Newsletter. The North Dakota. Reid s Remarks. Winter 2015 Issue

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1 Sheep The North Dakota Industry Newsletter Publication No. 76 A joint publication brought to you by the NDSU Extension Service and the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association Reid s Remarks Reid Redden, Newsletter Editor As I write this, it is well past Thanksgiving. However, I am still thankful for the many different events in the past year that depict a bright future for the industry. Lamb and wool markets have remained at a profitable level and, more importantly, they have been relatively stable. Plus, feed costs are considerably lower than they have been in the past few years. These factors provide some incentive to expand our flocks. That s especially the case when the cost of replacement ewe lambs and yearlings has not skyrocketed as it did in 2011 and as the beef industry is experiencing. I m cautiously optimistic that we could see an increase in the North Dakota sheep flock. As much as we all in the industry want to see a large resurgence in size and number of sheep flocks in the state, it is not likely to happen. However, this should not discourage our industry from setting some ambitious 10-year goals, such as a 30 percent increase in lamb produced in the state. The sheep industry has the most opportunity to increase production, compared with all other livestock. As I visit other states for sheep meetings or out-of-staters come to our state for sheep meetings, many people often note that we have more underutilized resources than anywhere Winter 2015 Issue Reid s Remarks...1 Message From the Association...2 Calendar...2 Executive Secretary Report...3 Flock Health...4 Shepherding in the Cold...4 Market News...5 Producer Profi le Buskohl Lamb Feedlot...6 Coyote Catalog Available for Hunters, Landowners...8 Legislative Update...8 Timely Tips...9 Recipe Greek Nachos...9 Membership Form...11 else in the nation. Mike Corn, who spoke at the state convention, said, You guys waste more hay than we produce in New Mexico! We need to place more value on our resources and maximize their use. Prolificacy is another area in which we, as a state and a nation, have lots of room for improvement. The national and state average lambing rate is consistently around 110 and 130 percent, respectively. The sheep industry has the technology (genetics, nutrition and flock management) to increase the weaning rate to near 200 percent. reid.redden@ndsu.edu Photo courtesy of the NDSU Extension Service However, it has not fully committed to the changes necessary to make this happen. In this state, we should set a goal that that majority of the ewe flock should wean twins. In the U.S., we have a demand for lamb that we cannot fill, which is a good thing. However, if we continue to decrease in flock size, I worry that we ll lose more market share to imported lamb. Further loss of infrastructure will make being able to compete even harder. The good news is that American consumers are more aware of where their food comes from. Being a local provider gives us a competitive advantage. However, we need to provide more and better product to keep current and develop new American customers. Productivity improvement should be a high priority for our industry, and it starts at the farm. We have initiated the Shepherds for Profit program to assist North Dakota sheep operations reach their full potential. I encourage you to go to the NDSU Sheep Program website ( to sign up for Shepherds for Profit. May your family have a wonderful and safe holiday season! Publication #76 Winter

2 Message From the Association By Nathan Robbins, President Greetings and happy holidays! It is hard to believe another year is coming to an end, but it has been a good one for the association and the livestock industry in general. There have been many great events this past year, including two successful ram sales, educational/promotional events, and a state convention that provided good fellowship, along with some quality, informative topics. Photo courtesy of Nathan Robbins A highlight of the convention was the recognition of Tim Faller for the years of service he provided to the sheep industry in North Dakota. It was a bit sad to see a changing of the guard representing us at the national convention as our American Sheep Industry Association director. Dean Swenson, who has served many years and done a phenomenal job, turned the reins over to a young guy, as he would say. Brad Gilbertson was voted in to serve as our new director and will be attending the convention this coming year in Reno. The enthusiasm in the sheep industry is very encouraging. All facets of animal agriculture have a positive outlook currently, with demand for U.S. meat strong, generally lower production costs, and financial support for herd growth going into We have to be diligent in our efforts to maintain the progress seen in our industry. One aspect that is under constant scrutiny is on the legislative or political front. Our legislative committee of Wyman Scheetz, Brad Gilbertson and Lyle Warner has been vigilant at keeping on point with the ongoing issues within the state. We also support efforts nationally through ASI and our monetary donation to the Guard Dog Fund. Speaking of enthusiasm, though, I see the starter flock program and its recipients as the real shining stars of our association and its efforts to create long-term sustainability of our industry. Listening to those individuals get up and speak at the convention and describe their experiences with their new animals is priceless. With the positive attitudes they exhibited and guidance from their mentors, I see many of these young shepherds being the next in line to maintain and help grow our sheep industry. As a plug for the program, I would encourage all association members who know of a young adult who shows interest in livestock to guide him or her toward applying for one of the 10 anticipated flocks in Recently the board of directors met and loosely laid out the calendar of events for the association for the coming year. Look for that schedule of events to be presented on the association website as they come up on the calendar. Thanks to the reciprocating Extension work/speaking engagements of Dr. Reid Redden and Dr. Chris Schauer, they have been able to bring the Tri-State Sheep Symposium to North Dakota, and we, as an association, are pleased to incorporate it into our annual convention, which will be held in Medora. There will be many educational events, along with expanded social aspects due to increased participation from surrounding states. Get your clubs dusted off as there are plans to hold a golf scramble at Bully Pulpit the first day. So mark the first weekend of October 2015 on the calendar as I think this will be a fun event for all members! Finally, I would just like to say thanks for the continued support from our membership. Remember that this organization is here to represent each of you in a unified voice for our industry. If there are issues that you are dealing with, please let one of the board members know so we can help. There are updates and a calendar of events posted on the website, so please check often for new information. Many of the events scheduled require your participation to be successful, so please consider them as they come up. I wish you all the best of luck for a prosperous new year and a successful lambing season that is creeping up on us. Calendar American Sheep Industry Association Annual Convention Jan , 2015, in Reno, Nev. 2 North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter

3 Executive Secretary Report By David Brown, NDLWPA Executive Secretary Merry Christmas to all! I hope lamb is on the menu for Christmas dinner or wool socks and sweaters are wrapped under the tree. We producers have to be consumers of our own products in order for the public to believe in lamb and wool. Both prices are strong, so it shows there is a great demand for the product we are producing. This fall was been a great opportunity to meet a lot of the state s producers at our annual convention. It is wonderful to see the diversity we have among us, and we have to embrace each breeder to make us stronger. Photo courtesy of David Brown If you missed the convention, you missed Rodney Nelson bring his humor of daily farm life to our members. There were other events that were very successful this fall, like the Handspinners Conference in Jamestown at the end of October. It was hugely successfully, and I heard from several attendees from Minneapolis who raved about the sessions and thanked the association for sponsoring the event. Finally, I attended the NDSU Wool School in Hettinger just before Thanksgiving. This was an awesome event. If you think you know wool, you don t! Did you know that wool does not burn? Therefore, Lowe s is using it for housing insulation. It was a highly informative class, but more importantly, it gave me another opportunity to meet and associate with other sheep enthusiasts. From the class, I not only earned a certification as a wool classer, but I sold 75 pounds of wool to the Rapid City Handspinners group and am working on selling two rams to fellow Wool Class participants. So I encourage anyone to attend Wool Class or Sheep Shearing School. These events are all possible because of the NDLWPA sponsoring them. We are trying to provide our members will opportunities to learn more about the industry and maximize your flock s profits. A bulk of our money comes from membership dues, so please remember to pay your 2015 dues. There is a membership form included in this newsletter. If you are lambing in January and February, I hope the best for you and that the weather is better than last year NDSU Sheep Shearing and Wool Classing School Publication #76 Winter

4 Flock Health By Beth Carlson, Deputy State Veterinarian, North Dakota Department of Agriculture In 2001, a national accelerated program was initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to eradicate scrapie from the nation s sheep flocks and goat herds. This program has dramatically reduced the prevalence of scrapie, but to identify all affected animals and eliminate the disease, all sheep and goat producers need to be dedicated to the effort. The National Scrapie Eradication Program is a joint effort that includes participation by state governments and industry, particularly producers. Producer involvement is critical to the success of this program. In North Dakota, our last known scrapie-affected flock completed its flock plan more than seven years ago; however, cases continue to be identified in surrounding states and other states that commonly ship sheep into the state. Suspect sheep and goats should be reported to a state, federal or accredited veterinarian to determine whether scrapie testing is appropriate. Animals more than18 months of age that die on-farm may need to be submitted for scrapie testing. Seedstock producers should continue to select for rams that are genetically resistant to scrapie. Commercial producers should purchase rams that are genetically resistant. We have had very good compliance with scrapie tagging requirements, but it is important that all producers continue to ensure that sheep and goats are identified with a scrapie tag when required. Funds are available through March 31 to assist with genotyping rams for scrapie susceptibility, as well as for testing suspect animals. Please contact Beth Carlson at the North Dakota State Board of Animal Health at (701) to determine whether sheep qualify for the program. Shepherding in the Cold By Reid Redden, NDSU Sheep Specialist Sheep operations in the upper Midwest revolve their production systems around winter. However, sheep farmers don t all flock to a similar method of dealing with bitterly cold weather. One thing that all northern shepherds have in common, though, is that lambing time and weather dictate flock management practices. Well-adapted sheep are quite tolerant to cold weather, given a few management factors are adequately addressed. Due to the insulative properties of wool, the lower critical temperature for a sheep with a full fleece is around 25 F, whereas the lower critical temperature of a freshly shorn sheep is around 77 F. Sheep managed below their lower critical temperature will begin to use additional feed resources or bodily tissues to maintain body heat. A general rule of thumb is to add ¼ pound of TDN for every 10 degrees the lower critical temperature is below zero. TDN stands for total digestible nutrients. Corn is around 90 percent TDN, whereas most hay is around 50 percent TDN. For example, when temperatures fall to minus 15 F (40 degrees below the lower critical temperature), supplement sheep with an additional 1 pound of corn per day to maintain body condition. Newborn lambs are very susceptible to cold stress, hypothermia and frostbite. During cold weather, lambs are able to maintain normal body temperature for only a few hours after birth. Lambs must nurse shortly after birth to be able to fuel their metabolic need to maintain body heat. Moisture alters the level of cold stress on sheep. Newborn lambs are born covered in a liquid (amniotic fluid) that works against them. This fluid works as a conduit to exchange heat and cools their body temperature quickly. Fortunately, ewes have a natural instinct to lick off this fluid and reduce the rate of heat loss. This behavior also stimulates the lambs to stand and nurse. Similarly, lambs that are born outside in wet conditions (rain, sleet or wet snow) are more susceptible to hypothermia than lambs born outside in dry or below-freezing conditions. However, subzero ambient temperatures are detrimental to lamb survival, regardless of moisture. Wind is also a factor that affects cold stress in sheep. Wind speeds above 5 mph can increase the risk of hypothermia drastically in newborn lambs and cold stress in all classes of sheep. Protection can be provided by strategically placing hay stacks, constructing wind fences or planting shelter belts. Intuitively, shepherds whose flocks lamb in the winter have confined lambing barns that provide a clean, warm area for ewes to lamb. These sheep are shorn prior to lambing so they emit more body heat to keep the barn warm and dry. Shepherds whose flocks lamb in the spring or fall typically provide open-sided structures protected from wind and moisture, plus keep a full fleece on them so they can stay warm during the bitterly cold temperatures. 4 North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter

5 Market News By Richard Skip Taylor, Research Scientist, NDSU Agribusiness and Applied Economics The sheep industry has been in decline for the past 75 years. The declines in the 1940s were due to labor shortages during World War II and the unfavorable experience of American GIs during the war with mutton. In 1954, the National Wool Act instituted a price support program for wool and mohair, which sustained the domestic sheep industry for almost 20 year. During those years, wool receipts were nearly one-quarter of total sheep income. However, during the 1970s, domestic lamb consumption, which fell out of favor with American consumers, decreased from almost 700 million pounds in 1970 to about 325 million pounds by 1980 (Figure 1). During the 1980s through about 1995, domestic consumption varied between 325 million and 395 million pounds annually. Domestic lamb production continued to decline, with the difference being filled by imports. In 1993, Congress passed legislation that ended the wool and mohair program beginning in Domestic lamb production decreased another 30 percent during the following 10 years. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 reinstituted the federal support for wool and mohair, but lamb production continued to decrease another 28 percent, to just a little more than 160 million pounds by The program remained in the 2014 farm bill, but the industry did not recover from the loss of the wool and mohair program in Consumption has remained between 300 million and 385 million pounds for the last 30 years, with the difference between production and consumption imported from Australia (about 70 percent) and New Zealand (about 30 percent). The growing level of imports indicates that Australian and New Zealand producers are willing and able to supply lamb to the U.S. markets at a competitive price, which domestic producers are not willing or not able to do. Australian lamb producers have increased sheep numbers by 38 percent since 2003, while New Zealand producers have reduced production 23 percent since Between 1990 and 2002, U.S. lamb prices were higher than world lamb prices. However, in 2003, the price gap between the two markets narrowed. Currently, little different can be seen between world lamb prices and U.S. lamb prices. Australia has more than 80 million head of sheep, and New Zealand has more than 45 million head of sheep, compared with 6 million head in the U.S. The industry markets high-value cuts to the northeastern and western states, while most of the low-value cuts are rendered or made into pet food. A small number of whole-mutton carcasses are exported to Mexico. Australia and New Zealand have been able to distinguish their product from other meats though aggressive advertising. Table 1 shows the nutrient content for various meats. The three red meats, lamb, beef and pork, are similar; however, lamb has fewer calories, a lower fat content, and lower sodium and potassium levels. The calorie content is similar to chicken and tilapia, while the cholesterol level is slightly higher. With the grass-fed, free-range, natural, lean-meat phenomena growing in the U.S., the lamb industry should be able to differentiate itself from the other red meats. Lamb is in the category of a specialty or niche-market product, which should be marketed aggressively to selective markets. Figure 1. U.S. lamb production, consumption and imports. Publication #76 Winter

6 Producer Profile Buskohl Lamb Feedlot David, Donna, Cody, Dani and Casey Q: Briefly describe your operation and how your family got into this business. A: We live 3½ miles north of Wyndmere, N.D., on 17 acres. Here we have a lamb-feeding operation. This is David s home farm, where his parents had a commercial ewe flock of roughly 350 head for many years. This is how David was introduced to the business. After attending college and marrying Donna, a dental hygienist, they returned to the farm in When returning to the farm, they were looking for something to supplement Donna s income in order to raise their family at home. In 1991, we began feeding 200 lambs a month. At this time, the only equipment we had was old turkey feeders and a handful of 5-gallon buckets. Gradually growing and getting into the later 90s when it was so wet, we ended up encountering many problems due to foot rot and mud. We saw a need for a change in our operation due to the North Dakota weather; this is when we began building barns for confinement. As years progressed, we kept adding space under roofs, and as of now, all animals are under shelter. This has helped with feed conversion, death loss and animal stockmanship. Normally, we have lambs on our place September through May. We typically begin buying once feeder lambs are coming in off of pasture in late September. We will continue to keep buying lambs September through March. Our lambs are sourced from all different locations, with the majority coming out of North Dakota and Montana. When the lambs first arrive, we vaccinate and deworm them. Lambs are started on a ration of 10 percent corn and 90 percent soy hulls. Alfalfa pellets were our primary starter, but due to cost, we have switched to soy hulls. Over the first 30 days, we increase the ration until we reach 90 percent corn and 10 percent commercial supplement containing vitamins and minerals. Most of our death loss we see occurs within the first 21 days; many issues are due to respiratory causes. We hire the shearing to be done after lambs have been on feed and have reached healthy body condition scoring. They need a minimum of eight weeks of growth to get a No. 1 pelt for market. Why do we shear? With shorn lambs, we find better conversion rates, cleaner animals and more marketing avenues. In terms of marketing, we sell to all major packers in the U.S.; typically half of our lambs are shipped to Detroit, Mich., for ethnic markets. Lambs are all purchased and picked up on our farm by the packers. Q: What do you see as the strengths of your lamb feeding operation? A: We find that ensuring a good relationship with producers, such as offering them flexible delivery times or arranging transportation for their lambs, is one of our strengths. We also believe that offering consistent truckload lots of quality lambs to the packers allows us to receive premium prices. In the past two years, we have also been purchasing feeding ewes and finishing 6 North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter

7 them to smooth ewes. Diversification is beneficial to any operation, and this is a chance for us to better utilize our facilities and create a stronger cull ewe market in North Dakota. Q: What changes have you seen during your time in the lamb-feeding business? A: The biggest change is the volume of production in the U.S. Our slaughter has gone down from 90,000 a week to 40,000 a week. We have lost half of our U.S. production, making it more expensive to efficiently transport lambs to their destinations. We have sold fat lambs for as low as $.40 and as high as $2.10. We also have purchased feeder lambs for as low as $.40 and as high as $2.40. Being flexible by selling backgrounded feeder lambs vs. finished lambs has helped us through these challenges. Q: What changes would you like to see in the future for the U.S. and North Dakota sheep industry? A: We would like to see a more stable market for everyone involved to keep people motivated in the sheep industry. This would potentially spur an increase in production. An increase in North Dakota producers would create a stronger network for everyone involved. This would create more efficient freight lanes and better marketing strategies for producers. An increase in overall volume provides a better industry for everyone. We are not sure if we would want to see a limit on imports or instead see an increase in marketing good-quality American lamb. Publication #76 Winter

8 Coyote Catalog Available for Hunters, Landowners The North Dakota Department of Agriculture and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department have reopened the Coyote Catalog to connect coyote hunters and trappers with landowners who want fewer coyotes in their areas. The Coyote Catalog is an online database similar to the one the Game and Fish Department uses to connect deer hunters with farmers and ranchers. We ve had a lot of success matching deer hunters with landowners, said NDGF Director Terry Steinwand. We hope the Coyote Catalog works out just as well. NDDA officials estimate livestock producers in North Dakota lost more than $1 million last year to coyotes. At the same time, coyotes are a popular furbearer species for hunters and trappers. I encourage landowners, especially farmers and ranchers who have problems with coyote depredation, to sign up for the Coyote Catalog, said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. Hunting and trapping are valuable tools in managing these predators. Goehring and Steinwand said the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services should be the first contact for landowners experiencing coyote depredation of livestock. Landowners can sign up on the NDDA website at Required information includes county and contact information. Hunters and trappers can sign up at the NDGF website at Periodically throughout the winter, hunters or trappers will receive information on participating landowners, and they then can contact landowners to make arrangements. Although the Coyote Catalog does not guarantee a good match for every participating landowner or hunter, Goehring and Steinwand said it has great potential to focus hunting or trapping pressure in areas where farmers and ranchers are experiencing coyote depredation problems. Anyone who registered for the Coyote Catalog in the past must register again to activate his or her name on the database. The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March 31, and then start again next winter. Legislative Update By Brad Gilbertson, Legislative Committee Chairman The 64th legislative assembly will be underway soon in North Dakota. I have to plead ignorance and admit that it may be in session by the time you read this. The legislative committee will be busy again this spring helping to protect you from whatever new crap they come up with in Bismarck this spring. Will Rogers once said, No man is safe as long as Congress is in session. That seems like a funny quote meant to get a laugh, but after spending a couple of years on this committee, I learned it is only funny because it has a little bit of truth in it. Personal property rights will be a topic this spring. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added the two butterflies we ve mentioned here to the endangered species list, and it could have a real impact on grazing private land here in North Dakota. At this time, the USFWS doesn t have the funding to start limiting how we graze our private land, but that will come eventually. It is still unclear how much land we are talking about here, but the maps I have seen sure had some big circles drawn on them. At our last board meeting, the BOD asked the legislative committee to look into changing the wording in the animal cruelty bill that was in the last legislative session. There has continued to be concern over the language in the seizure portion of the bill. Many industry groups want to add some language making it necessary to have an ag professional of some kind determine if something is actually cruelty or not. An example would be a deputy sheriff concerned that you have these newborn lambs in such tiny pens. Some things we do in agriculture can easily be interpreted as something else, so there is some merit to changing this language. With the addition of David Brown and his computer skills, we now have the ability to keep you updated as the session goes on. I will be in touch with Dave about sending out some s to try to keep you all informed as best we can. Once again, if you have any questions or concerns about things associated with the legislative committee, please contact Wyman Scheetz, Lyle Warner or me. We may not have the answer, but we will sure try to help. 8 North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter

9 Timely Tips 1. Balance winter diets to meet but not exceed requirements: a. During cold weather, adjust diet to maintain body weight b. Check condition score of ewes every month and adjust to hit target condition score prior to lambing c. Sort off ewes losing condition and feed separately 2. Coordinate a shearing date about one month prior to lambing. 3. Consider constructing or purchasing equipment to improve lambing and/or feeding systems. 4. Order ear tags and other lambing supplies well in advance of lambing. 5. Consider improving your flock s health management plan around lambing. Some shepherds have found the following to be helpful in their flocks: a. Feed oral antibiotics to ewes during late gestation b. Vaccinate for CDT prior to lambing c. Supplement vitamin ADE to ewes prior to lambing d. Deworm ewes just after lambing e. Supplement newborn lambs with vitamin E, selenium and long-acting penicillin Greek nachos 1½ pounds ground American Lamb 1½ cups chopped onions 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon dry oregano 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon crushed, toasted fennel seeds ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper Kosher salt, as needed 6 cups plain pita chips 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes ½ cup sliced scallions ½ cup crumbled plain feta ½ cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives ½ cup Greek-style nonfat yogurt 4 mint sprigs 6 x 4 clip-and-save recipe card. Recipe continues on following page. Publication #76 Winter

10 Directions In a large skillet, cook lamb over medium-high heat until almost completely browned, approximately 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in onions, garlic, oregano, paprika, fennel and pepper; continue to cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are almost golden. Adjust seasoning with salt. Remove from heat; keep warm until ready to serve. For each serving, place 1½ cups warmed pita chips in a wide soup plate; top with 1 cup lamb-onion mixture. Sprinkle with ¼ cup tomatoes, 2 tablespoons scallions, 2 tablespoons feta and 2 tablespoons olives. Top with 2 tablespoons yogurt and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve hot North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter

11 North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Membership Form This form is a membership application to the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association (NDLWPA) and American Sheep Industry (ASI) NAME FARM NAME ADDRESS PHONE ( ) CHECK WHICH APPLIES TO YOU will be put in NDLWPA Directory Commercial Rambouillets Columbias Feedlot Targhee Katadins Shearer Hampshire Dorpers Corporate/business Suffolks Corriedale Feed distributor/supplier Southdowns Montadales Dorsets Texels Goats Polypays Handspinner other Tell us the size of your fl ock MEMBERSHIP TYPES 2015 dues $50 Annual NDLWPA (ASI included- ed newsletter weekly) $25 JR NDLWPA (Under 18 yrs old) $35 Corporate Sponsor $10 ASI Newsletter Mailed Hardcopy ($75 max for families) Please make check payable to: NDLWPA Mail to: NDLWPA st Ave S.E. Tower City, ND Like us on Facebook North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers or view our website at ndlwpa.com Publication #76 Winter

12 North Dakota State University Agriculture Communication NDSU Dept 7070 PO Box 6050 Fargo ND The NDSU Extension Service does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to trade names, trademarks or service names. 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) North Dakota Sheep Industry Newsletter