Superior vs Optimal

There is the saying “Everything is Bigger in Texas.”  Texans are proud to have the largest populations of sheep and goats of any state in the union.  While the size of our sheep have been getting larger and larger over time, by no stretch of the imagination do we raise the biggest sheep in the US.  Sheep in the Midwest and Intermountain West tend to be much bigger.

The mild weather and diverse native rangelands of Texas makes this a great place to raise sheep and goats.  However, these range conditions tend to better support smaller-framed animals, but this puts us at odds with our general tendency to want bigger and better things.  I too am drawn towards selecting replacement rams and ewe lambs that standout in the crowd. But this strategy can have unintended consequences.

For years, we have used the term, “superior”, to define animals that we believe to be the best.  But as time progresses, I find the term, “optimal”, to better represent what ranchers see the most value in.  “Superior” makes the assumption that merit is defined by one universal set of rules; whereas, “optimal” suggests a balance of many traits that have been carefully curated for a particular environment or management style.

Texas sheep and goat operations are all unique.  They have different resources, strive to produce varying products, and construct different goals to measure success.   These differences outline the production traits that are optimal for each operation.

The performance of sheep and goats are a combination of genetic potential and management.  If an animal has the genetic potential to grow faster, grow more muscle, raise more offspring, or better fight off parasites, it still requires proper management to reach its potential.  There are no free lunches!

Moreover, many of these genetic attributes work against each other, especially when feed resources are limited.  For instance, an animal that grows faster and has a larger mature size may be less likely to raise multiple offspring or fight off internal parasites.  Can sheep and goats be genetically selected to do “all of the above”?  Maybe, but it takes a strategic approach fitted with the appropriate management.

If you are a long-time reader, you know that I am a strong proponent of estimated breeding values (EBVs).  These values provide a reliable prediction of many of the economically important traits to find the “optimal” genetics for each operation.  EBVs are a powerful tool to ensure data-driven selection and enable you as a producer to identify and select for your “optimal”  traits. Feel free to contact us to find out how to source animals with EBVs tailored to your operation.

An often-overlooked strategy to optimize sheep and goat productivity is crossbreeding. A common example of a successful crossbreeding strategy is to maintain a ewe flock of maternal, moderate framed females who are well adapted to the environment and range conditions, and then breeding these ewes to a ram that supplies the growth and muscle that we often get paid for at the sale. Not to mention, when the ewes and rams are different breeds, the resulting hybrid vigor is particularly advantageous regarding lamb survival and size. Using crossbreeding to outcompete purebred stock is as close to a “free lunch” as can be found in livestock production.  Historically, the use of black-face rams, typically Suffolk or Hampshire, on finewool ewes is the best example of this in Texas.  The cross-bred, smut or speckle faced, lambs would generally wean 10 to 15 lbs heavier and all lambs were sold.  Straight finewool rams were used on roughly half the ewes to generate replacement females.

Today, this practice is still somewhat common in finewool sheep but the use of terminal sires is not a common practice in the hair sheep industry. It is a viable strategy and needs to be considered more often.

Continuously breeding for animals that are always a little bit superior for a particular trait, without regard to the negative impacts this may be having in other areas has been an epidemic in livestock breeding since the beginning of time.

In summary, sheep flock or goat herd productivity can be optimized by selection of animals that have the desired traits fit for the environment they are raised in. EBVs are a great tool to source the right genetics; however, it is still best to source genetics produced in a similar production system.  Even greater levels of productivity can be realized if ranchers’ source maternal-oriented sires to raise replacements and terminal-oriented sires to produce offspring destined for harvest. Always remember, at the end of the day, optimal animals are those that work best for you and, your profit depends on your ability to identify your own “optimal” traits.

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

Capitalizing on Opportunity

September is my favorite month of the year.  As a child, it marked the end of long, hot summer days and a return to school. Yes, I am one of those weird kids that looked forward to school.  The social aspect of school was a good break from the solitude of the ranch life.  And of course, the return of Friday night lights!  But, in truth, education is what I liked best.  Now as a parent of school age kids, I appreciate fall even more!

September represents a shift in production systems.  It is either the start of a new breeding season for winter and spring births or starts the fall lambing or kidding season.  The days are starting to shorten and cool down, which brings about a shift from warm season to cool season grasses and forbs.

The fall also represents a shift in the overall market of sheep and goats.  The larger volumes of lambs and goats during the summer are starting to dwindle.  The reduction in supply starts to have positive impacts on market price.  While, this year has tended to follow the seasonal patterns, the base value of lambs and kids are high.  Historically, feeder and light weight slaughter lambs would have sold for less than $2 per pound and kid goats would have sold for less than $2.50 per pound.  This year the market averaged about 50% higher than normal.

There is no guarantee that the markets will remain high into the future but the factors that have driven up demand and limited supply aren’t likely to change in the near future.  So, how do sheep and goat producers take advantage of a good situation?  From my perspective, there are several options to consider.  First, grow lambs and kids to heavier weights. Second, shift breeding season to market lambs and kids in winter months. Third, improve flock/herd reproduction to market more lambs or kids.  There are other options as well, but for the save of space I will limit to these three for this article.

To help sheep and goat raisers project when, and at what weight, to market their lambs and kids, we have developed several marketing tools.  There are charts updated weekly on our webpage (sanangelo.tamu.edu) that are a summary of USDA AMS data from Producers in San Angelo.  They show a weighted average price for the current year, prior year, and five-year average before that.  These help to assess the market from a longer-term perspective, instead of weekly shifts.  We have also developed a prediction matrix for change in value of lambs and kids by month and weight range that is based on over ten years of data from the local auction reports.  This matrix was used to develop an iPhone app that conducts the calculations and displays them in charts.

A subject of common discussion among sheep and goat raisers is timing lambing or kidding to market offspring during the peak winter months or prior to an ethnic holiday.  While, this may seem very logical, it isn’t as easy as it may seem. We often see a reduction in the prolificacy of some sheep and goats during the spring because they are natural fall breeders. Also, there are undoubtedly costs associated with extra supplement needed by pregnant females during the winter, but ranchers make money on margins and while inputs may be increased, the potential value of a fall lamb or kid crop could more than make up for this.

Improving a lamb or kid crop is one of the greatest challenges for a sheep or goat rancher to accomplish because of the need to maintain good nutrition, thwart predators, prevent disease, and adapt to what mother nature provides.  Sheep and goat folks take great pride in their animals and will do most anything to keep them healthy and productive.  But I’d like to challenge you to raise the bar for what you’d consider a good lamb or kid crop.  Measure your success or failure and document this in a place that is easy to find and remind yourself.  Do this not only for your betterment but for the opportunity that this provides the next generation on the family ranch.

It is my professional opinion that most of our Texas flocks and herds lack the genetic potential to seize the opportunity that lies ahead of us.  In essence, ~ 120 percent lamb or kid crop might be the best we can do, whereas small ruminants with an improved reproductive genetic potential could have raised a 50 percent larger lamb or kid crop.

Selection for higher reproductive potential is possible, but, it won’t happen overnight. Lamb or kid crop is multifaceted set of traits and many of these traits are low to moderately heritable. Unlike, wool or growth traits that tend to be moderate to highly heritable and negatively correlated with reproduction.  There is a high probability that we have selected against reproductive fitness due to over emphasis on wool, growth, and carcass traits.

To make real and measurable increases in lamb and kid crop, I feel strongly that we need to do a better job in selection of replacements for a higher reproductive potential.  The best prediction tools on the market for genetic potential are EBVs (estimated breeding values) from flocks or herds in the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP).   Most commercial operations won’t have the time and resources to generate EBVs on their own sheep/goats, but rather they can source rams or billies with above average EBVs for the reproductive traits.  Keep in mind that rams or billies won’t increase the lambing or kidding rate of the flock or herd until their daughters are raising offspring.  It is a long-term investment.

This fall is looking like the start of another fantastic opportunity to market lambs and kids for high value. Capitalizing on these opportunities are the types of decisions that help keep businesses alive and ranches in families for generations.  Let’s try and seize the opportunity for the next generation to have a brighter future than our own. If AgriLife Extension can be of assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

Preserving the Legacy of Texas Ranching

This edition of Reid’s Ram-blings was composed by Jake Thorne, Texas A&M AgriLife Program Specialist. 

“Our kids are our future.” This quote, or some version of it, is universally accepted as truth. I expect that most readers of this article agree that raising children in the world of production agriculture is unparalleled. Kids thrive when there is space to get dirty, creeks to be played in, animals to feed, and responsibilities to be learned the “old-fashioned” way. Even with the afore mentioned benefits, why is it that children who become young, working adults are not all returning “home” to the ranch/business?

The sheep and goat industries are certainly not immune to this generational exodus. One only needs to look at the decline of total sheep and producers over the last half century to realize that it has contracted significantly, and at least some of that contraction is due to an imbalance between number of parents or grandparents exiting the business and number of young adults entering it. How do we, as an industry, change this?

The reality is the small ruminant industries of Texas have a problem with succession, and the solution is about as clear as a stock tank after a summer rain. In our jobs as Extension professionals, we try to only stick to scientific fact, which is why we often default to discussing topics such as animal health and management, etc. I write this article today with intentions less focused on providing the latest information and more as a gentle nudge of thought provocation. To ensure a strong future for the sheep and goat industries, we need the next generation to take over the family business, and we need young people not raised in this particular agriculture sector to enter it.

If you are a rancher and you have kids, it is never too early to have “the talk” with them. Not “the birds and bees” talk, I mean “the ranch talk”. The one that opens up a clear line of communication about succession planning. Kids are starting to think about jobs and their futures as adults way earlier than you realize, and they need to know if and when there may be a spot for them in the family ranching business. The “how, what, and who” of this discussion is entirely up to you and your family, but all I ask is that the discussion is had.

There are a number of great resources out there, a simple google search will provide a number of guides on this form of planning, if you need somewhere to start. Thinking about retiring/passing-the-reins/selling-out/moving to town (yikes!)/succession planning is way outside the comfort zone of most ranchers I know, and too often the topic is avoided. Families that have not had the discussion on how to incorporate the younger generation into the business early on almost always pay for it dearly in the end, and too often this leads to one more operation that is lost.

The second reality about succession planning is that some kids do not want to take over the family ranching business. The knee-jerk comment is always “well kids these days don’t want to work,” but that is not always the truth. Young people are learning to work, just differently than their parents (getting into this too much would turn this into a novel).

The hard question that ranchers need to sometimes ask themselves is, have I built a business that my kids want to take over? Is this business truly profitable? Is what I see as a labor of love being perceived as just non-stop back-breaking work to my children? Is that a lifestyle they want? Is that really what I wanted when I was young? These are tough self-reflecting questions. Again, every situation and every family is different, but avoiding these discussions is most certainly not the right way to go.

Finally, if your family is not in a situation to pass the business or ranch to a child, I would encourage you to entertain other ways to assist the future generation of Texas sheep and goat producers. In fact, there are many young people who would like to enter into livestock production, but do not have family land. The startup capital needed to get established in ranching is almost always cost prohibitive. If you, as an established rancher, have the capability to partner with or offer lease land to a young producer, know this could be life-changing for them. Maybe this lessee will bridge the gap until the next generation in your family is ready.  Allowing someone else to ranch on your ancestral place is nearly always a sacrifice. Nevertheless, you may be surprised by the fulfillment that comes with this act of selflessness.

It would be completely unfair for me to write an article about succession planning and encouraging ranchers to ask themselves tough questions without saying thank you all you have done to ensure that the Texas Sheep and Goat industries are as strong as they are today. Through maintaining traditions and teaching invaluable life lessons that can only be learned in the working pens after a long day of marking lambs, you, as producers, have shown the younger generation “the way.”

Hopefully, you can maintain this legacy for your kids and for generations to come. Communication, something that might not come easy to most of us, may just be the missing piece to ensuring that your family’s business and way of life is preserved. The Texas sheep and goat industries are full of the best people in the world; those that do not back down from a challenge to do what’s right. Sometimes, those challenges are just a simple discussion around the family dinner table. Here’s to a strong future for the next generation of Texas sheep and goat producers!

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service County office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

To Drench, or Not Drench

This spring was cooler than most and some were fortunate to get a good healthy rain.  As things start to warm up, we expect to have problems with internal parasites in sheep and goats.  Fortunately, there has been some advancements in technology to help in the fight against these pesky parasites.  The bad news is, strategic treatment is not simple, and the more science learns about parasites, the more we realize just how much we don’t understand!

For me, the complexity of life is part fascinating and part frustrating. The intricate process by which sunlight and water grow plants that are eaten by sheep and goats to sustain themselves, grow, and reproduce is truly incredible. It is amazing how they overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. Unfortunately, parasites, predators, and pathogens that negatively impact sheep and goats are just as complex and resilient.

Therein lies the dilemma: how we make decisions to better manage sheep and goats knowing there will always be drawbacks to every decision.  Successful ranchers employ practices that result in the most benefit with the fewest consequences.  Yet, best practices differ from one operation to the next and these best practices are constantly changing.  The reason they vary between operation is because each ranch has different resources (labor, land, feed) and different overall management strategies (breed, season of birth, supplementation).

Parasite management is the best example of this.  The barber pole worm (H. contortus) is the most damaging parasite to sheep and goats and is particularly problematic for certain animals: those that are thin, lactating, or young. Though the barber pole worm thrives in wet, warm, late spring conditions, it can still persist in most any animal and in any weather condition common in Texas.

For decades, ranchers administered dewormer products repeatedly to prevent barber pole worm. However, treatment does not always eliminate every worm from the animal, with some resistant specimens surviving. These worms then reproduce at an alarmingly fast rate (10,000 eggs per day!) and before you know it, an entire population of worms resistant to the treatment you utilized has developed. Continuing to treat animals with the same products and tactics is eventually useless. Slowing the rate of dewormer resistance is possible, but requires an understanding of the parasite, its lifecycle, and the animal’s immune system.

Simply put, there is no silver bullet to control parasites that will work for everyone.  If someone tells you otherwise, they are misled, misinformed or straight up lying.  Strategic parasite management is a plausible solution, but this requires implementation of several strategies to mitigate the impact of internal parasites.

Parasite Management Practices Common to Texas Sheep and Goat Industry:

• Fall or Winter Lambing/Kidding: Animals with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to barber pole worm. By shifting the birthing season to a time when parasites are not thriving because of less-than-ideal environmental conditions (for them, at least) your livestock may be vulnerable, but the threat of parasites is not nearly as high.
• Combination Treatments: Providing 2 or more dewormer products back-to-back improves the efficacy of treatment and prolongs development of resistance. Copper oxide wire particles may be part of the combination treatment.
• Refugia: The process of leaving some animals untreated, while treating those who are in need, is called refugia, and allows for not at-risk animals to harbor parasites that aren’t resistant to the combination treatment. Eliminating barber pole from your herd/flock completely is not realistic, so if you are always going to have parasites in your sheep or goats, at least they are worms that can be sufficiently controlled with anthelmintics.
• Genetic Selection: Some sheep and goats are more susceptible to barber pole worm than others; identifying and keeping those that have greater resistance as breeding stock can be a major piece of the puzzle. In brief, certain aspects of some animal’s immune systems allow them to naturally prevent parasites from becoming overly established in their abomasum. Fecal egg counting is a common way to estimate worm loads and a great tool for identifying potentially resistant animals. To help ranchers test their animals for parasite resistance, we have started a fecal egg count laboratory. Check out our website for more information.
• Grazing Management: Barber pole worm hatch and develop outside of the animal, but are consumed when the animal grazes short grasses that the larva has crawled up on. The period from hatch to consumption by the animal can be as short as 4-5 days in ideal parasite conditions. Rotation of pastures before the parasites have developed is a great tool, however it requires the rancher to be set up for such. When grasses are taller (above 4-6”) or weather conditions are not suitable for egg hatching, having a longer rotation interval is OK. The key is, larva can survive on pasture for months, so not re-grazing the same area for a while is important for pasture rotation practices to be effective.

Employing a number of these practices on your ranch can help reduce both the economic and animal health related consequences brought on by internal parasites. Philosophically, it seems the “best” ranchers manage their land and livestock to maximize profit in good years and limit losses in poor years. Not to mention, they are lifelong learners who know that they have nothing completely figured out and relish the chance to incorporate new ideas and techniques. This spring has west Texas set up for a good grass growing season and livestock and their young should flourish… don’t let internal parasites ruin this opportunity!

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

Half of What You See

My high school ag teacher used to say, “Believe nothing that you hear, and only half of what you see.”  At that time in my life, I took the statement as comical and sarcastic.  We must have faith that people aren’t constantly lying to us.  And what we see with our own eyes must be true. Right?

As much as I wanted to discount this bold statement, it has stuck with me for several decades.  The primary reason it didn’t become a distant memory is I was constantly reminded of it each time I learn something new that contradicted something that I previously thought to be fact.  After a decade of higher education and constant reminders of how wrong I was, I learned to not place “absolute faith” in something someone says or something that I saw.

The truth is complicated and there are very few absolutes in life. We must always keep an open mind, or we will be blindfolded to learning.

One of the most difficult “false truths” that I have had to overcome has been assessing genetic merit of sheep.  As an active participant in 4H and FFA market lamb projects, we strived to raise the best show lambs that we possibly could.  The rules of the game were fairly simple.  Work hard to raise or purchase the best lambs we were capable of.  Feed, exercise, and train our animals to show.  Exhibit your projects to a judge and hope for the best.

I believed “absolutely” that livestock judges were quantifying the value of “all” sheep.  And it took nearly a decade of industry involvement beyond my youth livestock experience to admit I was wrong.  The market lamb projects were about making me a better person and exposing me to agriculture.  Genetic value of livestock is determined by the animal’s potential to produce a desired product within the environment they are being raised.  Desired product and environment vary widely across the sheep and goat industry.

Desired Product: In Texas alone, sheep and goat producers strive to create a wide array of products which have evolved over time.  At the peak of sheep and goat production in the 1950s, the largest majority of producers focused on producing high value wool and mohair.    Fiber quality and fleece weight were top priorities for selecting replacements.  As the animal fiber market diminished over several decades, some ranchers transitioned to selection of larger and faster growing animals to increase revenue from lamb and goat sales.  Other ranchers transitioned to animals that would perform well in the showring and marketed high value show stock. More recently, the majority of Texas ranchers have transitioned away from fiber production all together.  Today, Texas has a diverse sheep and goat industry that serves a diverse consumer base that want different things.  This diversity has proven to be very resilient during turbulent times.

Environmental Fitness:  This term is used often by geneticists to describe how well an animal is likely to perform on a particular ranch based on location and style of management.   For instance, Central and East Texas have a much higher parasite burden than West Texas.  Sheep and goats that have been selected for parasite resistance are essential to most pasture-based ranchers in higher rainfall areas.  Yet, these same animals may not perform as well as others in an environment that has a low internal parasite burden.  Mature body size, seasonality of breeding, reproductive potential, and grazing behavior are just a few other traits that can affect how well a sheep or goat is fit for the environment. As I stated before, it is complicated.

Yes, genetic potential is important.  But if you are buying genetics that others define as ideal, there are some important considerations you need to make to determine if these animals are also ideal for you. Take in to account their management style, their production goals, and their consumer base. Do these match with yours? No two operations are exactly alike, and if you cannot justify a purchase based off these points, buyer’s remorse may be a likely outcome!

My point of all this rambling is urge you to think deeply about what type of animals you want to raise and how you want to raise them.  Don’t let someone else’s strong opinions overtake your own common sense.  Sheep and goat ranching is complicated.  To sustain a sheep and goat operation, you must utilize your ranch resources effectively and employ a management style that fits your goals.  When your genetics and management align, your life will be much easier (and your pockets deeper!).

My ag teacher was right!  What others value in an animal may not be important to you at all. And only half of what you see in an animal is genetic. In-depth discussions for how to best measure genetics are best saved for another day, but in brief; an understanding of how the animals were raised and accurate performance records are the foundation to making sound decisions.

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

Ranching Solutions

While the new year officially starts in the winter, spring kicks off so many new things on farms and ranches.  Lambs and kid goats are frolicking around in green pastures.  The weather tends to be quite pleasant.  Moisture tends to go further and there is much optimism in the air.  And, of course, it is baseball season!

Besides my role as little league coach, this spring has also brought on quite a few new opportunities for me and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo.  I’m honored to have been named the director of the research center, while still retaining much of my duties as a sheep and goat AgriLife Extension specialist.  It is my goal to uphold the reputation built by people before me and help the center break new ground to benefit the agriculture producers of Texas.

The center’s mission statement is simply “Ranching Solutions.”  But solving issues faced by agriculture producers in this region are by no means simple.  Many of these issues have been around for decades and there is no silver bullet to fix them.  We must continue to find strategies to mitigate their impact, be adaptive to a changing world, and always be prepared to handle new problems that may be on the horizon.  This mindset by previous center directors has helped build the reputation of our institution as one of the leading sheep and goat research entities in the U.S.

While the population of sheep and goats isn’t what it once was here, West Central Texas is still the largest producer of lamb and goat in the U.S.  Fortunately for me, as a sheep and goat guy, and fortunately for other sheep and goat enthusiasts, the market has been steadily improving year by year.  Now that the average lamb and meat goat live prices are $3 and $4.50 per pound (local auction market as of mid-April), there is no doubt that small ruminants are a wise investment for farmers and ranchers of this region of Texas.

I fully intend to urge our team of scientists and extension professionals to continue research and outreach efforts to benefit small ruminant producers.  Yet I appreciate that things are always changing, and there is a need to remain adaptive to these changes.  Therefore, we will continue to seek opportunities to improve the lives of Texans whatever the opportunity may be.

The Texas A&M AgriLife agency is funded by and called to serve Texans.  I not only welcome but encourage input from stakeholders of this region.  Often, research issues and outreach ideas come from the farmers and ranchers who deal with agricultural challenges daily.  In many cases, we can develop partnerships to help resolve these issues.  A few of these recent successful collaborations include the Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog program, in partnership with the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Board, and the market reports on our website and the Lamb and Goat Market Forecast iPhone app, which are both the result of a partnership with Producers Livestock Auction Company.

One of Babe Ruth’s most famous quotes is “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” While we can’t strike out each and every issue that you may be facing, Texas A&M AgriLife will always continue the pursuit of improving the agriculture industry. Communication with you is vital to this pursuit and we hope to hear from you on how we can better the lives of Texans.

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

Jordan Moody is the guest author for this month’s column.  She is a PhD candidate working at the Texas A&M AgriLife center under an Extension graduate assistantship.

If you read “Reid’s Ram-blings” last month, you probably gained an appreciation for the deep-seated sheep culture that saturates West-Central Texas, and I did too.  As a new San Angelo resident, I can say without a doubt that this is great sheep country. Something that is often overlooked though, is the abundance of multigenerational sheep expertise that the farmers and ranchers of Texas have to offer.

I don’t mean to ignore the goat producers; however, I am new to goat production and so for the purposes of this article, I will be sticking to what I know, and speaking through the lens of the sheep industry.  Regardless, I am looking forward to learning more about the goat industry in Texas during my time here.

I was lucky enough to grow up in the sheep industry, being the 7^th generation of sheep ranchers in my family.  We had a flock of Targhee ewes in South-Central Montana, which ignited my passion for the sheep industry at a young age.  In the past several years, I have had the pleasure of living in Upstate New York, Christchurch, New Zealand, and Central Michigan, where I was exposed to countless sheep production systems and various types of sheep producers, from beginning small farmers to large, extensive range producers.  I truly value all the opportunities I have been afforded in my studies, but I believe my best learning has come from candid, sit-down conversations with producers around a supper table.  I have learned invaluable lessons, both about life and about ranching, made life-long friendships, and found mentors that have guided me through my endeavors.  These friendships and lessons are perhaps the most important thing to come out of my formal education thus far.

While I am only just beginning my sheep industry career, it is clear from listening to older generations that the industry has a way of awarding those who commit to being life-long learners.  Some of my most important learning experiences have simply come from saying “yes” to an opportunity to travel somewhere new and change my perspective and see how other folks do it.   I would like to encourage you to consider spending a little bit of time outside of your ranching operation and make it a point to do a little educational field trip, if even just around the state of Texas.  I truly believe that whether you are just starting out, or are several generations deep, there is always something to be learned, and there is no wrong time to learn something new.

I moved to Texas in August of 2020, and since then I have had the pleasure of traveling around Texas with Reid and Jake.  I am grateful for the producers who have welcomed me to their ranches and into their homes and taken time to teach me about their operations and give me various tidbits of advice and knowledge.  I have learned so much about the importance of getting involved in the industry, about taking risks (and when not to), and about the importance of continuing to improve without forgetting that multigenerational knowledge that is the foundation of our industry.  I also have gained a deep appreciation for the neighborly attitude embraced by so many of the Texas producers I have had the privilege to meet so far.

Each place I have lived, I have learned something new.  Not everything that works for Michigan sheep producers will work on the high desert in Montana, and not everything that has proven successful in New Zealand will be practical on the West Texas range.  Even so, I believe that we all have something to learn from each other.  The sheep industry is one that is rich in knowledge and tradition, and I think that is something to be celebrated.

I was, and certainly am still very naïve to the diversity we have in the sheep industry, but traveling to farms and ranches, attending industry conferences such as ASI or The Lamb Summit, or getting involved with producer groups and state associations has broadened my horizons immeasurably.  It is my hope that we, as Texans (either newly minted or life-long) can take full advantage of the networking aspect these national events and organizations have to offer, and truly take time to learn from each other, as there is always value in a change of perspective.

I encourage everyone to embrace and even admire each other’s differences, but never pass up an opportunity for a cup of coffee and conversation with another producer, because you never know what you might learn from each other.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

A Community of Sheep and Goats

West-Central Texas has been home to one of the largest populations of sheep and goats in the US for over half a century.  Approximately, one fifth and one half of all the sheep and goats in the US are raised in this region of Texas, respectively.

Sure, when our great state is mentioned to non-Texans, it often conjures up images of longhorns and oilrigs, and there is no denying their significance to our history. With that said, sheep and goats were very much a part of the foundation of ranching success in this region, and what spawned out of those successes was industry infrastructure that may not be matched by anywhere ese in the United States.

Obviously, this region of Texas is very suitable to raising sheep and goats. Yet, it’s not just the sheep and goat raisers that have built this industry.  The community of allied industries are absolutely essential to sustaining and growing an industry, including auction yards, feed manufacturers, wool warehouses, scouring facilities, shearing crews, and harvesting plants, to name a few.  I have lived in other regions of the US, where allied industries aren’t readily accessible, and it presented serious challenges to operating a sheep and goat enterprise.

This region of the state is home to several livestock auctions that would rank in the top ten for sales volume of sheep and goats, nationally.  These auction markets have tremendous value in determining a free market value for sheep and goats on a weekly basis, especially for the non-traditional trade.

There are dozens of feed manufacturers across this region that provide feedstuffs and nutritional supplements for sheep and goats.  We have pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute animal health products for sheep and goats. Additionally, most of us have a feed store nearby that carry an assortment of common sheep and goat supplies. I find it comical when out-of-state sheep friends come and visit and we have to take a trip to our local feed store to “stock up”.

West-Central Texas is also home to one of two industrial scale wool scouring facilities that remain in the US.  Several of the leading wool brokers reside in and warehouse wool in this region.  In response to the closure of the Yocum-McColl Testing Lab, Texas A&M AgriLife Research is building a commercial lab to test wool core samples to provide a critical domestic service for the wool trade.

Texas has the largest sheep and goat show industries in the nation.  Where most states have only one state fair, Texas has half a dozen major stock shows.  In my opinion, the level of competition at these Texas shows for market lambs, market goats, and breeding stock is unmatched.  These competitive opportunities cultivate a passion for the sheep and goat industries in our next generation, or at least it did for me.

Texas is growing its capacity to harvest, fabricate, and distribute sheep and goat meat products.  Notably, Double J Lamb have reopened what used to be the “Ranchers Lamb” plant in San Angelo.  There have been quite a few small to medium-scale harvest plants built to serve the industry and its customers, as well.

Texas has one of the largest state sheep and goat associations in the nation.  Many leaders in the industry have donated their time to guide this organization and have gone on to lead the national organizations as well.  Sadly, we lost Glen Fisher this last month, who was one of those steadfast leaders.

The major sheep and goat producing counties in the state have passed and funded a state-run check off program to help combat one of the largest obstacles for Texas producers: predation!  Wildlife Services has a big presence in the state to help with predation, and Texas A&M AgriLife has one of the largest LGD research and education programs in the nation.

As a sheep and goat enthusiast, it makes me proud to call this region of the state home. I feel confident that this region leads the nation in allied industries related to sheep and goat production and will continue to do so in the future.  Not to mention, we are very fortunate to have agricultural professionals in the region with a good understanding of sheep and goats, including veterinarians, bankers and insurance agencies.

I don’t mean to be boastful, but rather appreciative.  As the saying goes “It takes a community to raise a child”, I believe that it also takes a community of allied industry to sustain the sheep and goat ranching way of life.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

What is Normal

I commonly hear the statement, “When things get back to normal…”  To be honest, I doubt that 2021 and beyond will ever resemble normal.  I believe that we are embarking on a new era that has a different normal.  And potentially a new era that keep changing so fast that we don’t settle into a normal.

Constant change is hard for most people.  We all like to think that we are independent thinkers but more often than not, we are like sheep and prefer the safety of the flock.  The world is complex and daunting.  It is often easier to make decisions based on general consumer perception verses independent technical research.

Let’s stop and think about what normal we want back and what part of the new normal we want to keep.  To do this, I suggest that you write down 3 things that you want to go back to normal and 3 things that are new to your life that you plan to keep.

I WANT BACK:                  I PLAN TO KEEP:

1) ________________    1)  _________________

2) ________________   2)  _________________

3) ________________   3)  _________________

 

I don’t know know about you, but I found it easier to come up with three things I plan to keep than 3 things I want back.  Yet, I did not expect this because we tend to think of 2020 as having been chaotic and unwanted.  I suspect it is because we fear change and uncertainty.

Markets don’t like change or uncertainty either.  Here in Texas, the market is dominated by the ethnic-consumer demand, which thankfully is more diverse and less reliant on a few major entities.

In early March, when everything was first shut down, the markets weakened a little.  Fortunately, it did not take long to rebound, especially for lightweight lambs and goats.  The ethnic market was free of major market disruptions and experienced what appeared to be a growth in demand.  As such, each month in 2020 the market was stronger than it was for the same month in 2019.

One aspect of 2020 that most livestock producers in west Texas don’t want to continue in 2021 is the weather. Much of the sheep and goat producing region of Texas is dealing with mild to severe drought conditions.  If your pastures have any forage remaining, it is either low in supply or low in quality. For the region as a whole, this was not a bad parasite year with the dry conditions, but drought may also mean hungry predators, especially this winter.

I commonly get the question “What is the best sheep and goat supplement?” or “What protein level should I feed?” I don’t particularly care for these comments as to answer them I usually have to play the card I least like to… “It depends” The better questions you should probably be asking is “How much supplementation do my animals need?” and “What is the most economical feed resource?”

Stage of production, body condition, and feed supply are the main factors that affect how much supplement may be needed.  Feed cost, feed nutritive value, and cost of delivery (easy to forget) are the main factors that determine the most economical supplemental feed.  I recommend that you contact your local county extension office, nutritionist, and/or veterinarian for assistance. While I always encourage you to pursue the most economical means regarding supplementing, it should also be noted that many of our livestock are pregnant and in the latter stages of gestation. Inaction now, while you are waiting for an opportunity to save a nickel on feed costs may cost you quite a few dollars later.

In closing, there is no doubt that our future is going to be quite different from our past.  For some of us, there have been tremendous hardship through these trying times.  But don’t be afraid to break away from the flock and appreciate that change, albeit uncomfortable, might just result in something good.

 

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324.  For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office.  If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.

What a Year!

I am confident that 2020 has been the most remarkable year of my life. Generally, we might think that the milestone years are those which we were born or married or had kids. Yes, those were great years, but they don’t hold a candle to what took place in 2020.

My heart goes out to all those that suffered significant hardship this year. Many people lost their jobs, lost family members, or had their world turned upside down due to COVID-19. And there is serious anxiety and depression lingering from the lack of uncertainty in this world: not to mention the political upheaval that we have had to endure.

I feel somewhat guilty but 2020 brought good changes in my life: new job responsibilities, new colleagues, less time on the road, and a new outlook on what is important. Yes, there were some nasty parts to 2020, but I seem to have the ability to block them out, a trait that I have to thank my mother for.

If you are a long-time reader, you have figured out that I am an optimist. Two decades ago, I knew that sheep and goats would be my life’s work. But at the time I had no rational for choosing this life- rather, it chose me. Up until recently, I have had to be creative to paint a rosy picture for what the future of the industry “could” look like. Honestly, the reality has been bleak: A half century of a declining industry, due to attrition of producers that could not make enough profits to be sustainable, brought on by lack-luster markets, constant predator pressure, and a diminishing infrastructure to support sheep and goat producers.

But I have learned to never bet against sheep and goat raisers. They are some of the most resilient people. Now, I can feel confident that a bright future does exist for those that want to put in the hard work and raise small ruminants.

MARKETS: The traditional lamb market, which is the primary marketing channel for 130-160 lb lambs, has made a quick rebound from the COVID-19 market crash. In my opinion, the abrupt shut down of the food service demand for lamb should have been the nail in the coffin for the domestic lamb industry. Yes, we lost a lamb packing plant and lamb cooperative in the process. But there are two new high-capacity lamb processing plants that opened their doors in 2020. And based on the current market, it appears the traditional U.S. lamb consumers have continued to support U.S. lamb producers.

Here in Texas, the majority of our lambs go toward the non-traditional market, which favors lighter weight lambs. Other than the months of April and May, the lightweight slaughter lamb market in 2020 was well above the 5-year average. More impressively, the supply of lambs that have been marketed at our sale barns in the state has been growing. Typically, prices go down with increasing supply. This again speaks to the strength of the demand for lamb products.

And, WOW, the meat goat market has been on FIRE. The month of September is the only time that the average kid goat was below $275 cwt. Not only are kid goats selling well, but adult goats are also fetching a premium. This strong market occurred in the face of pandemic and major holidays that fell in typical high-supply seasons.

It seemed as if fate is stacking the cards against the sheep and goat market. And yet, it has been prevailing with nothing but strength, but maybe I am too optimistic.

PREDATOR PRESSURE: No doubt that predators are still wreaking havoc on sheep and goat producers. And there is no sign of them going away anytime soon. The bright side has been the growth in use and acceptance of livestock guardian dogs (LGD) in Texas. We have partnered with the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board to conduct research and provide educational support for people that are wanting to use LGDs.

Skeptics will say that LGDs can be more hassle than help, and I’ll be the first to admit they are not for everyone. But as the sheep and goats are starting to expand into the panhandle, and further east in the state, areas historically dubbed “cow-country”, LGDs are making believers out of many of these newer producers. Here in the Edwards Plateau region, LGDs are also becoming more of the norm as opposed to an occasionality. They are not the sole answer to the predator issue but ask any of those who have come to rely on their services, and I think they’ll tell you there is no going back to the pre-dog days.

LACK OF INFRASTUCTURE: In the early 2000s, there was a poor outlook on resource allocation for small ruminants. It seemed like new research, pharmaceuticals, next generation equipment, and other technology would never be developed for sheep and goats, as the industries are not big enough.

None of this happened! On the contrary, universities reinvested in small ruminant educators and researchers. New research funding opportunities have materialized. New networks of educators, researchers, and industry leaders have formed. Sheep genetic technologies have grown at a faster rate than ever before. Foreign companies have invested in distribution of equipment specially designed for sheep and goat production.

2020 has been a crude trip around the sun for many, but I can’t help but find the blessings that have come from the turmoil. Like I said before, never bet against sheep and goat raisers. A resource group of people that find ways to survive the hard times and prosper in the good times.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324. For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office. If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.