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Key Factors in Profitable Sheep Production
DGM:ISU
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Current Prices Sheep Numbers are not increasing. Why ???? DGM:ISU
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Basic Economics Profit = Income - Expenses
Increase Income or Decrease Expenses DO BOTH DGM:ISU
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Critical Records for Every Operation
Total Number Born Total Number Weaned % Lamb Survival % Open Ewes % Ewe Death Loss DGM:ISU
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Critical Records for Every Operation
Feed Use Feed Cost Until one keeps track, amount is hard to believe. DGM:ISU
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Ewe Cash Costs, Pipestone
Feed & Other Total Pasture Oper. Cash a Aver Utilities, Fuel, Vet, Trucking, Feed processing, Hired labor, Shearing, Maintenance and repairs, Bedding.
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
1. Control feed waste good bunks feed what ewes need not what ewes want limit access to big packages
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
2. Use feed substitution/byproducts purchase feeds on nutrient cost examples: corn gluten feed corn hay qualities DGM:ISU
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
3. Separate management groups ewe lambs vs mature ewes singles vs twins thin vs average vs fat DGM:ISU
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
4. Mineral cost and intake Read label know intake level TM salt vs mineral cooperative purchasing DGM:ISU
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
5. Sample hays supplement as needed example: protein blocks “They might need it” DGM:ISU
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
6. Pelleted protein vs. soybean meal protein >$300/ton with more protein per pound DGM:ISU
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7. Improved grazing management
Year Pasture Drylot Average SERP DGM:ISU
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Ewe Grazing Days Per Acre
Peter Woods, WI 3 Year High Average Year a BFT: KyBG BFT: SBG BFT: OG Cost $40.00/year 2 of 3 years were drought DGM:ISU a
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
8. Grazing crop residues Grazing Season Feed Length Savings 8 months $7.92 10 months $15.84 12 months $23.76 DGM:ISU
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
9. Stock piled grazing ewes can winter outdoors? additional benefits flock health reduced labor
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10 steps to reduce feed costs
10. Change production systems Late lambing Nutrient requirements and forage quality match DGM:IS U
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Charles Parker Challenge
Increasing Income Charles Parker Challenge 365 pounds of lamb marketed/ewe/year Industry is at 50% or less HOW ??? DGM:ISU
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Increasing Production
Breeding season management when to breed flushing teasers ewe age groups
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Increasing Production
Genetic improvement NSIP accurate maternal selection Lifetime production not S vs Tw vs Tr Pounds weaned is the trait
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Prolific genetics Choose the lambing rate you want 1.5 to 4.0 possible
Increasing Production Prolific genetics Choose the lambing rate you want 1.5 to 4.0 possible DGM:ISU
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Increasing Production
Crossbreeding Simple to complex increase production % over straight breds DGM:ISU
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DGM:ISU
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Increasing Production
Death loss from birth to weaning is the greatest inefficiency in the sheep industry.
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Increasing Production
Increased growth use terminal sires Heavier market weights use terminal sires feed them longer
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Management Inputs Do not have a Cash Cost
Never substitute cash inputs for management
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Poor Management Inputs
Flushing fat ewes Vaccinating for a disease because your neighbor does it. Monthly deworming vs a strategic approach DGM:ISU
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Poor Management Examples
Feeding oats when corn is 50% cheaper Feeding dairy quality hay to minimize waste Giving up lambs/ewe/year due to breeding season and death loss DGM:ISU
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Getting/Being Profitable
Increase output without increasing inputs Increase production via: Management Genetics Nutrition Reproduction DGM:ISU
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Getting/Being Profitable
Decrease Production Costs Step 1: Know where your at Step 2: Develop plan to get where you want to be
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Profitable Sheep Production
Must be “the” goal Sound Management Cost control Use technology DGM:ISU
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