The North Dakota. of snow. It took a long time to green up, with lots of cropland sitting idle, but is it green now.

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1 Sheep The North Dakota Industry Newsletter Publication No. 62 A joint publication brought to you by the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association and the NDSU Extension Service NDLWPA Director s Comments By Matt Benz, Northwest District Director What a great time to be in the sheep business. I don t think any of us can recall a time when the prices for lamb and wool have been this high. It s a great time to consider increasing the size of your ewe flock. Two-dollar lambs and $2.50 wool mean you can keep back a few extra ewe lambs as replacements without affecting your bottom line as much as when prices are low. My sympathies to the people along the Mouse and Missouri rivers who are flooding. It s been a challenging year weather wise, with record amounts Summer 2011 Issue NDLWPA Director s Comments...1 Extension Specialist s Comments...1 Update on Cache Valley Virus...2 Lamb Prices Set Records...2 What Can a Marking Harness Tell You?...3 NDLWPA Board of Directors Minutes...4 Call for Starter Flock Applications...5 USDA Wildlife Services in North Dakota... 5 Ewes and Yews Do Not Mix...5 Funds Available for Scrapie Testing...6 (recipe) Lamb Gyros...6 (recipe) Brined and Smoked Boneless Leg of Lamb...7 NDLWPA Membership Form...7 Summer Management Tips...7 Upcoming Events...8 of snow. It took a long time to green up, with lots of cropland sitting idle, but is it green now. By Paul Klose, Northeast District Director Hello from the northeastern corner of the state, where we are not traditionally known as sheep-raising country. My name is Paul Klose, and I am the newest member elected to the NDLWP board. My wife, Charlotte, and I, along with our kids Bill (17), Becky (14), Rachel (11) and Justin (6), live in Hoople, N.D. This is where we have a small acreage farm and tend to the animals, the garden and lawn. For the past 14 years, I have been the station manager at the CHS grain elevator in Lankin, N.D. Charlotte is a veterinarian at the Golden Valley Veterinary Service in Park River. The kids all attend school in the Valley-Edinburg school district. Charlotte and I raise Clun Forest sheep and also some crossbreds, which we have had for eight years now. We have a flock of 25 ewes, which we start lambing out the end of February. Lambing went fairly well for us this year. Like everyone else, we are tired of doing the chores in the mud! I was beginning to think the whole summer was going to be spent wearing knee boots. Bill and Becky are both in the second year of the starter flock program. They have had a rough time getting any numbers out of the flock; small problems just keep popping up for the kids. As parents, we keep telling them it will get better; there is always next year. Both Charlotte and I are 4-H leaders in Walsh County, and three of our children are involved in 4-H. I enjoy working with youth and seeing them learn and excel in something they enjoy doing. Our future is definitely in our children. What an exciting time to be involved with the sheep industry. We have historically high prices and demand for our products right now. Stay dry and have a great rest of the summer, along with a safe haying season. Please keep the people affected by the flooding in central North Dakota in your thoughts and prayers. Extension Specialist s Comments By Reid Redden, Sheep Specialist NDSU Extension Service The only thing normal about the weather appears to be the abnormal. This spring has been a very wet and cool season, with only a few days of sunshine to green things up. While judging the sheep shearing competition in Miles City, Mont., I saw firsthand all the rain that has led to so much flooding along the Missouri. However, record-breaking 1

2 rainfall is much better than recordbreaking drought. I would encourage those looking to increase their flock size to look at drought dispersal sales in the Texas and New Mexico region. The lamb, wool and pelt industries continue to set record-breaking highs, which has caused the most positive enthusiasm this industry has seen in quite some time. The fact that the sheep industry needs to be as efficient as possible to capitalize on this market never has been more evident. To continue with the TwoPlus Campaign, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) will be releasing facts sheet produced by state sheep specialists on how to boost production. I would encourage you to take advantage of those educational materials and/or contact NDSU Extension to discuss options to improve your flock productivity. I also would recommend that you look into buying the SID Sheep Production Handbook, which is produced by the AS I and available on its website ( In my opinion, it is the gold standard for information regarding commercial sheep production. As many of you already are aware, the lamb packing plant in Hawarden, Iowa, was purchased by Superior Farms last fall and it has been shut down due to a shortage of lambs. However, to my knowledge, a buying station in the region still will transport lambs to Superior s lamb-packing plant in Denver. On a similar note, I have been informed that Central Livestock in West Fargo is scheduling sheep sales and working with buyers to provide a closer marketing point to Eastern ND shepherds. I highly encourage you to contact your lamb buyers/marketers and discuss your marketing options. Sheep producers in this region work too hard producing the very best product to not capture the most for their lambs. A few hurdles may need to be overcome, but this is most definitely the sheep industry s time to shine. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming sheep events throughout the summer. As always, feel free to contact me at (701) with questions, comments or concerns. Update on Cache Valley Virus By Reid Redden, Sheep Specialist NDSU Extension Service Recent reports from central North Dakota and much of the Midwest have identified the Cache Valley virus as a cause for abortions in sheep. The virus is transmitted by mosquitos and has the most detrimental effect on ewes during the first trimester of pregnancy. Wet and warm conditions during the late summer and fall of 2010 were just right to propagate this disease. Embryonic loss and fetal reabsorption occurs in ewes infected with the virus shortly after breeding (less than 30 days). Ewes infected with the Cache Valley virus from 30 to 45 days post-breeding often will develop various congenital abnormalities affecting the nervous system, resulting in abortions, dystocia, weak lambs, stillbirths and lambs with severe structural deformities. Lambs born alive are often too weak to survive and die within minutes of parturition. Lambs born to ewes that were infected with the virus after 45 days of pregnancy may have no adverse effects. No effective treatment is available for lambs or ewes after the viral outbreak has occurred, nor is a vaccine readily available. However, ewes that have been exposed to the virus appear to have lifetime or extended immunity. The most effective method of prevention is to minimize ewes exposure to mosquito-infested areas during and shortly after the breeding season. If this is unavoidable, shepherds can protect their ewes from mosquito feeding with permethrin-based insecticides. Spray-on products are labeled for sheep; however, they may need to be applied multiple times during and after the breeding season to protect ewes. We have worked with Y-Tex Co. and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture s Pesticide Division to obtain a special-needs license to use the insecticide ear tag in sheep. Efficacy of the insecticide tag has not been proven; however, it has been shown to be effective to control mosquito in beef cattle. In addition, Y-Tex is working to get sheep added to its insecticide ear tag label in the future. If you have any questions on how to use this product to protect your sheep from mosquito-borne diseases, feel free to contact us. Lamb Prices Set Records By Tim Petry, Livestock Economist NDSU Extension Service Lamb prices set a record high in 2010 and are on pace to set another record in Higher prices are being fueled by shorter supplies and strong demand for lamb and byproducts. Commercial lamb production for 2011 in the U.S. is forecasted at about million pounds, down almost 6.5 percent from the million produced in Lamb and mutton imports have been declining for several years with the declining value of the U.S. dollar, economies in other lamb-importing countries increasing faster than in the U.S., and declining lamb production in Australia and New Zealand, our major suppliers. 2

3 Imports were at 202 million pounds in 2007, 185 million pounds in 2008 and 171 million pounds in 2009, and further declined to 161 million pounds in The U.S. Department of Agriculture is projecting increasing lamb and mutton imports at 170 million pounds for For January-April 2011, lamb imports declined 2.6 percent from last year, but mutton imports increased 63 percent, resulting in a 13 percent increase in combined lamb and mutton imports. If lamb and mutton imports do increase the predicted 9 million pounds in 2011, they still would not offset the more than 10 million pound predicted decline in production. So, shorter supplies should continue to be supportive to lamb prices. Ethnic and holiday demand for lamb has been stronger this year. Both wholesale lamb shoulder and leg prices, which are typical cuts served at home-holiday meals, strengthened during the spring religious/ethnic holidays. Both cuts averaged more than 30 percent higher than last year during the holiday season. Although prices have declined seasonally, they are still at higher levels than a year ago. Rack prices also have increased significantly from last year, signaling a welcome return of the white tablecloth restaurant business. Lamb byproduct prices are very dependent on the export market and are soaring this year. For example, lamb pelt prices have increased from $6 last year to about $16.50 recently. Lamb prices are high enough to stimulate interest in flock rebuilding. The USDA s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that on Jan. 1, 2011, the U.S. had in excess of 2 percent more replacement lambs under 1 year old. However, extremely dry conditions have developed in the southern Plains, particularly Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, which is a major sheepraising region. In fact, much of the expansion was in that area. Flock rebuilding may be put on hold there due to weather and would be supportive to prices even longer into the future. What is ahead for lamb prices the rest of 2011? Slaughter lambs and feeder lambs are selling for $75 to $80 per hundredweight (live weight) more than last year. The normal seasonal pattern for slaughter lambs is for the price to peak in July and decline into December. Feeder lamb prices usually peak earlier than slaughter lambs. Last year, however, prices for both classes continued to increase throughout the year. This year, prices are expected to follow more normal patterns, with weakness expected the last half of However, prices likely still will be above last year s record levels. What Can a Marking Harness Tell You? By Jim Morgan, Arkansas Sheep Producer The most common use for a marking harness is to predict within a few days when a ewe will lamb. However, other information can be discerned from using a harness. Typically, a shepherd will do the first cycle using a light color and then change to a different color near the start of the second cycle. In our flock, the color of the crayon is changed on day 14 to day 15. In our system, about one out of 20 to 30 ewes doesn t mark, but she goes ahead and lambs. Prior to the start of lambing, based on the markings, making a chart of the predicted order of ewe lambing is possible. In our system, the vast majority of ewes lamb at 147 days plus or minus two days. When walking through the ewe flocks, looking closely at only the ewes that are predicted to be close saves us some time. We find it useful. Here is other information a marking harness can tell us: Ram fertility One year every ewe in one breeding group marked in the first 15 days. Then at day 10 in the second cycle, every ewe was marked again after changing the color of the marking crayon. It told us that the ram wasn t very fertile. If only one or two ewes had marked with a different color, and if the vast majority did not remark in the second cycle, you blame the ewe. Open ewes Rarely, we have ewes that don t lamb. Marking harness records provide more information about the open ewe. The marking records can help decide whether the ewe should be culled. Some open ewes may mark in each of three successive cycles. This indicates she was cycling but not settling and is a good candidate for culling. The one in 20 to 30 ewes that does not mark usually goes ahead and lambs. But if they do not mark and do not lamb, this is good evidence that they were not cycling and are candidates for culling. Making culling decisions Occasionally, a flock will run short on winter feed. In the midst of winter, trying to decide which ewes to cull can be difficult. Marking harness records could tell you which ewes did not mark or which ewes marked multiple times. These ewes have a lower probability of lambing and may be better candidates to cull. A ewe that always takes three cycles to settle makes management harder. Selecting aseasonal lambing ewes This task is a little tougher because you have more variables, including ewes that cycle (and are marked) and do not settle, and rams that mark several ewes but have l ow counts or are sterile. But that said, marking records provide the shepherd with more information about his/her ewes and their cycling in the spring. 3

4 Problems with harnesses could occur. If the pastures or pens have brush or junk that can catch a harness, a ram could get caught or become entangled, and maybe even be severely injured. Crayons can be purchased for three sets of temperatures (hot, warm, cold). The wax of the crayon needs to melt at ambient temperatures to mark the ewe. A hot crayon will not melt if the temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit. A cold crayon will melt all over the ram if the ambient temperatures are in the 70s or 80s, thus requiring replacement. If temperatures change dramatically, the shepherd needs to catch the ram immediately and change the crayons to keep the harnesses working. Harnesses also can rub the ram raw if not kept adjusted correctly, and they can cause bleeding. In summary, marking harnesses are a useful management tool. They provide much more information for managing your flock than just telling you when a ewe is likely to lamb. NDLWPA Board of Directors Minutes Prepared by Rick Schmidt, NDLWPA Secretary The North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association Board of Directors meeting was held at the Seven Seas in Mandan, ND on April 14, 2011 at 12:00 noon. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Wyman Scheetz with the following members present: Mark Sheppard, Dean Swenson (ASI), Reid Redden (NDSU Extension Sheep Specialist), Todd Sears, Paul Klose, Nathan Robbins, Brad Gilbertson, Lyle Warner and Rick Schmidt. The minutes were ed and handed out. Todd moved to approve the minutes as presented, second by Lyle. Motion carried. The Treasurer s report was presented by Mark. Balances showed $1, in Checking and $30, in Savings for a total net worth of $32, Lyle moved to approve the Treasurer s report and include covering $ of Dean Swenson s expenses to attend the National ASI Convention. Motion was second by Nathan. Motion carried. ASI Report Dean talked about the promotion to increase sheep numbers nationally. He visited about having a goat representative on the ASI board of directors. There was discussion at the National ASI meeting about the use of guard dogs on Public Lands for protection. Dean and Wyman talked about how well North Dakota is represented with ASI. Wyman talked about the positive atmosphere at the convention. Ag-Day at the Capital Lyle visited about the NDLWPA booth at the Capital. It was a big hit with the Legislators, students and visitors. Paula Swenson was gracious and brought a Mohair vest from the National ASI Convention Auction. Website update The website is up and running. There are still a few things being worked on but everything looks good. There was some discussion about selling advertisement spots on the website. Once the success of the website has been determined there will be more discussion about using the site for advertisement. Ram Sale Jamestown Mark reported that the sale will consist of commercial and registered ewes and rams with the ewes being sold first. The sale will be held August 6th at the Stutsman County Fairgrounds. State Ram Sale Hettinger The HREC will sell around 100 ewes to start the sale. There will need to be 150 rams consigned for the sale or there will be discussion about how to obtain a number large enough to properly advertise the sale. The minimum bid price will be raised to $ and registration will be increased to $ If there are no-sale animals they should be run through the clerk. Starter Flock Application Reid indicated the form is on the Website and has received a couple of applications so far. The pickup date and Youth School will be around October 1. Sheep Specialist Advisory Committee Reid mentioned the committee has been put together with the following members; Jim Marshall, Hilary Gietzen, Brent Stroh, Brent Kuss, and Terry Mangnall. If there are comments or suggestions to go through the committee. Bumper Stickers/Window Decals Lyle discussed options of selling bumper stickers and window decals with the NDLWPA name on them. Motion by Nathan to purchase 50 bumper stickers of two different signage and 200 window decals and to send a decal to all NDLWPA members once and to new members. Motion was second by Paul. Motion carried. Legislative update Wyman gave an update on the Wildlife Services budget. If there are good convention topics, send thoughts to Wyman. Discussion included having the Graduate students speak about their research. Bismarck Chamber Ag-Mixer Lyle will try to have a booth at the mixer on June 2 from 5-7 p.m at the Burleigh Co. Fairgrounds. Todd moved to purchase a display case to be used at this event and other NDLWPA events. Second by Nathan. Motion carried. Wyman will plan to attend the State Ag Department Traveling Booth Display on April 18. The bill from A to Z came to $ for 1,000 brochures. 4

5 ASI would like a link to each state sheep producer s organization website. Reid talked about the Barbecue Boot Camp and how well lamb has been received in the taste tests. Reid will contact the American Lamb Board and Superior Lamb for donations for BBQ Boot Camp. Sales in West Fargo Dean reported that there is work to get sheep sales back in West Fargo, which would take place at least once a month. NDLWPA will try to put a sales date section in the Newsletter about sale dates in West Fargo, Bismarck, and Bowman. Call for Starter Flock Applications The North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association is proud to announce that it will be accepting applications for the Starter Flock Program. This program awards 10 North Dakota youth (10 to 18 years of age) 10 yearling ewe starter flocks. For more information, visit our website ( or contact your regional NDLWPA board member. Applications for the Starter Flock Program are due Aug. 1, USDA Wildlife Services in North Dakota By Phil Mastrangelo, State Director USDA Wildlife Services Every day, residents, agencies, industries and organizations call on North Dakota Wildlife Services for expertise in the management of wildlife conflicts that impact livestock producers, farmers, homeowners, airports and public land managers. Wildlife Services responds with effective, selective and humane strategies to resolve wildlife conflicts. Wildlife Services administers a cooperatively funded program with federally allocated USDA funds supplemented by funding provided by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, and the North Dakota Water Commission. Other funding sources include producer groups, wildlife and land management agencies, municipalities, airports and individuals who experience wildlife damage. For sheep and other livestock producers, Wildlife Services assists with the management of predator depredation, with coyotes being the primary concern. Information from the National Agricultural Statistics Service indicates that coyote predation was responsible for $1.6 million in livestock losses in a year. Wildlife Services relies on management strategies that integrate a combination of control tools for resolving coyote predation. The control tools include foothold traps, cable devices, calling/shooting, toxicants and aerial hunting. Wildlife Services only works on properties where landowners have given their permission and only utilizes the control tools approved by the landowners. Nine field specialists and an aircraft crew are available to assist landowners who have lost animals to predation or where predation is a threat to livestock. The nine field specialists are also available to help livestock producers who have other wildlife issues. These may include damage caused by badger, beaver, raccoon and red fox. Wildlife Services assists the North Dakota Game and Fish Department with investigations of mountain lion sightings and reports of lion depredations. Wildlife Services also has worked with federal agencies to manage predators that pose a threat to endangered species. Wildlife Services has other field specialists and biologists who assist landowners with Canada goose damage to crops and blackbird damage to sunflowers. In addition, training and consultations are provided to all of North Dakota s major airports on the proper methods and strategies for minimizing wildlife hazards to aviation safety. Wildlife Services also conducts an educational program to help homeowners with their specific wildlife conflicts. It provides informational leaflets, and equipment, such as live traps, is loaned free of charge so that individuals can solve their specific problems. Please don t hesitate to contact us at (866) for assistance with your particular wildlife conflict. Ewes and Yews Do Not Mix By Charles Stoltenow, Veterinarian NDSU Extension Service Every year, a few sheep die because of yew (Taxus sp.) poisoning. Yew is a common ornamental evergreen shrub or small tree planted around houses and farmsteads. At least four different species can be found in North America. Yews grow well and require pruning to keep them from becoming too large. People sometimes mistakenly think these prunings would be good to feed to their animals. However, the cardiotoxicity of yews to humans and animals has been known for many years. Yews contain at least 10 toxic alkaloids. Almost all parts of the plant, green or dried, are toxic. No treatment is available. If you have questions about yew plants, consider contacting your local Extension agent for more information. Do not mix your ewes with yews. 5

6 Funds Available for Scrapie Testing By Beth Carlson, Deputy State Veterinarian Infected and Source Flocks New Statuses by Year FY The North Dakota State Board of Animal Health has funds available for genotyping certain types of sheep. Because funds are limited, producers should contact the office to make sure funds are available and to obtain the proper submission form. To qualify, samples must be collected by a veterinarian and submitted on a federal submission form. Rams of any breed and age can be tested, but ewes are eligible only if they are at least 14 months of age and if they meet certain breed criteria (Suffolk, Hampshire, Southdown and Montadale). Additionally, funds are available for on-farm scrapie surveillance. Sheep and goats that die or are euthanized on the farm may qualify for a payment of up to $50 if they can be tested for scrapie. To learn more about scrapie and your role in its eradication, visit Contact Dr. Beth Carlson at (701) for more information on either of these programs. Colbey Steeke, Rhame, N.D. 1st Place Winner, Youth Category 2010 Lamb Cook Off 1 pound lean ground lamb 1 tsp. garlic powder 1½ tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. salt ¾ tsp. pepper 1 large tomato, cut in half, then into slices 1 small onion, thinly sliced 4 whole pita pocket breads, cut in half, warmed Lamb Gyros Prepare Cucumber Yogurt Sauce; cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine lamb, garlic, dried oregano leaves, onion powder, salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into two oval ½-inch-thick patties. Place patties on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil eight to 10 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Carve each patty into thin slices. Place equal amounts of lamb, tomato and onion in each pita half; serve with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. Colbey Steeke explains his Lamb Gyros recipe to the judges at the 2010 Lamb Cook Off. 6

7 Brined and Smoked Boneless Leg of Lamb Mary Scheetz, Center, N.D Lamb Cook Off Brine ½ gallon water ½ c. tender quick ½ c. brown sugar 1 tsp. granulated garlic 1 tsp. ground black pepper 3 tsp. dried onion flakes Mix ingredients together and place boned leg of lamb in mixture for 48 hours, rotating every 12 hours to ensure it all gets brined. Keep refrigerated during this time. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. NDLWPA Membership Form This form is a membership application for the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association (NDLWPA) and American Sheep Industry (ASI) Association. Please print clearly Name Street address City State ZIP Phone ( ) Fax ( ) Number of sheep/goats Please check all that apply: Commercial Purebred Club lamb Dairy Lamb feeder Shearer Allied industry Business Please check membership type: NDLWPA annual membership $20 NDLWPA annual junior membership (under 18 years of age) $5 ASI annual membership $.04/head or $25 minimum (whichever is greater) Joint NDLWPA/ASI annual membership $40 Printed copy of the ASI Weekly Newsletter $10 Note: ASI annual membership will entitle you to an copy of the ASI Weekly Newsletter. Total $ Send this application and your payment to: Please make checks payable to NDLWPA NDLWPA th St. S.E. Fullerton, ND For more information, call (701) or visit Thank you for taking an active interest in your industry! Summer Management Tips Manage parasites with pasture rotation and smart drenching Perform breeding soundness exams on rams Body condition score ewes and set target breeding date Cull thin and unproductive ewes Review 2011 lambing records Percent ewes lambing Lambing rate Lamb survival rate Weaning weight Identify replacement ewe lambs from highly productive ewes Set goals for 2012 Flock health management Flock nutritional management Potential genetic improvements 7

8 North Dakota State University Agriculture Communication NDSU Dept P.O. Box 6050 Fargo, ND NDSU encourages you to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Creative Commons license. You may copy, distribute, transmit and adapt this work as long as you give full attribution, don t use the work for commercial purposes and share your resulting work similarly. For more information, visit North Dakota State University does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, public assistance status, sex, sexual orientation, status as a U.S. veteran, race or religion. Direct inquiries to the Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Global Outreach, 205 Old Main, (701) County Commissions, NDSU and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. This publication will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities upon request, (701) Upcoming Events NDSU Shepherds Clinic Aug. 3, 2011, Minot, 10 a.m. Board of Directors meetings Aug. 5, 2011, Jamestown, 5 p.m. Oct. 13, 2011, Mandan, 11 a.m. Ram Sale Educational Seminar Aug. 6, 2011, Jamestown, 10:30 a.m. Jamestown Ram Sale Aug. 6, 2011, Jamestown, 1 p.m. Hettinger Ram Sale Sept. 14, 2011, Hettinger, 1 p.m. NDSU Shepherds Clinic/Starter Flock Pickup Oct. 1, 2011, Hettinger, 9 a.m. Annual NDLWPA Convention Dec. 2-3, 2011, Mandan, 3 p.m. Lamb Cook Off Dec. 2, 2011, Mandan, 6 p.m. 8