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Ohio sheep producers take on New Zealand

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McCarthy family wins award for contributions to Ohio sheep industry By Liz Partsch

Farm and Dairy Staff Writer

By Hayley Shasteen Contributing Writer

SALEM, Ohio — A country where sheep outnumber citizens by nearly five to one was the perfect destination for the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association. Members from the group, along with members of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, visited the vast, rolling hills and lush green pastures of New Zealand, a small island located in the Pacific Ocean near Australia, for two weeks in October. “They say (the country) got about twenty million sheep,” said Roger High, the executive director of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and the director of livestock for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. “I think we seen most of them.” Every two years, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association members take a

trip to destinations in the U.S. or across the globe to learn how other regions of the world handle sheep production and agriculture. The trip to New Zealand was made up of tours across the north and south islands of the country and included stops at large-scale sheep and dairy family farms, a farm theme park known as the Agrodome and cities rich in culture. “I always learn something on the trips and have a takeaway,” Leah Miller, an Ohio sheep producer from Millersburg who attended the New Zealand trip said. “Some of the things I’ve learned have had to do with record keeping or the timing of doing things or a reminder for why you do certain things. Many times, it’s inspirational and a motivator to step up your game for what you’re doing in the sheep industry.” On pasture. It’s hard not to be inspired by New Zealand. Beyond the

Sheep dot the rolling pastures of New Zealand in October during a visit from members of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association. (Submitted photo)

breathtaking views composed of snowcapped mountains and coastlines teeming with marine life like the little blue penguin, the country is notable for how it cares for its flocks of millions of sheep. High said that many of the sheep operations they visited were large – over 10,000 head with some farms sitting on 7,400 acres of land. Shawn Ray, a commercial sheep producer from Cumberland, said that seeing how the land is valued and how sheep are farmed and raised in New Zealand makes one “feel ashamed of what we’re doing here as Americans.” (Continued on Page A10)

Travelers from the Ohio Sheep Improvement Assocation check out New Zealand wool that will likely be exported to Asian countries to make carpet. The group of about 30 visited the south-Pacific country in October. (Submitted photo)

WOOSTER, Ohio — A University of Findlay professor was recently honored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and Ohio Sheep and Wool Program for his contributions to growing educational opportunities within the sheep industry. This year’s Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award went to Dr. Farabee and Joy McCarthy for their work as a family raising sheep on their farm in Sycamore, Ohio as well as Farabee’s work as a professor at the University of Findlay. “I don’t do things to try to be recognized, it’s just not in my nature, (but) it’s certainly very nice to be recognized,” Farabee said. “It’s really nice to have other people know what you do, particularly what I do with the university. I like to see how students grow. I like to contribute to that.” The McCarthys were among several individuals recognized for their work in the sheep and wool industry at the 2023 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium, held Dec. 2 at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center in Wooster. McCarthy family. Farabee has had sheep since he was 14 years old living in Findlay, Ohio. He had sheep up until college, where he attended Ohio State University for a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Michigan State University for a Ph.D. in Animal Husbandry. After graduating he took a job in Virginia for a few years until he decided it was time to come back home to Ohio. Farabee started working as an associate professor and Chair of Animal and Pre-Veterinary Studies at the University of Findlay in 2002. Since then, Farabee has been involved in growing the university’s Animal Science Industry program. “It was a pretty small program when I got there,” Farabee said. “Since then, we’ve grown significantly with a lot of other people’s help to be able to get there.” Before the program existed, in 2002, they had about 60 students enrolled in the Pre-Veterinarian Medicine Degree program. Now, they have roughly 600 students enrolled in the Animal Science Industry program. (Continued on Page A14)

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