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A Publication of the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative
Winter 2013 Volume 25, Number 1
Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative Annual Meeting Arlington Sheep Day • Saturday, March 16, 2013
Arlington Sheep Day Scheduled The 5th Annual Arlington Sheep Day will be held on Saturday, March 16, at the University of WisconsinMadison’s Arlington Agricultural Research Station. The program is packed with useful information on sheep grazing, genetics, health, and nutrition. Dr. Kreg Leymaster, Research Geneticist at the USDA Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska, will be the featured speaker and make two presentations. He will first discuss the great economic benefits to be realized from the wise use of complementary breeds of sheep in an organized crossbreeding program. His second presentation will feature the ground-breaking results of the recent USDA research on the genetics of susceptibility to ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP). OPP is an endemic disease in sheep flocks throughout the U.S., and the Clay Center group has identified
genes that reduce the probability of a sheep becoming infected. DNA tests are now commercially available to flock owners to test their sheep for the presence or absence of these desirable genes. There also is new data to suggest that some of the previous ideas on the major routes of transmission of OPP are not correct. Pastures and pasture manage ment for sheep will be discussed by Dr. Rhonda Gildersleeve, Extension Grazing Specialist, UW-Madison, and Dr. Dave Thomas, Professor of Sheep Management and Genetics, UWMadison will discuss the use of alternative feeds for sheep. With the current high cost of forage due to last summer’s drought and the continued high cost of corn due to large quantities being diverted to ethanol production, producers are looking for ways to reduce their annual feed costs. Greater use and See Arlington on Page 2
Iowa Grading Resolution Controversial Stating that “This is a radical proposal but I think we are in desperate times,” Dan Morrical, Sheep Extension Specialist at Iowa State University, recently circulated a resolution by the Iowa Sheep Industry Association (ISIA) to numerous sheep extension specialists and researchers around the country that takes aim at over weight lambs and the grading practice of no-rolls. The resolution, passed at the December 11, 2012 ISIA meeting of its board of directors, will be directed to the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) and the Lamb Council for approval at the annual ASI meeting in San Antonio, TX, on January 23-26. Morrical requested that his contacts support the resolution with their respective state producer organizations. The resolution reads:
“Be it resolved, the American Sheep Industry Association requests the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a change to the lamb grading standards to include a maximum carcass weight of 85 lb. for a carcass to be graded as a lamb. Be it further resolved that lamb processors who utilize USDA graders must grade all carcasses in the plant and discontinue the practice of no-rolls. ISIA asks that this resolution please be directed to the appropriate council, the Lamb Council, for discussion and approval at the Sheep Industry Annual Convention next month in San Antonio.” Basically, a processing plant that wishes to have lamb carcasses USDA graded must have a USDA grader put both a quality (prime, See Iowa on Page 7
The December 20th blizzard, while bringing much needed moisture, made getting to hay feeder a little more difficult for these Shropshire ewes at the Hiemke farm outside of Stoughton. Close to twenty inches fell across parts of the state. Photo by Cody Hiemke
Bred Ewe Sale 1952 - 2012 After almost six decades, the 2012 Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Annual Bred Ewe Sale was gaveled to a close for the last time in late October with only 24 head sold, averaging just over $340. At its January meeting, noting the growing red ink and dwindling consignments, the WSBC board voted to end the venerable sale’s run and to explore alternatives. The sale’s latest average had plummeted over $100 from the previous year and in 2010 the sale had been cancelled outright for the first time in its history. Low numbers didn’t diminish quality however. In the Suffolks, Aceline Suffolks & Club Lambs, Brooklyn, consigned a yearling which sold to Elyssa Grant of Waupaca at $450 and a ewe lamb going to Richard Piechowski of Waupaca at $350. The three Lincolns were con signed by David Hammer, Cuba City, and all were purchased by Stephen Redman, Wilmot; two yearling ewes at $250 and $150 each and a ewe lamb selling at
$250. Two Shropshire ewe lambs were brought to the ring by Nob Hill Shropshires, Jerry and Robin Pardus, McConnell, IL. One was sold to Elyssa Grant for $275, while the second went to Tim Elsbury, Adell at $300. The three Hampshires were consigned by Roembke Hampshires, Mark and Richard Roembke, Cedarburg. A mature ewe and a ewe lamb went to Mike Larson of Brussels at $300 each, while a yearling ewe sold to Jon, Wynn, Robyn, Kurth and Auretta Wiitkopf of Pewaukee for $300. The largest group of consignments was the WetherType sheep. Aceline returned to the sale ring with three ewe lambs, two selling to Susan Doman, Watertown; one at $800 and the second for $475. The third Aceline lamb went to Shawn O’Donovan, Waupun at $475. No Hill Shrops brought in a ewe lamb that went home with Jillian Bingen, West Bend for $200, while Roembkes sold their
ewe lamb to Stephen Redman for $325. Rupnow Hamp Show Lambs, Jim and Sue Rupnow, Wausau, consigned three yearling ewes and all three were sold to Andy Larsen, Casco at $250 each. That entry was followed by a ewe lamb brought into the ring by Metro Hamps, Heidi & Ty Thorson, Columbus, which sold to Courtney Wilson, Evansville at $300. Smerchek Show Lambs, Dan & Shelly Smercheck, Rosholt, came with five ewe lambs, four of which sold to Shawn O’Donovan at $375, $450, $325 and $450. The fifth lamb went to Courtney Wilson for $325. O’Donovan was the volume buyer for the day. The 2012 Bred Ewe Sale brings to a close a nearly sixty year history of the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative providing an opportunity for producers to market and purchase bred ewes and ewe lambs in an auction setting. The first Bred Ewe Sale was held in 1952 at the Madison Livestock Sales Pavilion.