Sheep & Goat Production

Production Systems

Grass Lambing (April-May) once a year Advantages: 1. Lower Feed Costs 2. Lower lamb mortality 3. More ewes/person 4. Lambs need very little, if any, extra feed to be finished on grass 5. High nutritional demand by the ewe is satisfied by the pasture 6. Reduced housing costs

Grass Lambing (April-May) once a year Disadvantages: 1. Deworming costs increase 2. Decrease in selling price/lb

Winter Lambing once a year (Jan.-Feb.) Advantages: 1. Lower worm loads 2. Improved market potential 3. Lambs grow well

Winter Lambing once a year (Jan.-Feb.) Disadvantages: 1. High lamb mortality 15%+ 2. High feed costs ---nursing ration ---creep feed 3. More health problems 4. More management & labour 5. Less ewes can be handled per person 6. Increased housing costs

Accelerated Lambing/Star Lambing System Advantages: 1. Year round supply of lambs 2. Market price stability because of increased number of marketing dates 3. Lambs marketed at Christmas & Easter 4. Lower lamb mortality---2 warm season lambing---1 cold season lambing 5. More lamb marketed per ewe 6. 1/3 to 1/2 of the flock lambing at once ---less lambing barn space needed

Accelerated Lambing/Star Lambing System Disadvantages: 1. Management is more intensive 2. Insulated lambing areas needed 3. Higher feed cost/ewe/year 4. Maybe more udder problems?

Goat Production Systems The meat goat industry is one of the fastest growing segments of livestock production in the United States. Brush control was rated a very important reason for raising goats Fun/hobby was rated a very important reason for raising goats

Goat Production Systems Dairy goat production is an alternative livestock enterprise suitable for many small-scale or part-time livestock operations. Dairy goat production, especially pasture-based production, offers the opportunity for profitable and sustainable diversity on a small farm.

Goat & Sheep Selection It is very important that the appropriate breed(s) or type(s) be chosen and that they be well-adapted to the environment and production system in which they will be raised. It is almost always better to upgrade local breeds or stock than to introduce new breeds or genetics that may not be adapted to the local environment or producton system.

Goat & Sheep Selection You need to be careful when comparing sheep on one farm to sheep on another farm. Good management and nutrition can mask poor or mediocre genetics, while poor management and nutrition can mask good genetics. Sheep that look better aren't always better sheep.

Goat & Sheep Selection Producers should be willing to pay much more for breeding rams than ewes. The old rule of thumb is that a ram is worth five times the value of a market lamb. If market lambs are worth $100, you should be willing to pay $500 for a breeding ram.

Goat & Sheep Selection http://www.sheep101.info/201/acquiringstock.html Great website for assessing what you need to begin a sheep operation. The Utah Wool Growers provide the following: http://www.utahwoolgrowers.com/starter_flock.php

Market Lamb Selection Muscle- Round, expressive, defined 􀂃 Forearm 􀂃 Shoulder 􀂃 Rack 􀂃 Loin (Estimation is 2 X live weight divided by 100) 􀂃 Leg

Market Lamb Selection Correctness of Finish 􀂃 Acceptable= range of .12” to .20” 􀂃 Too Lean= Less than .10” 􀂃 Too Fat= More than .25” o Growth/Weight 􀂃 100 to 140 pounds

Market Lamb Selection Skeletal Correctness 􀂃 Relatively straight in its lines and stands squarely and correct on its feet and legs o Balance and Eye Appeal 􀂃 Overall attractiveness and symmetry the animal displays from profile

Breeding Sheep Selection Growth/Weight 􀂃 Critical factor 􀂃 Potential for future growth o Functionality 􀂃 Skeletal Correctness- same as market lambs 􀂃 Volume/Fleshing Ability • Depth, Width, Length, Ability to maintain condition

Breeding Sheep Selection Balance and Eye Appeal- Similar to market lambs o Muscle- Similar to market lambs

Market Goat Selection http://www.indianaffa.org/association/media/docs/4H_CDEs/meat_goat_selection.pdf Great Website to learn how to judge goats.

Market Goat Selection A good market goat should be rectangular in appearance from the side with straight, level top and bottom lines. Length of rump, length of body and length of leg are important to market desirability.

Market Goat Selection The rump should be level and the overall body should be trim. The legs should be straight and placed square under the body, not post-legged or cow-hocked. The fore and hind legs should show evidence of muscling. From the front and rear view the goat should also demonstrate uniformed width.

Market Goat Selection

Selection of Breeding Goats Structural Soundness Skeletal Dimension Muscle Eye Appeal

Care and Management •Feed your flocks a balanced diet •Shelter your sheep from nasty weather •Capture and handle your sheep with care •Care for your flock's health: vaccinations, parasite control and hoof care •Provide proper pre-lambing care

Feeding your flock a balanced Ration. Water: Since sheep take in moisture with the plants they eat, animals maintained on a diet of dry hay and grain will also drink more water. Forage: Sheep prefer forbs--broad-leaved “weeds” that include clover and alfalfa--but they also dine on grass and shrubs like blackberries and multiflora rose, as well as timothy, brome grass and birdsfoot trefoil.

Feeding your flock a balanced Ration Grain: Sometimes sheep need the extra energy and protein that grains supply, such as during an ewe's late gestation. Feed your sheep at about the same time each morning and evening; avoid upsetting the rumen with sudden changes in type or amount of feed, and never serve moldy grain or hay.

Sheltering your flock In general, adult sheep can cope with many types of weather thanks to their insulating coats of wool, but offer shelter to give them a place to: •Take shelter from downpours, •Dry out when wet, and •Escape the wind and scorching sun.

Sheltering your flock

Capture and handle your sheep with care Because sheep can become easily stressed, herding, capturing and handling techniques help keep a flock’s anxiety level down and reduce the chance of injury. Consider the following:

Capture and handle your sheep with care A well-trained herding dog can help control their movements. •Give sheep time to adjust from light to dark when entering an unlit barn or a potentially scary situation. An old-fashioned shepherd’s crook or other long pole can help with herding. •Reward sheep with something they really love (like molasses-laced grain) when they go into their shelter for the night.

Capture and handle your sheep with care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZvgQDtgFBg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYzzsHRCT88

Managing Animal Health Vaccinations: http://www.sheep101.info/201/vaccinations.html Parasite Control Hoof Care

Pre-lambing Care Critical period leading up to lambing. Fetal growth in late gestation demands a lot of energy Clean, Cold Water

Management & Care of Goats Dairy goats need a year-round supply of roughage, such as pasture, browse or well-cured hay. Winter browse and pastures should be supplemented with hay. Kids and bucks need a balanced grain ration and milkers should be fed a standard dairy grain ration.

Management & Care of Goats They do not need elaborate housing, but do require clean, dry, well ventilated, draft free shelter. Dairy goats have a strong herd instinct and prefer the companionship of at least one other goat.

Management & Care of Goats Dairy goats are curious and agile and require well built fences for containment and protection from predators.

Management & Care of Goats Dehorning at the right time. Vaccination Hoof Care

Marketing Sheep & Goats Most sheep operations derive the majority of the income from the sale of lambs. Lamb vs. mutton Lamb=Less than one year old Mutton= One year and older

Marketing Sheep & Goats In the United States, the per capita consumption of lamb is very low, less than 1 lb. per person. lamb holds a significant meaning in the observances of many religions and is a dietary staple in many parts of the world.

Marketing Sheep & Goats Australia, China and New Zealand are the top producers and consumers of Wool. The United States is a minor player in the world wool industry and is a net importer of wool.

Marketing Sheep & Goats http://www.sheep101.info/201/woolmarketing.html Good website explaining wool marketing options.

Marketing Sheep & Goats The United States consumes very little goat. One ethnic group that has grown dramatically in the U.S. is Hispanics. This is important because Hispanics consume more goat meat than whites.

Marketing Sheep & Goats Goat meat is a traditional part of the diet of many people from the Middle East. In order to satisfy the demand for goat products targeted towards Muslims the products need to conform to Muslim dietary laws.

Marketing Sheep & Goats Dairy goat producers rely on direct market sales for milk and cheese products. Some producers sell directly to retail stores and restaurants. Goat milk is used for making cheese, yogurt and ice cream, and can be fed to other animals.

Marketing Sheep & Goats The major dairy goat breeds include Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen and Toggenburg. All of these breeds are capable of producing more than 2,000 pounds of milk per year.

Breeds of Dairy Goats

Marketing Methods Different types of marketing would include the following: Commodity marketing: This would include selling lambs at a public livestock auction; to an order buyer, broker, or dealer; at a buying station; to a feed lot; through a co-op or marketing pool; or to an abattoir.

Marketing Methods Public livestock auctions: Advantages: Some sale barns organize special sales prior to the major Christian and Muslim holidays. Advantages: It is easy. It is convenient. It is always available. There are usually sales every week. Payment is guaranteed and prompt. Disadvantages: Price is not known ahead of time and can fluctuate widely from week-to-week.

Marketing Methods Dealers, brokers, and order buyers: Selling to a middleman saves the costs associated with selling lambs at an auction barn. Price is negotiated ahead of time.

Marketing Methods Marketing alliances and co-ops: Usually, a co-op contracts slaughter and sells whole carcass or cuts to grocery chains or other retail outlets. The co-op establishes standards (weight, grade, etc.) for the type of lambs they will purchase.

Marketing Methods Abattoir: A French word meaning slaughterhouse or meat processor. Many producers, both large and small, market their lambs directly to a processor.

Marketing Methods Direct marketing: Direct marketing is when lambs are sold directly to the consumer.

Subsidies for Sheep & Goat http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/npr/library/reports/ag01.html In the early 1960s, the average person in the U.S. ate about 4.5 pounds of lamb a year. That has dropped to less than 1 pound in 2011. Australian and New Zealand wool and lamb imports are way up, squeezing into niche markets that America's sheep producers are having a hard time filling.

Subsidies for Sheep & Goat One-third of all lamb sold in the U.S. now is direct sale from producer to consumer. "It's ethnic communities. Every major metropolitan city in the U.S. has a large immigrant neighborhood," Orwick says. "Where are the people coming from? Where they prefer lamb. It's their meat."