results There was no significant interaction between stage of lactation and supplementation treatments. All results presented are the main effect of supplementation on milk production, regardless of stage of lactation. Supplemented ewes produced an average of 0.50 lb./d more milk than unsupplemented ewes (3.50 vs lb./d, respectively; Figure 1). Figure 1. Milk yield of ewes receiving 0 or 2 lb. corn and soybean meal supplement. Supplemented Uns upplemented Milk (lb/d) Test Figure 2. Milk composition of ewes receiving 0 or 2 lb. corn and soybean meal supplement. Fat (%) * * Protein (%) * Test Test 5

9 Supplemented ewes had lower (P < 0.05) milk fat percentage than unsupplemented ewes (5.75 vs %, respectively). Milk fat percentage is inversely related to fiber content of the diet. Therefore, ewes consuming a low-fiber supplement may have lower total NDF intake, possibly leading to a milk fat depression (Bencini and Pulina, 1997). Low milk fat percentage has also been documented in grazing dairy cows receiving grain supplementation (Reis and Combs, 2000). Supplemented ewes also had lower (P < 0.05) milk protein percentage than unsupplemented ewes (4.84 vs. 5.04%, respectively). During the 82 d trial, supplemented ewes produced 43.5 lb. more milk than unsupplemented ewes (278 vs. 235 lb., respectively). Based on the reported average sheep milk price in Wisconsin of $ 0.55/lb. (WASS, 2006), supplementation increased gross return by $23.93/ewe. Based on the level of supplement provided (1.8 lb. DM/d or 2.0 lb. as fed/d), supplemented ewes received a total of 164 lb. of as-fed grain. Therefore, the breakeven cost for supplementation in this study was $0.145/lb of supplement or $290/ton. Trial milk urea nitrogen (MUN) levels ranged from 18.0 to 33.6 mg/dl and were higher than recommended levels for sheep (14 to 22 mg/dl; Cannas, 2002) at most sampling periods. These results indicate ineffective utilization of dietary nitrogen, either due to excess nitrogen intake and/or insufficient energy intake. Pasture protein levels remained high throughout the grazing season, averaging 24.2 % CP and ranging from 16.6 to 30.6 %. Supplemented ewes were consuming both highly degradable pasture protein and supplemental soybean meal, while unsupplemented ewes may not have had enough NFC to optimally utilize the pasture protein Trial Based on the 2005 trial results, the Spooner Agricultural Research Station began supplementation with whole corn in The next trial was conducted to determine if milk production and protein utilization is affected by level of corn supplementation. Ninety-six 3-, 4-, and 5-yr-old ewes, averaging 112 ± 21 days in milk at the start of the trial, were randomly assigned to four treatments: 0, 1, 2, or 3 lb. as-fed whole corn/d. Supplementation treatments began on May 25, 2006 when ewes went to pasture and continued for 88 days. Similar to the 2005 trial, ewes grazed mixed grass-legume pastures for approximately 20 h/d. Ewes were machine milked twice/d. Milk production was tested every week, bi-weekly milk samples were analyzed for milk fat, milk protein, and a sample was compiled for milk urea nitrogen analysis. Results Daily milk yield of supplementation treatments is presented in Figure 3. Results presented in Table 3 indicate a linear increase (P < ) in milk production in response to increasing levels of corn supplementation. Supplemented ewes (1, 2, and 3 lb. corn) produced more (P < 0.01) milk than unsupplemented (0 lb. corn) ewes, and high levels of supplementation (2 and 3 lb. corn) resulted in more milk production (P < ) than low levels of supplementation (0 and 1 lb. corn). 6

10 Figure 3. Milk production of grazing dairy ewes fed varying levels of corn (lb./d as-fed) Milk (lb/d) Day of trial Table 3. Milk production and composition of grazing ewes fed varying levels of corn supplement. Level of supplementation (lb./d) Contrasts (P =) Trt (P =) Linear 0 vs. Low vs. Suppl. High * Milk, lb./d 2.87 a 2.91 a 3.11 b 3.17 b Fat, % 6.26 b 6.40 b 6.09 b 5.89 a Fat, lb./d Protein, % Protein, lb./d a a b b MUN, mg/dl a b 13.58c c * Low = 0 and 1 lb./d, High = 2 and 3 lb./d Milk fat percentage generally decreased with increasing level of supplement. Low supplement treatments had significantly higher milk fat percentage than high supplement levels. This supports results from the 2005 trial. Low fiber levels in the supplement, which would constitute an increasing percent of total dry matter intake, may contribute to milk fat depression. Milk protein percentage was slightly higher in supplemented ewes (1, 2, 3 lb/d) compared to unsupplemented ewes. This contributed to the significant linear increase in milk protein yield. Milk protein yield and milk urea nitrogen values indicate that corn supplementation increases the utilization of dietary protein in ewes grazing high quality pastures. Protein levels of pastures during the 2006 season averaged 20.6 %CP and ranged from 11.5 to 25.7 %. The combination of a supplement low in protein (corn) and lower protein pastures resulted in MUN values closer to the recommended range for dairy ewes (Figure 4) compared to In both years, pasture protein levels and MUN values were closely correlated, and supplemented ewes had lower MUN level than unsupplemented ewes, regardless of type of supplementation. 7

11 Figure 4. Relationship between trial milk urea nitrogen values and pasture crude protein percent Unsupp. Supp. Milk urea nitrogen (mg/dl) Pasture crude protein (% ) The economic benefit of level of corn supplementation is presented in Table 4. Based on the current price of corn, supplementation is only profitable at a level of 2 lb./d even though all three supplement levels resulted in increased milk production. Table 4. Economic evaluation of varying levels of corn supplement. Level of Supplementation (lb./d) Additional milk yield (lb./d) Total additional milk (lb./88 d) Increased income/ewe ($0.55 / lb. milk) $1.94 $11.62 $14.52 Grain fed (lb.) Total grain cost* $5.02 $10.03 $15.05 Net per ewe at current corn price - $ $ $0.53 Breakeven corn cost ($/lb.) $0.022 $0.066 $0.055 ($/ton) $44 $132 $110 * Price of $3.19/bu in Chicago (56 lb./bu) = $ per pound or $114 per ton Summary and Conclusions Supplementation of grazing dairy ewes had a positive effect on milk yield regardless of type of supplementation. At a level of supplementation of 2 lb./d, the greater increase in milk yield observed with supplemental soybean meal and corn in the 2005 trial compared to corn alone in the 2006 trial may be due to the positive effect of increased RUP in the soybean meal. While some studies support the positive effect of dietary RUP on milk yield, results have not been consistent, and further trials are needed to confirm this effect in high producing dairy ewes. Supplementation increased milk yield, but it may also buffer dietary intake against variations in pasture quality. In addition, it should be possible to adjust the type and amount of supplement 8

12 to compliment pasture quality as forage energy and protein levels change due to seasonal and pasture management effects. Literature Cited Avondo, M. and L. Lutri Feed intake in Dairy Sheep Feeding and Nutrition. G. Pulina ed. Avenue Media, Bologna, Italy. Bencini, R. and G. Pulina The quality of sheep milk: A review. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 37: Cannas, A Feeding of lactating ewes in Dairy Sheep Feeding and Nutrition. G. Pulina ed. Avenue Media, Bologna, Italy. Combs, D Dairy updates: Grain supplementation to grazing herds. Feeding No. 501 of The Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research, Madison, WI. Lynch, G. P., T. H. Elsasser C. J. Jackson, T. S. Rumsey, and M. J. Camp Nitrogen metabolism of lactating ewes fed rumen protected methionine and lysine. J. Dairy Sci. 66:2268. Molle, G., M. Decandia, N. Fois, S. Ligios, A. Cabiddu, and M. Sitzia The performance of Mediterranian dairy sheep given access to sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) and annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) pastures in different time proportions. Small Rumin. Res. 49:319. National Research Council Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants: sheep, goats, cervids and New World camelids. Natl. Acad. Sci., Washington, D.C. Pulina, G., A. Cannas, and M. Avondo How to graze dairy sheep and supplement their diets in order to improve production. Page 89 in Proc. 11 th Annual Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, Burlington, VT. Reis, R. B. and D. K. Combs Effects of increasing levels of grain supplementation on rumen environment and lactation performance of dairy cows grazing grass-legume pasture. J. Dairy Sci. 83: Santos, F. A. P., J. E. P. Santos, C. B. Theurer, and J. T. Huber Effects of rumenundegradable protein on dairy cow performance: A 12-year literature review. J Dairy Sci. 81: Small Ruminant Nutrition System. V Department of Animal Sciences, Texas A&M University, and Cornell University. Ubertalle, A., R. Fortina, L. M. Battaglini, A. Mimosi, and M. Profiti Effect of protein degradability on urea nitrogen in sheep milk. Science e Tecnica Lattiero-Casearia. 49:67. Van Soest, P. J Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Wattiaux, M Protein metabolism in dairy cows in Dairy Essentials. The Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research, Madison, WI. Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service Wisconsin Dairy Sheep Industry Overview. Accessed Dec. 20,

13 THE EAST FRIESIAN BREED OF SHEEP IN NORTH AMERICA Yves M. Berger Spooner Ag. Research Station University of Wisconsin-Madison Introduction When sheep dairying started in the late 1980 s in the United States, a country in which the milking of sheep was unheard of, pioneer dairy sheep producers had only the existing domestic breeds to bring into the milking parlor. Although breeds such as the Dorset or Polypay are considered by sheep persons as milky, new dairy sheep producers quickly realized that the commercial milk production of those breeds was not sufficient to provide a decent return and a sustainable enterprise. They were soon looking for ways to increase the milk production, and it was logical that they would turn to specialized dairy breeds. The East Friesian is the most famous of those breeds but was not present in North America. Moreover, at this time, the importation in the United States of a new breed of sheep from Europe, either as live animals, embryos or even frozen semen, was near impossible because of encephalopathy diseases (ovine and bovine) that started to create some worldwide concerns. American dairy sheep producers were left with no possibilities of introducing a dairy breed until events started to develop in Canada in The East Friesian breed The East Friesian is considered to be the world s best milk producing dairy sheep. Litter size in the East Friesian is reported as averaging 2.25 lambs with milk yield of 500 to 700 kg per lactation of 240 to 260 days testing 6 to 7% milk fat, the highest average dairy milk yield recorded for any breed of sheep. The origin of the Friesian sheep breed is the region of Friesland extending along the North Sea coast westward from the Weser River in northeast Germany along the north coast of the Netherlands and south to the Schelde (Scheldt) River at the border of the Netherlands and Belgium. Offshore is a fringe of islands including the West "Frisian" Islands belonging to the Netherlands, the "East Frisian" Islands belonging to Germany, and, to the north, the North "Frisian" Islands divided between Germany and Denmark. The German East Friesian Milk Sheep (Ostfriesisches Milchschaf) is the best known and most important of the Friesian breeds and is the breed known in the scientific literature as the "East Friesian". It was found in small numbers in many parts of the country as a household milk producer. They are highly specialized animals and do poorly under extensive and large flock husbandry conditions. It is perhaps no mere coincidence that the region of Friesland is also the origin of the Friesian cattle breed, including the Holstein, which has the highest milk yield of any breed of livestock. Friesian cattle and East Friesian sheep are alike in other important regards. Neither fares well in harsh, hot environments, but both have produced excellent crossbreds with adapted local breeds. An example of the dramatic effect the East Friesian milk sheep can have on breeds 10

14 adapted to environments too severe for the purebred East Friesian is from the development of the composite Assaf breed in Israel from crossing East Friesian with the Awassi, a breed adapted to the arid Middle East. Lamb and milk production among yearling Assaf is double that of the Awassi. The Spooner Agricultural Research Station, University of Wisconsin-Madison in the mid 1990 s also demonstrated the ability of the East Friesian breed to greatly improve the milk production of domestic breeds by mere crossbreeding. Other Dutch breeds may be derivatives of the Friesians, i.e. old style Texel. Near the Belgian border is the Vlaams Schaap or Flemish Sheep also called the Vlaams Melkschaap/Flemish Milk Sheep. The origin of the Flemish Milk Sheep is vague but it is doubtless also related to the Friesian breeds with litter size recorded as of the order of 2.5 lambs per litter. The first importation of East Friesian in North America/Canada In 1966, Agriculture Canada at the Agriculture Research Center Ottawa imported the East Friesian breed from Europe with the intent of creating a synthetic breed (in crossbreeding with other breeds) that would have a high fertility, high lambing rate and good milking ability. By 1972, the flock was closed to all new importation, and the imported animals were destroyed. The remaining flock constituted the base for the three Arcott breeds: Outaouais, Canadian and Rideau. Although developed for research purposes, the 8-month production cycle of the Rideau Arcott as well as its propensity for having triplets, quickly caught the eye of Canadian sheep farmers. Between 1982 and 1986, Agriculture Canada continued the minimum of selection necessary to maintain the genetic base for the new composite breeds. In 1986, the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association recognized the Rideau Arcott commercially. The Rideau is now one of the most popular breeds in Canada with 15% of its composition being East Friesian. Second importation of East Friesian in Canada The dairy sheep fever was not limited to the United States but was spreading to Canada. In 1990, a young entrepreneur-farmer immigrant from Switzerland established a farm in Chase, British Columbia, Canada. He quickly purchased a flock of Rideau Arcott and obtained the authorization to import frozen semen of the East Friesian breed from the Swiss Federal Center for Artificial Insemination. In 1993, the first East Friesian F1 crosses were born. The producer kept upgrading his flock and had ¾ East Friesian in 1994, 7/8 East Friesian in 1995 and higher percentage East Friesian blood in the following years (by continuing this grading-up system one can finally have animals considered as purebreds ). In 1994, another Canadian immigrant, this time from Germany, established in Markdale, Ontario and imported 64 East Friesian embryos from the Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Shropshire in Great Britain. 31 lambs were born from those embryos at an average cost of $2000 Canadian dollars (embryos were purchased for $Can 800 each). This was followed by another importation in 1995 of embryos and frozen semen from Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany. At about the same time in 1994, another immigrant from Germany established in Spruce View, Alberta imported frozen semen from the same source and frozen embryos the following year. 11

15 In 1995 the pace of importation of East Friesian in Canada accelerated with Canadian companies (Ova Genetics Rosebud Breeding Center - Eurosheep) in Alberta also importing semen and embryos from the same source. The same year, a Canadian producer at Ste Helenede-Chester, Quebec imported frozen embryos from Sweden. In 1996, another immigrant from Germany, located in Finch, Ontario, imported EF semen and EF embryos from 9 different lines from the Swiss Federal Center for Artificial Insemination as well as embryos from the French dairy breed of Lacaune. No more importation of dairy sheep seems to have occurred in Canada after Importation of East Friesian in the US The importation of East Friesian germplasm into the U.S. is, of course, very much linked to the importation into Canada. In 1993, the Spooner Agricultural Research Station of the University of Wisconsin-Madison along with 2 other Wisconsin producers imported the first ½ East Friesian rams from British Columbia in the United States. Those rams served as the base for the University milking flock. The following year the Research Station imported a ¾ EF ram from the same source, and then a 7/8 EF ram. Some New England producers also imported crossbred East Friesian rams from British Columbia. In 1995, a major dairy sheep producer in New York imported EF frozen semen from New Zealand. New Zealand (Silverstream Ltd) had imported East Friesian embryos from Sweden (same lines as the producer in Quebec) was the boom of importation of East Friesian germplasm through various channels with the number of live East Friesian becoming more abundant in Canada due to the birth of embryos imported in The Spooner Agricultural Research Station imported EF frozen semen from England and New Zealand as well as live pure EF rams from Canada. At the same time, Canadian entrepreneurs formed alliances or partnership with American producers in order to sell high priced breeding stock throughout the country. Canadian entrepreneurs also sold breeding stock directly to American producers, who in turn set up shop to sell stock such as A-1 Sheep Imports in Oregon or Crane Creek East Friesians in Iowa, as examples. The list of American buyers of East Friesian stock is impossible to compile because without some sort of tracking systems one cannot be aware of all transactions. Also in 1996, for a very short period, the importation of live animals directly from Europe was authorized. Ag-Innovations, a small company located in Vermont, imported live East Friesians from Belgium and the Netherlands. In fact, most of the East Friesian animals imported by Ag-Innovations were originally from the Netherlands. Those animals were later put in quarantine by the State of Vermont in 1998 and destroyed in March Ag-Innovations also imported live East Friesian animals (ewes and rams) from Silverstream in New Zealand, the same company from which Old Chatham in New York and The Spooner Research Station imported germplasm from in 1995 and 1996, respectively. Between 1993 and 2002, many live East Friesians were purchased in Canada where the breed 12

16 is still raised as a recognized purebred with a registry held by the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association. With the discovery of the first case of BSE in a Canadian cow, the border between the U.S. and Canada closed to all live animal exportations from Canada to the U.S. in Impact of the East Friesian Breed in the U.S. It is estimated that there are between 65 to 75 dairy sheep operations in North America milking approximately 10 to 11,000 ewes. Most of those ewes are East Friesian crossbred with domestic breeds (mostly Rideau Arcott in Canada and Dorset or Polypay in the U.S.). There is no doubt that the introduction of the East Friesian breed in North America was necessary to increase the commercial milk production and to make the dairy sheep sector viable. It is possible nowadays to have a flock of sheep with a production average of 700 to 800 pounds of milk during a lactation of 220 days, which is remarkable. The East Friesian breed, however, did not quite live up to its reputation and hype. The huge milk yields shown in catalogs never really happened. It is my personal opinion, however, that without the East Friesian, there would be no dairy sheep producers in North America. The introduction of the Lacaune in 1998 gave producers other crossbreeding options. Many milking ewes are now Lacaune x EF x Domestic crosses. The reasons for producers not milking pure East Friesians ewes are multiple: - Not enough East Friesians animals in North America. - Not enough different blood lines of East Friesian to establish a population. Most of the imported East Friesians can be traced back to the same origin (see Table 1). Constant breeding of the animals with the same blood lines (father-daughter, father-grand daughter ) results in increasing the coefficient of inbreeding. Although not always detrimental, inbreeding is generally avoided because of high risk of weakness and malformation in animals. - Limited financial capacity of dairy sheep producers, keeping them from purchasing high priced breeding stock. The purchase was mostly limited to rams. - Research showing that crossbred EF ewes can have a high milk production output without going to purebreds. - Research showing that pure East Friesian lambs have a higher mortality rate than lambs of other breeds because of a greater susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Conclusion Practically all East Friesian animals present in North America have the same origin as shown in the Table 1. A fairly high degree of inbreeding must be expected in the pure East Friesian. It is interesting to go to the Canadian Sheep Breeder Association web site ( and look up at the East Friesian registry. Practically all pure East Friesian animals come from Wooldrift, Rosebud and Eurosheep (Shepherd Gourmet). They started as imported embryos from the same few Dutch ewes (N409, P912, L901, to name a few) and from the same rams (Vos 137, Berksmar 18, Porte, T 708, S542) the rams being already related to the donor ewes (N409 is the dam of S542 and is the dam of Vos 137). Some embryos from Great Britain (originally from Switzerland), Sweden (originally from Switzerland), and Switzerland complete the very narrow East Friesian gene pool present in North America. 13

17 In 2005, Casellas and Thomas, calculated the breeding values of all EF rams used at the Spooner Research Station (Table 2) including the breeding values of the sires of some of the rams when sufficient data could be used. It appears that Dutch rams have a better estimated breeding value for milk yield than rams of Swiss origin, with the exception of Odo who proved to be very valuable. New Zealand rams, with genetic origins in Sweden and Switzerland, have an average breeding value. Sources - Alastaire Mckenzie, Ste-Helene-de Chester, Quebec, personal communication - Axel Meister, Markdale, Ontario, personal communication. - Berger Y.M. and D.L. Thomas Early experimental results for growth of East Friesian crossbred lambs and reproduction and milk production of East Friesian crossbred ewes. In Proceedings of Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, Madison, Wisconsin, April 4 th, Casellas and Thomas Personal communication - Diane Kauffman, Colfax, Wisconsin - Hani Gasser, Chase, British Columbia, personal communication - Josef Regli, Finch, Ontario, personal communication - Josef Regli, Finch, Ontario, personal communication - Principles of Sheep Dairying in North America. Yves Berger Editor. Published by UWEX Press ( - Thomas D.L., Y.M. Berger and B.C. McKusick East Friesian germplasm: Effects on milk production, lamb growth, and lamb survival. J. Anim. Sci. 77(Suppl. 1): Thomas, D.L., Y.M.Berger, Brett C. McKusick, Randy G. Gottfredson, and Rob Zelinski Comparison of East Friesian and Lacaune breeding for dairy sheep production systems. 7 th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Proceedings. Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Nov 1-3, Thomas, D.L Overview of the dairy sheep sector in Canada and the United States. 10 th Great Lakes dairy Sheep symposium. Proceedings. Hudson, Wisconsin, November 4-6, Stephanie Mitcham, Summer, Iowa

18 Table 1. Origin of East Friesian Animals in North America. Importer Imported from Item Lines Hani Gasser (BC) Switzerland semen Odo, Orf, Garfield Wooldrift (ONT) Holland Embryos-semen N409, P912, L901, (the most famous) Great Britain Embryos-semen Ancellor lines Vos 137, Berksmar 18, Porte Eurosheep (ALB) Holland Embryos-semen Same as Wooldrift Great Britain Embryos-semen originally from Vos 137- Berksmar 18, Porte, S542 Holland Switzerland Semen Odo, Orf, Garfield sold through the USA by Jarvis Germany Semen Othello, black EF ram sold through the USA by Jarvis Rosebud (ALB) Holland Embryos-semen Same as Eurosheep, many sold in the USA through Kaufmann- Hagen Great Britain Embryos-semen Same as Eurosheep Lucille Giroux (QUEBEC) Sweden Embryos Originally from Switzerland related to Regli (?) Josef Regli (ONT) Switzerland Embryos-semen New lines from Switzerland Old Chatham (NY) New Zealand Semen New Zealand related to Giroux, Quebec Ag Innovation Live Grand sons of S542 and N409 Spooner UW- Canada Live Regli, Wooldrift, Rosebud Madison (WI) Great Britain Semen Vos 137, Berksmar 18, Crane Creek EF (IW) A1 Sheep Import (OR) Ag. Innovation (VT) Topaz New Zealand Semen B40, B21, B26, B87, B49 related to Giroux, Quebec and Old Chatham (??) Canada Embryos-live Wooldrift Rosebud New Zealand Semen Same Canada Embryos-semen? Holland Live All daughters of S542 and grand daughters of N409 Belgium Live New Zealand Live Same as others 15

19 Table 2. Breeding values of EF rams used at Spooner (Casellas and Thomas, 2005) Milk yield (kg) Rams Description BV Rank 0137VOS Semen from England, son of ewe Dutch origin Sire 287F, Dam 6J, Dutch origin, Purchased from Larry Meisegeier, River Ridge Stock Farm ODO310 Semen from Switzerland through Hani Gasser F Sire S542 (son of ewe N409), Dam (dam of Vos 137), Dutch origin B87 Semen from New Zealand, Silverstream AXM316K Has for grand parents: ewe L901, ewe , ram vos 137, ram S542 all Dutch origin Berksmar Dutch origin, not much information AXM213H Has for grand sires Vos 0137 and S542, Dutch origin K Son of ram Nerton 12F, Switzerland, purchased from Regli C2 ½ East Friesian ram from Odo310. Purchased from Hani Gasser B49 Semen from New Zealand ram, Silverstream F Son of super elite ewe P912, Dutch origin B26 Semen from New Zealand ram, Silverstream B40 Semen from New Zealand ram, Silverstream B21 Semen from New Zealand ram, Silverstream TOPAZ Dutch origin, semen purchased in England, not much info Nerton12F Sire of many of Regli s animals, Swiss origin GAR5074 Semen from Switzerland through Hani Gasser Ram from New Zealand, Purchased from Old Chatham K Son of ram Nerton 12F, Switzerland, Purchased from Regli D ¾ East Friesian ram from Gar5074, Purchased from Hani Gasser C27 ½ East Friesian ram from Odo310, Purchased from Hani Gasser

20 RAISING LAMBS THE RIVER RIDGE WAY Larry and Emily Meisegeier and Ruth Grinnell River Ridge Stock Farm Bruce, Wisconsin 17

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24 30-DAY WEANING SYSTEM Kim Cassano and Rich Toebe Jump River Shepherds Dairy Catawba, Wisconsin What is it? Mothers raise their lambs until the lambs are 30 days old, weigh 30 lbs, and are eating enough concentrate to make it without milk. When lambs reach their 30 s, they are weaned, and their mothers enter the milk line. We fudge a bit in the beginning to get a sizable group of mothers to milk. How does it work? Basically our farm looks like a commercial lamb operation until we start milking in April except that we keep a careful eye on the udders. We shed lamb in March. New families spend time together in jugs and mixing pens until ready to join a larger group. Families are grouped according to the ewes nutritional needs, i.e., singles, twins, multiples. Lambs have access to grain through creep gates. What about triplets, quadruplets, etc? Lambs who aren t getting enough milk from mom are moved to an orphan pen and raised on bucket bottles. They also are weaned at 30 days and 30 lbs. What about singles? Newborn singles generally don t drink enough of a dairy ewe s production. We check the ewes udders and hand milk when necessary during the first few days until thirst and production balance out. Is it labor intensive? We spend time milking ewes with too full or uneven udders, and making sure triplets and quadruplets are getting enough to drink. We save time by not having to train lambs to drink or to clean their bottles. Isn t weaning late more stressful? Lambs and mothers do get upset about being separated, but this tends to last just 2 to 3 days. Shepherds can minimize this with low stress weaning techniques. We like to take the lambs when the ewes aren t looking and then call them away to a feeder full of grain. And keep them out of earshot. Why bother? Because we like it. We like that lambs get to stay with their mothers instead of being separated so early in life. We like that lambs have time to learn all the useful things a mother can teach. We like that lambs get to drink real milk. We like not spending time cleaning buckets and teaching lambs to suck off them. It works for us. 21

25 MIX WEANING AT DREAM VALLEY FARM Tom and Laurel Kieffer Dream Valley Farm Strum, Wisconsin Our History with the MIX System of Weaning What is MIX weaning? At 10 to15 days after lambing, ewes and lambs are separated for approximately 15 hours of each day, overnight, after which time the ewes are milked in the morning before being rejoined with their lambs. Lambs receive creep feed, but no milk replacer. Where did the idea originate? We became aware of this method in 1999 when UW-Madison researchers Brett McKusick, Yves Berger, and Dave Thomas presented the results of a study they had done comparing milk production and lamb growth for three weaning systems; DY1 (lambs weaned at 24 hours and raised entirely on milk replacer and creep feed), MIX, and DY30 (lambs stay with their dams for 30 days, then are weaned onto creep feed). The report is found in the proceedings of the 47 th Spooner Sheep Day and the 5 th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium both in Why did we try it? We liked the idea of raising the lambs on ewes milk rather than on milk replacer. We did not feel we had the extra time or facilities to attempt DY1 weaning. The research results indicated that the MIX system had the greatest potential financial yield per ewe. What are the weaknesses of this system? Ewes on MIX will put about 85% of their total production in the bulk tank the rest feeds their lambs. While on MIX, these ewes will withhold butterfat during machine milking to the point where their milk will be 3 to 4% butterfat. The process requires daily separation of the lambs and dams, potentially adding extra stress. Why do we still do it? It s easiest to keep doing something you are set up for, know how to do, and know what results to expect. We have good success in lamb health and growth, as well as milk production. We do not have adequate facilities to switch completely to DY1 lamb rearing, nor sufficient cash flow to make the needed modifications. When possible, we still prefer to operate natural processes (we generally like the idea of lambs raised by their dams). Our Current Weaning System In 2007 we used a combination of all three systems of weaning. The first approximately 30 ewes lambing go to the MIX weaning system. Those lambs will be 10 to 20 days old at the time of MIX startup. The reason for doing this is to collect a large enough group of ewes to justify milking startup. 22

26 The next approximately 50 to 70 ewes will be DY1, with the lambs trained to bottle and machine feeding. This places additional fresh ewes on 2x day milking very soon after the MIX ewes start, giving a short time window of low-butterfat milk. By this point, our currently available lamb rearing facility is nearly full. Actually our DY1 is more like DY2 to 4, so the lambs get a good feeding of colostrum, and we don t need to separate this milk in the parlor. During this time, we also make use of any frozen milk left from the previous year by feeding it in nipple pails. Until the earliest born lambs are fully weaned and moved out of the rearing area, all singles are weaned DY1, with the remainder on MIX, and an occasional DY30. As lambs reach full weaning and are moved out of the rearing area, new DY1 lambs can be added. This is a limitation placed on us by our current facilities. Our Current MIX Weaning Process Facility As with any lamb rearing system, the lambs need a light, clean, dry comfortable shelter with fresh water and creep feed. The daily separation process requires a pen with creep gate into the lambs space. We use the holding area leading to our parlor. As the ewes enter the pen, a closed gate stops them from proceeding all the way to the parlor entrance, and a back gate allows us to enclose and work with a group of about 30 ewes with lambs (not necessarily their own). On the side wall of this enclosed area is the creep gate into the lamb area. Method The separation is done just before each evening milking. The front gate is closed, and the ewes with lambs are moved in to the holding area. The gate behind is closed. The lambs then are coaxed through the creep gate. A second person or one-way panel just inside the creep area will be needed for the first few days, as the lambs will want to come back out to the ewes. Also during the first few days this will be a very noisy time. When this group of lambs is all in their area, the cut gate is opened, allowing the ewes to proceed forward to the parlor entrance. With two people separating a group of 50 ewes with lambs, this process takes 15 to 20 minutes to begin with. After the first few days, when the ewes have realized they are heading for the parlor which means grain the front gate can be used as a cut gate and opened slightly toward the ewes as the group enters the holding area. Some of them will pass right through, leaving the lambs behind to be chased through the creep gate. In a few more days, many of the lambs will enter their area also as the group comes in, and the process is almost automatic, taking one person perhaps 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The ewes are milked in the morning. After milking the lambs and ewes are rejoined. If the total milking flock numbers less than about 150 during MIX time, the entire flock is kept together. The ewes with fully weaned lambs simply pass right by the cut gate. 23