the shepherd’s bulletin - indianheadsheepandgoat.org county hwy hh augusta ... isba represented...
TRANSCRIPT
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE INDIANHEAD SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
Representing Shepherds in the Counties of Ashland, Barron,
Burnett, Bayfield, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau
Claire, Iron, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer,
St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, & Washburn
VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 FALL 2015
The Shepherd’s Bulletin
Duane Klindworth, President S12020 County Hwy HH Augusta, WI 54722 715-286-4157 [email protected] John Govin, Vice President N6134 670th St Menomonie, WI 54751 715-235-8610 [email protected] Lynn Peterson, Secretary W1538 Brantwood Ave Brantwood, WI 54513 715-564-2631 [email protected] Jackie Johnson, Treasurer 9977 130th Ave Bloomer, WI 54724 715-568-1186 [email protected] [email protected] Debbie Petzel, “Webmaster”, Newsletter Editor, and WSBC Board Member 2037 180th Ave. Centuria, WI 54824 612-578-1528 [email protected] Mark Christenson 6114 Highway T Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 715-874-6612 Jim Holmes 1655 11 1/2 St Barron, WI 54812 715-651-2161 [email protected]
www.indianheadsheep.com
ISBA Represented Well at Wisconsin State Fair
Indianhead Sheep Breeders Association was well represented at the 2015 Wisconsin State Fair Junior Sheep Show in West Allis. The following ISBA youth exhibited sheep at the fair: Victoria Arnevik of Rice Lake, Nicole Dittbrenner of Cumberland, RaeAnna and Reese Johnston of Milltown, Shelby, Alex and Megan Liddle of Rob-erts, Brook Peterson of Brantwood, Emily Pintens of Dallas, Reagan Russell of Shullsburg, Dathan and Kailen Smerchek of Rosholt.
ISBA members receiving 1st place class winners are as follows: Victoria Arnevik – Suffolk winter ram lamb; Dathan Smerchek – Southdown yearling ewe class 1, fall ewe lamb and Crossbred market lamb class 4; Kailen Smerchek – Southdown yearling ewe class 2, winter ewe lamb and spring ewe lamb. Champion awards included Vic-toria Arnevik – Reserve Champion Wether Type ewe, Reserve Champion Suffolk ram and Reserve Champion bred and owned Suffolk ram; Dathan Smerchek – Re-serve Champion bred and owned Southdown ram, Champion Southdown ewe and Champion Southdown bred and owned ewe; Kailen Smerchek – Reserve Champion Southdown ewe and Reserve Champion bred and owned Southdown ewe.
In the performance lamb division, Nicole Dittbrenner won Reserve Champion car-cass.
Members placing in the top 10 in the Premier Exhibitor division are as follows: Reese Johnston 2nd, RaeAnna Johnston 5th, Kailen Smerchek 6th. Top showmanship placing are as follows: 13 yr old – Kailen Smerchek 3rd ; 17 yr old - Victoria Arnevik 2nd ; 19 yr old – Dathan Smerchek 1st . Dathan was also chosen as Champion Su-preme Showperson.
Emily Petzel received the Shepherd’s Award during the Open Meat Breeds Show. A plaque is presented by Wisconsin State Fair to the top four shepherds who keep their pens, sheep and other areas clean and who make a positive impression on public and management.
Congratulations to all of the Wisconsin State Fair Junior Sheep Show participants, as well as all of the other ISBA youth members that exhibited at the many county fair and regional sheep shows around the state!
A complete listing of judging results are listed on the Wisconsin State Fair web-site.http://wistatefair.com/competitions/judging-results/
PAGE 2 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
Greetings,
As I write this message coming into fall, my hope is that you were able to enjoy this summer, showing sheep at Local/State or National shows, or just growing your sheep!
Many of you also promote the sheep industry throughout the year as well. ISBA is working for you, the producer, to promote American Lamb consumption. A grant was received by the ISBA from the American Lamb Board. We utilized the grant money for providing coupons for ready to eat lamb products at the fair, displaying lamb and sheep industry pro-motional items, and answering a multitude of questions from our urban visitors at the WI State Fair! The display was very well received by the fair attendees. Thank you Deb Petzel and your help-ers, especially The Liddle Family for managing the booth at the fair. It is great to hear of this exam-ple and others. Getting involved in ISBA can help
promote the products our membership pro-duces be it meat, wool or dairy prod-ucts. Thank you also goes to the WI Sheep Dairy Coop for providing cheese coupons for our booth.
Please don’t be shy, get involved with ISBA. We are here to help promote the sheep industry through educational, social and networking events: like our upcoming
Shearing School and the 22nd Annual Shepherd’s Clinic. Committee Leader John Govin will be heading up the Silent Auction items again. Please contact him with items and ideas to offer at the clinic. Consider being a candidate for the ISBA board member terms expiring this February. We will be in need of a Newsletter and Web Site Man-ager as well.
Get involved and make ISBA and our in-dustry stronger! Have a safe and bountiful fall.
Duane Klindworth, President
Message from the President...
Duane Klindworth
Café Lamb
Curried Lamb with Rice Submitted by Paula R. Malcein, Woodville, WI
Ingredients:
2 lbs lean lamb breast or shoulder, cubed
2 tbsp fat
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
6 whole black pepper corns
2 small onions, sliced
Brown meat in hot fat. Cover with boiling water and add salt and pepper, bay leaf, pepper corns, onions, garlic, and parsley. Cover and cook slowly for 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Strain stock; reserve 2 cups. Mix flour and curry powder; add cold water and blend. Stir into stock; cook until thick. Add meat mixture. Serve with fluffy, steamed rice. Serves 6.
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chopped parsley
¼ cup flour
1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp cold water
PAGE 3 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
Future of Shepherd’s Bulletin Uncertain
Vexed by increasing costs, departing editor
The Shepherd’s Bulletin is produced in-house four times per year in Microsoft Publisher. Printing is hired out,
and each one (approximately 100) is then stapled, folded, sealed, stamped, addressed, and mailed by the Editor,
who is paid $100 per issue or $400 per year, plus expenses. The core elements of the newsletter are as follows:
Information pertaining to ISBA events (Shepherds Clinic, Spring Sale, Summer Picnic, Shearing School)
Educational Article
News from the national sheep industry (ASI, ALB, Extension, etc)
A Lamb Recipe
National, State, and Local producer events (Shows, sales, pasture walks, Etc.)
Paid Advertising (critical to covering expenses of the newsletter)
Member Classified ads (free to ISBA members)
Board of Director Meeting Minutes
Rising postage and printing costs have combined with a drop in advertising revenue to put the newsletter in the
red. The present Editor will not be seeking another term on the board and will not be continuing as Editor after
the December (Winter) issue. If a replacement is not found, the Association will be forced to reduce the number
of newsletters sent annually, and hire the process out.
If you have been enjoying The Shepherds Bulletin, have the skills necessary or are willing to learn to produce it,
and can spare a couple days of your time, four times per year, now is the time to step forward and help continue
this vital means of communication. Training and support will be available during the transition.
Please contact the Editor, Debbie Petzel, or any of the board members listed on the left with your suggestions or
to volunteer.
PAGE 4 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
ISBA Shearing Schools are typically held on the third Saturday in March
and the third Saturday in September each year. They provide a great op-
portunity for producers and aspiring shearers alike to learn about the
equipment and techniques used by professionals, and get hands-on in-
struction in handling and shearing live sheep. No experience is neces-
sary to attend this very affordable one-day event.
For information on the SBA Shearing Schools, contact Duane at
715-286-4157 or email [email protected]
ISBA Fall Shearing School Slated for September 19
Dairy Sheep Symposium Comes Back to Wisconsin
The 21st Annual Dairy Sheep Association of North America (DSANA) Symposium will be held in Madison, Wis-consin on November 5-7, 2015 with a pre-symposium sheep milk cheese-making course on November 4, 2015.
Twelve presentations by 16 animal scientists, dairy sheep producers, veterinarians, and sheep milk cheese makers and marketers will be held on November 5-6 at the Pyle Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. A sampling of topics and presenters are: “Milking Machine Basics and Special Considerations for Small Rumi-nants” by Dr. Doug Reinemann, University of Wisconsin-Madison; “Impacts on Non-GMO Labeling on Artisan Cheese Production” by Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer, Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas; “Best Practices for Raising Lambs on Milk Replacer” by Dr. Tom Earlywine, Land O’Lakes, St. Paul, MN; and “Principles of Dairy Nutrition” by Dr. Michel Wattiaux, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Tour buses on Saturday, November 7 will take participants to Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, Wisconsin operated by Master Cheesemaker, Bob Wills, and to Hidden Springs Creamery in Westby, Wisconsin where participants will visit the modern dairy sheep farm and artisan cheese plant operated by Dean and Brenda Jensen.
The pre-symposium sheep milk cheesemaking course will be offered on November 4 at the Center for Dairy Re-search on the UW-Madison campus for symposium participants and DSANA members for an extra fee.
The complete program and registration and hotel information can be accessed at the DSANA web site (www.dsana.org) or by contacting Bill Halligan, DSANA Treasurer, P.O. Box 96, Bushnell, NE 69128 (308-235-5900, [email protected]) or Dave Thomas, UW-Madison, 1675 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706 (608-263-4306, [email protected], http://fyi.uwex.edu/wisheepandgoat/).
David L. Thomas, Professor of Sheep Management and Genetics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
438 Animal Sciences Building
1675 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706
phone: 608-263-4306 / fax: 608-262-5157 / email: [email protected] / web: www.ansci.wisc.edu
PAGE 5 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
ISBA Shepherds Clinic
February 6, 2016
WITC Conference Center, Rice Lake, WI
“Finding the Profit in Your Flock”
"Finding the Profit in Your Flock" is the theme of the 2016 Indianhead Sheep Breeders Association annual Shepherds' Clinic. The 2016 Shepherds' Clinic will be held Saturday, February 6th at the newly remodeled conference center of the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. We are privileged to have Burton Pfliger, President of the American Sheep Industry as the Keynote Speaker at the 2016 ISBA Shepherds' Clinic. Mr. Pfliger brings a "big picture" understanding of the sheep industry in the United States to the Shepherds" Clinic. He will provide an up to date 'Road Map' where the sheep industry in the United States is heading and what opportunities and challenges our industry is facing.
Burton Pfliger is a third-generation sheep rancher who was born into the business. He earned a Bachelor of Science De-gree in Animal Science from North Dakota State University in 1985. Currently, Pfliger and his wife Pattie run approxi-mately 400 ewes, which make up a purebred Hampshire flock, a purebred Suffolk flock and a flock of Rambouillet/Dorset cross commercial ewes. The Hampshire and Suffolk flocks are used to produce range and terminal sires. Pfliger leads the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) which is a federation of 46 state sheep associations representing sheep produc-ers nationwide with a common goal to promote the well-being and profitability of the U.S. sheep industry. ASI works to represent the interests of the producer. A team of volunteer producer leaders directs the actions of the association through their involvement on the executive board, the board of directors and councils and committees The ISBA Shepherds' Clinic has become one of the largest and most prominent winter-time sheep educational events in the Midwest. The 2016 Shepherds' Clinic will feature an outstanding Youth Clinic, in addition to the educational sessions for both early-career and experienced shepherds. The topics for experienced shepherds will include dealing with internal parasite resistance, growing high-quality forages for sheep, out of season breeding, predator control, growing your sheep business and health management obstacles for profitable sheep production. Early-career shepherds will learn about basic health practices in sheep production, forage production basics, and what is the sheep meat industry looking for from lamb growers.
Among other interesting presenters at the 2016 Shepherds' Clinic will be Alan Culham, Project Coordinator with ASI’s "Grow Our Flock" program. The mission of the "Grow Our Flock" program is to support, promote and ensure the U.S. sheep industry's future through the development of innovative and sustainable initiatives that increase the productivity, profitability and growth of the American sheep industry. As project coordinator of this program, Culham is responsible for coordinating with sheep producers and feeders to identify local and regional groups of commercial growers to enhance the production and marketing of wool and lamb. Before joining ASI's "Grow Our Flock" program, Culham had been with Michigan State University in the department of animal science and manager of their research center. Through this MSU program, he developed performance Suffolk and Dorset sheep flocks.
Cindy Wolf, DVM assistant professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota will be another featured pre-senter at the 2016 Shepherds' Clinic . At the U of M Dr. Wolf specializes in Small Ruminant Medicine and has become a strong advocate in the sheep and goat community. Dr. Wolf and her husband Kelley O’Neill own and operate a commer-cial sheep farm near Rushford, MN. They utilize cattle and sheep to graze on the hills and in the valleys of their farm. Lambing is in May and June out on pasture. Their lamb is either direct marketed to the customer, sold at the Wi-nona Farmers Market or sold to Dakota Lamb Growers Co-op. Wolf and O'Neil also operate the Sheep Improvement Company well known for their Sire Max rams.
Deb Jones, owner of The Fiber Garden will lead a hands on wool craft activity. Deb is an enthusiastic spinner, dyer, weaver, teacher and travel consultant. In addition to teaching at and managing the Fiber Garden, Deb also teaches at fiber events throughout the region, including Sievers School of Fiber Arts and the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival.
PAGE 6 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
PAGE 7 THE SHEPHERD’S BULLETIN
Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin forage specialist will address forage production for sheep at the Shepherds' Clinic. Dr. Undersander's work focuses on the establishment, production, harvesting and storage of forages in Wiscon-sin. Dr. Undersander’s research program has four major objectives that include: determining factors affecting alfalfa plant health and survival; best management for harvested forage – big bale wrapping, fermentation of silage; and optimum man-agement practices for intensively grazed pastures considering forage, yield, quality, and effect on wildlife.
Long time Shepherds' Clinic presenter and friend of ISBA, Dave Thomas will return to the 2016 program. Dave is the pro-fessor of Sheep Management and Genetics in the Department of Animal Sciences at UW-Madison. He grew up in the small rural community of Mineral Point, Wisconsin where he raised purebred Hampshire sheep. He obtained his B.S. degree in Meat and Animal Science in 1971 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His graduate degrees were obtained from Oklahoma State University in Animal Breeding and Genetics in 1977. Dave's research has involved many areas in sheep breeding and management. In recent years has been recognized internationally for developing a research program in dairy sheep production that serves this growing industry in North America. He has published over 300 articles in both peer-reviewed scientific journals and popular sheep industry magazines.
The Youth Clinic of the Shepherds' Clinic is one of the most popular parts of the program every year. The 2016 Youth Clinic will be lead by Bernie O'Rrouke the Extension Youth Livestock Specialist at the University of Wisconsin Extension along with students from the Animal Science program at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Bernie provides leadership and support to the livestock project areas (beef, sheep, swine and meat goats) by sharing current research and practices to youth and adults engaged in 4-H, FFA and other youth organizations. Her youth programming efforts are in the areas of agriculture literacy and animal management, with primary leadership for the Meat Animal Quality Assurance pro-gram. Bernie was raised on a diversified livestock and crop farm in South Central Minnesota. Her husband, Ron and their 3 boys continue to be involved in each other’s family operations.
This is just a portion of the program planned for the 2016 ISBA Shepherds' Clinic. More details, along with registration in-formation, will be available at the ISBA website and the ISBA newsletter in future months.
Additional Activities For Clinic Participants:
Essay Contest, Photo Contest, Scholarships
Essay Contest: ISBA Youths are invited to enter a short essay for a chance to win $50 Eligible participants
are all ages of youth whose family is a member of ISBA. A short 250-word essay discussing some topic of
the sheep industry must be submitted by December 31, 2015.
Photo Contest: Categories include Scenic Photo (sheep pictured on the photo), Just Lambs, Kids and Sheep.
First place winner in each category will receive their choice of a voucher for$20.00 toward the purchase of a
sheep at the Spring Sale or a voucher for $20.00 to be used toward registration at the 2017 ISBA Shepherds
Clinic.
Scholarship: ISBA is offering one scholarship in the amount of $500 to be presented at the 2016 Shepherds
Clinic and Trade Show. Family must be a current member of ISBA, must be a high school graduate age 21 or
under as of December 31, 2015, must be enrolled or accepted in a technical college, vocational college, com-
munity college or university.
For additional information on these activities, wisit our website www.indianheadsheep.com or contact
Mark Christenson, 6114 Highway T, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729, tel. 715-874-6612.
Watch for more details in the next ISBA Shepherds Bulletin!
VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 PAGE 8
Time for sheep, goat producers to prepare for breeding season
September 12, 2014
PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Breeding season for sheep and goats is looming, and several steps should be taken now
to ensure a successful season, said Dr. David Fernandez, Cooperative Extension Program livestock specialist at
the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Breeders should be concerned about body condition and nutritional status, parasite control, breeding sound-
ness, flushing and preparing for winter feed needs.
Body condition and nutritional status are among the keys to successful reproduction, he said.
Females should be in moderate body condition. Those that are too fat or too thin are not as fertile and are less
likely to produce twins. Fact sheet FSA 9610 “Body Condition Scoring of Sheep” is available online at
http://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-9610.pdf. The same method also works for goats.
Parasite control is another important factor. A heavy infestation of barber pole worms can weaken ewes and
does and impair reproduction. Instead of deworming your entire flock or herd, only deworm those that really
need it, Fernandez said. Use the FAMACHA score or fecal egg counts to determine which animals should be
treated. FSA 9608 “Fecal Egg Counting for Sheep and Goat Producers” (http://www.uaex.edu/publications/
PDF/FSA-9608.pdf) can help determine your animals’ parasite loads.
Conduct breeding soundness exams yearly on bucks and rams to see if they are still fertile. If they are not, an
entire lamb or kid crop can be lost. Finding a veterinarian who can conduct the test for you is difficult, but if
more veterinarians know producers want that service, more will offer it, he said.
Flushing is the practice of providing extra nutrition to ewes or does for 10 -14 days before the beginning of the
breeding season. The extra nutrition helps females in moderately poor body condition breed successfully and
may help increase their twinning rate, Fernandez said. Animals already in good condition do not benefit from
flushing. FSA 9611 “Feeding Ewes to Maximize Reproductive Success” (http://www.uaex.edu/publications/
PDF/FSA-9611.pdf) provides information on nutritional management of ewes and does for optimum reproduc-
tion.
Begin preparing for winter feeding. Plant cool season annuals to provide the best possible nutrition in the early
spring when ewes and does will be giving birth and their nutritional needs will be greatest. Most of the time,
cool season annuals reduce feeding costs and provide better nutrition than hay. Test your hay to be sure it
meets or exceeds your ewes’ and does’ late pregnancy nutrition requirements. Be careful to avoid overfeeding
because fat ewes and does can suffer from pregnancy toxemia.
For answers to livestock questions, contact Fernandez at (870) 575-7214 or email [email protected].
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Program offers its programs to all eligible persons
Regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability,
marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Ac-
tion/Equal Opportunity Employer.
By Carol Sanders, writer/editor
UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences
(870) 575-7238
Used with permission from the author. Source:
http://www.uaex.edu/media-resources/news/september2014/09-12-UAPB-Breeding-Season.aspx
VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 PAGE 9
The Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival!
Mark your calendars to attend the WSBC Sheep and Wool Fest held in Jefferson, WI on September 11 - 13,
2015
New Event: 1st annual Commercial Carcass Lamb Contest
This contest will feature consigned pens of 3 lambs, judged live by committee, then harvested. The
superior carcasses will then be placed. Live winners will be announced at the festival. The carcass
division winners will be recognized in the "new" Wisconsin Shepherd magazine (circa 3500) along
with all sponsors in the Fall 2015 issue. Carcass results, data, and awards will be presented at the
Arlington Sheep day in March 2016. This contest offers something for everyone, sheep producers,
nutritionists, culinary students, meat processors, and consumers. Carcass data and photos collected
from the event will be used for WSBC/WSWF educational workshops and judging contests.
For more specific information on new carcass contest, please contact Tim Miller at
New and Improved Wild and Woolly Photo Contest
Give us your best shots! The Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival and the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders
Cooperative invite you to submit your sheep and wool photos to their annual photo contest. The
contest is open to everyone, regardless of whether they raise sheep or are WSBC members. Judges
will select the winning photos based on theme, clarity, content, composition and appeal based on thecategory
entered. Entries must be postmarked by August 15. See full details...
https://www.edje.com/cmspageuploads/80/605_WisconsinShepherd_Spring2015.pdf
Enter photographs in the following classes:
• Scenic Photo,
• Just Lambs,
• Kids and Sheep,
• Wisconsin Shepherd Cover Photo (Only Color Portrait format – no Landscape accepted)
• Photo Taken by Youth (only for youths aged 18 and younger as of August 15)
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 612-578-1528
Sheep Shows - Fleece Shows - Make It With Wool Competition - Shepherding Classes and More!
For more information on The Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival, see the official website:
http://www.wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com/
PAGE 10 VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3
The American Lamb Board (ALB) has allocated $35,000 in
FY 2015 to support new lamb promotion ideas targeting non
industry audiences (consumers, chefs, media, retailers etc.).
These funds are intended to help support local or regional
lamb promotions designed to build demand for American
Lamb.
The ISBA - ALB booth was located in the Sheep Building at
the Wisconsin State Fair from August 6 - 16. Fairgoers were
invited to pick up a wide range of information on choosing
and preparing American Lamb. Recipe cards and booklets
were distributed and were well received. Visitors were invited
to play a "Wheel of Fortune" game and answer various ques-
tions about sheep and lamb. Winners received a voucher for
five dollars off any ready to eat lamb product at the Wisconsin
Products Pavilion, a voucher toward purchase of sheep cheese
at the Wisconsin Dairy Sheep Cooperative, I Love Lamb tat-
toos, and lamb stickers.
The goal was to increase consumer knowledge about Ameri-
can Lamb and ultimately build a consumer base. A big thank
you to our hardworking booth staff ... The Liddle Family,
Lindsay Anderson, Corinne Arnevik-Hansen and Debbie
Petzel.
Above: The ISBA/ALB Promotion booth at the
Wisconsin State Fair
Below: Handout stickers from the booth
Clinic Donations/Auction Items
If any members are interested in making a monetary donation or donate an auction item for the Shepherd’s Clinic, please contact John Govin, N6134 670th St, Menomonie, WI 54751; 715-235-8610 [email protected]
Items can be sent to any Board Member or brought the day of the clinic. Please contact Clinic Chairman Tim Jergenson by January 10 so donor names can be added to the sponsor list and space can be allotted for the auction items.
Limited trade show space is available at the Shepherd's Clinic. Please contact Clinic Chairman, Tim Jer-genson at (715) 537-6252 or email at [email protected]
Support of the clinic and scholarships with a sponsorship donation would be greatly appreciated. Sponsor-ship is recognized by category in the clinic program from $25 to above $250. If you are interested in adver-tising your farm or business in the clinic program, please contact Treasurer Jackie Johnson. Ad sizes are business card ads, half page ads , and full page ads. Please contact Jackie at [email protected] for more information.
ISBA Receives American Lamb Promotional Grant
PAGE 11 VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3
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PAGE 13 VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3
The 63rd Annual Spooner Sheep Day was held at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Featured speakers this year were Cody Hiemke, B.S. and M.S.
in Animal Sciences from UW-Madison and current Lamb Program Manager, Niman Ranch (a natural meats company) and Dr. Kay Nelson, D.V.M from UW-Madison and current veterinarian for the herds and flocks of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Cody led a discussion on the production of a quality market lamb and the benefits to both the producer and the sheep industry of producing such lambs.
Dr. Nelson discussed some of the more com-mon sheep health issues she has seen at the UW-Madison sheep units at both the Arlington and Spooner Stations with recommended preventive measures and treatments. Two graduate students work-ing with the sheep program at Spooner (Tom Murphy and Vera Ferreira) and the 2015 summer student intern at Spooner (Emily Petzel) presented results of several projects they have been working on including the Use of Estimated Breeding Values in Predicting Future Perform-ance of Sheep, the Effect of Breed and Hybrid Vigor on Lamb Survival, and a Novel Approach to Controlling Inter-nal Parasites in Lambs.
A lamb lunch was served and ISBA members were given a discount on the meal. Cody Hiemke was awarded the 2015 Shepherd Award for his work with NSIP, ASI and the multitude of other organizations aimed at the improvement of the sheep industry.
The program concluded with an open house at the sheep station. Highlights of the tour included; lambing facilities and practices, hay feeding systems and practical ideas for sheep producers. Participants also took a tour of the milking parlor and sheep hous-ing units.
For the full proceedings of the Spooner Sheep Day, please see... http://fyi.uwex.edu/wisheepandgoat/spooner-sheep-day/
Spooner Sheep Day has a long tradition of providing useful information to the state’s sheep producers and is the longest-running agricultural field day of the many held each year by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. For more information, contact Lorraine Toman at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station(715-635-3735, [email protected]) or Dave Thomas ([email protected], 608-263-4306).
Debbie Petzel, Editor 2037 180th Ave. Centuria, WI 54824
www.indianheadsheep.com
The Shepherd’s Bulletin
Eighth ANNUAL
FEATURING THE UW-MADISON SHEEP PROGRAM
Public Events Facility, Arlington Ag
Badger Production Sale
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Striving to produce high quality, sound, and high performing sheep that will
work for you! Flocks enrolled in the National Sheep Improvement Program.
Featured Breeds:
Hampshire, Polypay, Rambouillet, Targhee
Selling approx. 60-70 Ewe Lambs & 8-10 Rams
NSIP performance data will be available on all sale animals
www.badgerproductionsale.com
Viewing Begins - 10:00 a.m.
Educational Session - 11:00 a.m.
Complimentary Lunch - Noon
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