Changes in the Sheep Industry in the United States Making the Transition from Tradition (2008) / Chapter Skim
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2 The U.S. Live Sheep Industry A n evaluation of the current economic status of the overall U.S.
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38 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES sheep production, feeding, trade, pricing, and policies in the United States, the chapter concludes with a summary discussion of the major accomplishments and future opportunities as well as the key challenges facing the live sheep component of the U.S. sheep industry.
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40 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES TABLE 2-2 U.S. Sheep Inventories and Operations by Flock Size, January 1, 2006 Flock Size (head)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 41 100 95 90 85 80 Percent 75 70 65 60 55 50 1867 1873 1879 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1915 1921 1927 1933 1939 1945 1951 1957 1963 1969 1975 1981 1987 1993 1999 2005 Years FIGURE 2-2 Breeding stock as a percent of total sheep and lamb inventories, 1867–2007.
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42 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Focusing on the change in aggregate numbers over time, however, conceals an important recent phenomenon in the industry that is changing the traditional national pattern of sheep production. A simple trend analysis of the sheep inventory data indicates that the decline in sheep numbers has slowed significantly and even reversed in some regions of the country. Analyzing the two periods of 1989–2000 and 2001–2007, the compound annual rate of change in sheep and lamb inventories by state was calculated and compared in the two time periods and across all states for which there were continuous data series.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 43 Texas California Wyoming Colorado South Dakota Utah Montana Idaho Iowa Oregon Minnesota Ohio NewMexico Arizona Pennsylvania Kansas North Dakota Nebraska Wisconsin Michigan Oklahoma Missouri Nevada New York Virginia Illinois Indiana Washington West Virginia Other States Total U.S.
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44 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES may be the beginning of a transition period in which growth in farm flocks is coupled with a slower overall decline in range sheep flocks, contributing to a more stable level in the national flock than has occurred in the past 60 years. A major contributor to this transition is the increase in hair sheep production in Texas and the farm flock states.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 45 TABLE 2-3 Enterprise Budget for Public Land Range Sheep Operation: 2006 Expense and Income Analysis for a 3,000-ewe Range Production System Item Per Ewe ($)
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46 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES TABLE 2-4 Enterprise Budget for a 50-ewe Farm Flock Sheep Enterprise: 2006/2007 Operating Costs and Income Item Per Ewe ($) Total $ EXPENSES Feed Hay and grain 39.31 1,966 Salt and minerals 2.25 112 Supplemental feed for finishing lambs 20.16 1,008 Pasture maintenance 8.00 400 Health program Internal and external parasite control 8.96 448 Vaccinations 4.24 212 Other veterinary medications, services 5.20 260 Shearing 3.64 182 Ram replacement 6.00 300 Bedding straw 6.24 312 Marketing and transportation 7.95 398 Supplies 5.20 260 Manure disposal 7.00 350 Building maintenance 6.00 300 Interest on operating expenses 3.90 195 Total operating expenses 134.05 6,703 INCOME 1.4 Lambs/Ewe @ 59.09 kg/lamb × $2.09/kg 172.90 8,645 Cull ewes and rams 16.53 826 Wool 2.50 125 Wool loan deficiency payment 1.25 62 Unshorn lamb pelt payment 1.44 72 Total operating income $194.60 $9,730 Return on land, labor, and investment $60.56 $3,027 Investment costs (animals, facilities, equipment, land improvements)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 47 cent, with a lower break-even price per kilogram of lamb sold of $1.4606/kg ($0.6625/lb)
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48 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES portation, and labor may be half the cost per animal for a 1,000‑head flock compared to a 100‑head flock. Perhaps as important is that producers with large flocks view sheep as a primary business enterprise and, consequently, strive for increased efficiency in their operations.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 49 to range production systems with limited feed resources also tend to be the best wool‑producing breeds (see Chapter 5)
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50 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES subtropical environments and in regions with inadequate number of sheep shearers, where wool may be a liability. Dairy sheep breeds, developed in the more traditional sheep milking regions of Europe, have supported the development of this new industry in the United States.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 51 bouillet, Targhee, and Columbia breeds, and crosses among these breeds.
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52 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES flocks and are generally raised for competitive exhibition. Owners of the elite flocks of these breeds sell a large portion of their sheep as breeding animals to other purebred breeders.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 53 associations also promote their respective breed to the commercial sheep industry and potential new purebred breeders, set standards for acceptable breed type, and sponsor shows and sales for their breed.
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54 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES TABLE 2-5 Top 10 Sheep Breeds with Annual Number of Purebred Registrations at 20-year Intervals, 1965–1966, 1985–1986, and 2005–2006 Average of 1965 and 1966a No. of % of Total Rank Breedc Registrations Registrations 1 Suffolk 32,314 27.9 2 Hampshire 26,168 22.6 3 Corriedale 12,448 10.7 4 Southdown 8,986 7.7 5 Columbia 6,502 5.6 6 Shropshire 6,352 5.5 7 Dorset 6,070 5.2 8 Rambouillet 5,742 4.9 9 Cheviot 3,274 2.8 10 Montadale 2,718 2.3 Top 10 breeds 110,574 95.3 All breeds 116,011 100.0 Average of 1985 and 1986b No.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 55 TABLE 2-5 Continued Average of 2005 and 2006b No.
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56 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES had increases in number of registrations in most years from the time their registration numbers were first reported in 1996 and 1995, respectively (Deakin, 2007)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 57 of breeders of a particular breed who will take responsibility for collection of the performance data, put it in a form needed by NSIP, and submit it to NSIP for analysis.
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58 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES technology available through NSIP. For the most part, selection decisions in U.S.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 59 weight for the next 75–80 days.
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Fall Lambs for Slaughter 60 Lighter Weight Lambs 27–36 kg Heavier Finished Lambs to 63 kg Fall Lambs on Spring Pasture and/or Feedlot to Finished Weight Ewes and Fall Lambs on Pasture Mature Animals on Pasture Before Lambing Ewes and Fall Lambs on Pasture Ewes Bred for Fall Lamb Fall Lambing Season Crop Fall Lamb Cycle January February March April May June July August September October November December Spring Lambing Season Ewes Bred for Spring Lamb Crop Spring Lamb Cycle Mature Animals on Range Ewes and Lambs Together on Range or Pasture Mature Animals on Range or Feed Supplement or Feed Supplement Range Lambs on Feed to Finish Weight Range Lambs on Feed to Finish Weight Mature Animals on Pasture Ewes and Lambs Together in Farm Flocks Mature Animals on Pasture or Feed Supplement or Feed Supplement Farm Flock Lambs Pastured to Finish Weight or Grain Fed Farm Flock Lambs Pastured to Finish Weight or Grain Fed Spring Lambs for Slaughter Spring Lambs for Slaughter Heavier Finished Lambs to 63 kg Lighter Weight Lambs 27–36 kg Wool Shearing Season for All Mature Animals FIGURE 2-5 The sheep-lamb annual production cycle. Fig 2-05.eps landscape (smaller type would be < 6 pts if reduced to fit portrait style)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 61 other restoration practices, have generally improved both land and animal productivity.
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62 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES mostly private lands, where fee hunting is economically important, foraging relationships between domestic and wildlife species are important to the land manager. In western states with large public land holdings, wildlife are generally managed by the state, yet federal land managers are responsible for land management.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 63 short time period, almost requiring nose‑to‑nose contact among animals for transmission.
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64 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES increasing problem in Texas and other southern states. An excellent review of predation issues was published in a special edition of the Sheep & Goat Research Journal titled "Predation" (SGRJ, 2004)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 65 Utah prairie dog, and Mississippi sandhill crane.
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66 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES digestion and utilization of cellulose and other complex fibrous components of grasses, weeds, and certain shrubs. Once the more complex components have been digested in the rumen, they may be absorbed through the ru men wall for utilization or passed to the other stomach compartments and intestines in less complex forms and as bacterial components for further digestion and absorption.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 67 TABLE 2-7 Major Lamb Processing Plants and Feedlots in the United States Firm/Plant Name Location Capacitya (head)
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68 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES operations rely on grains and harvested forages to feed lambs, much like cattle feeding operations. In both types of feeding operations (feedlot and forage)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 69 Furthermore, feedlot operations are typically located near grain‑growing regions, reducing the cost of transporting harvested feeds.
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70 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES in higher mechanical shear force values resulting in a tougher consumer product. Crouse et al.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 71 now illegal in some states because of pollution and potential smoke-related respiratory complications.
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72 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES with drylot feeding, however, because of the distribution of lamb production across the United States. In some cases, fall‑born lambs may stay with their mothers until they have reached an acceptable harvest weight and fatness (49.9 kg live weight)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 73 reported that lambs grazing turnips for 39 days gained 0.18 kg/day and drylot lambs gained 0.20 kg/day, which initially suggests that there is little performance difference in the feeding phase.
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74 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES range‑raised lambs and high animal concentrations per unit of land, generate issues related to animal digestive health and diseases, and environmental impacts that must be closely monitored. Typically, feeder lambs (31.8–49.9 kg)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 75 to reduce transportation costs.
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76 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Prearrival records provide critical information for quality assurance, food safety, and consumer awareness of the history of the food animal products that they consume. Some pharmaceutical products used as preventative or disease treatments have required withdrawal periods to ensure that there are no drug residues in the meat that may have an effect on human health (Roeber et al., undated)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 77 of lambs they will accept into their feeding operations and the preventative measures needed upon arrival to prevent illness and death.
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78 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES defined as a medium CAFO if it has at least 3,000 sheep and either a manmade ditch or pipe carrying manure or wastewater from the feeding operation or surface water with which sheep come in contact running through the area where sheep are confined. All CAFOs are required to have a permit, for which the minimum EPA requirements are as follows, although there may be additional state requirements: • Implement a nutrient management plan; • Submit annual reports to the permitting authority; • Keep permit current until the operation is closed and all manure is removed; and • Keep records of all nutrient management practices for at least 5 years.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 79 real-time ultrasound (RTU)
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80 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES of ways imaging could be used, both by producers and feedlot operators to determine muscle growth potential and the type of feeding regime best suited to their needs. Sorting lambs using an objective system such as a live animal imaging unit would help in selecting lambs that are market‑ready with more accuracy.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 81 Economic theory also suggests that the quantity of lamb supplied at the retail level is a function of its own price and costs as determined by the underlying production function for firms in the industry.
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82 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES $300 $250 $200 $ per cwt $150 $100 $50 $0 10/19/2001 1/19/2002 4/19/2002 7/19/2002 10/19/2002 1/19/2003 4/19/2003 7/19/2003 10/19/2003 1/19/2004 4/19/2004 7/19/2004 10/19/2004 1/19/2005 4/19/2005 7/19/2005 10/19/2005 1/19/2006 4/19/2006 7/19/2006 10/19/2006 1/19/2007 Week/Year Fig 2-07.eps FIGURE 2-7 Weekly average USDA lamb cutout value, October 2001–March 2007 (1 hundredweight (cwt)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 83 FIGURE 2-9 Monthly relative indexes for lamb, beef, and pork retail prices, January 2001–August 2005.
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84 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Fig 2-10.eps FIGURE 2-10 Average yield grade for mutton and lamb, 1992–2006. Source: USDA (2007c)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 85 $ Per cwt Date FIGURE 2-11 Western direct carcass price minus imported carcass price, April 2001–May 2003 (1 hundredweight (cwt)
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86 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES $90 $4.00 $80 $3.50 $70 $3.00 $60 $ Per Ton $ Per Bushel $2.50 $50 $2.00 $40 $1.50 $30 All Hay Per Ton $20 $1.00 Corn Per Bushel $10 $0.50 $0 $0.00 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Crop Year 2006-07 FIGURE 2-13 U.S. average feed costs, corn and hay, 1990/1991–2006/2007 (1 ton = 907.18 kg)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 87 80 4.5 1000s of Head of Ewes 1000s of Head Total 70 4 60 3.5 3 Sheep 50 2.5 40 2 30 1.5 20 1 10 0.5 0 0 1/4/2003 3/4/2003 5/4/2003 7/4/2003 9/4/2003 11/4/2003 1/4/2004 3/4/2004 5/4/2004 7/4/2004 9/4/2004 11/4/2004 1/4/2005 3/4/2005 5/4/2005 7/4/2005 9/4/2005 11/4/2005 1/4/2006 3/4/2006 5/4/2006 7/4/2006 9/4/2006 11/4/2006 1/4/2007 Week/Month/Year Total Sheep Slaughter Mature Sheep Slaughter FIGURE 2-14 U.S.
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88 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES price discovery process now largely reflects carcass or cut-out values so that price is determined by negotiation or formula related to carcass quality. As a result, a significant amount of the risk is shifted from the buyer to the seller, especially for pricing based on quality.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 89 Percent Procured by Method 45 42.2% 39.4% 40 35 30 25 20 15 12.0% 10 4.9% 5 0.8% 0.7% 0 ct ed a d r ts ns ul te ra tio wn po m tia nt c r Im r-O go Fo Co Au Ne ve ke Li c Pa FIGURE 2-15 Percentage of lambs procured by packers by method of procurement, 2006.
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90 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES 16,000 14,000 12,000 Head Per Week 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 8/21/2005 11/21/2005 2/21/2006 8/21/1999 11/21/1999 2/21/2000 5/21/2000 8/21/2000 11/21/2000 2/21/2001 5/21/2001 8/21/2001 11/21/2001 2/21/2002 5/21/2002 8/21/2002 11/21/2002 2/21/2003 5/21/2003 8/21/2003 11/21/2003 2/21/2004 5/21/2004 8/21/2004 11/21/2004 2/21/2005 5/21/2005 5/21/2006 8/21/2006 11/21/2006 2/21/2007 Week/Year FIGURE 2-16 Weekly U.S. live sheep exports to Mexico, August 1999–March 2007.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 91 comprehensive instruction in the basic sciences, arts, and humanities as well.
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92 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES tural programs at land‑grant universities through (1) joint funding with state and county governments of the cooperative extension services in each state, (2)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 93 station are members of both groups.
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94 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES made at the national and state levels on agricultural research and extension funding. In recent years, the National Institute for Animal Agriculture has been a major source of print and Internet-based information for producers on the disease of scrapie and the national scrapie eradication programs (NIAA, 2008)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 95 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 Actual Dollars, Bllions 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year All Ag Livestock FIGURE 2-17 Public funding for all agricultural and livestock research, 1998– 2005.
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96 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES university scientists were working on sheep research projects in 2005, the lowest number of FTEs associated with sheep research between 1998 and 2005. The highest number of FTEs involved in sheep research during that period was 157.3 and the average was 113.4.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 97 research scientists so that research needs of the industry are well known by scientists.
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98 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES • Advance and coordinate science and technology of production and marketing; and • Promote communication and cooperation between all segments of the industry, related businesses, and government agencies. Funding for ASI work on legislative and membership issues comes from member dues and individual donations.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 99 National Sheep Improvement Program The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP)
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100 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Wisconsin and Minnesota; (2) New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; and (3)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 101 United States, nonuse of rendered byproducts from sheep for use in certain animal feedstuffs, and a national scrapie initiative through APHIS.
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102 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Endangered Species Act (ESA) The general public, including most livestock producers, support the protection and recovery of threatened and endangered species (TES)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 103 The law modifies provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
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104 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 105 increasing lack of transparency in livestock transactions fueled concerns of packer manipulation of markets.
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106 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES mented in smaller local operations; however, their products are currently restricted to intrastate markets. An increasing number of state‑inspected facilities are used by direct marketers providing lamb to local markets and private customers.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 107 hours without being unloaded when the 28-hour period of confinement ends at night.
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108 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES and classed wools other than the superfine grade of less than 18.6 microns. Chapter 5 has more details on the current wool policy.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 109 gies combined with extension programs to provide producer education on uses of existing and new technologies was adopted by the sheep industry over 30 years ago through the Sheep Industry Development (SID)
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110 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES sheep and goats for targeted or prescribed grazing has been well documented in the last 10 years by researchers and practitioners. Sheep are used, for example, to control invasive and nonnative weed, grass, and small shrub species.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 111 their national organizations such as ASI, support valuable educational functions and influence sheep research and extension activities conducted by public institutions.
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112 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES labor are other options, all of which are expensive and often not acceptable to the public. Producer practitioners have been paid to implement targeted grazing or have been provided grazing at no cost, suggesting that this could be a potential supplemental income source or a means of reducing production costs for sheep and goat producers, and at the same time providing a public good for communities and society.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 113 • Critical mass.
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114 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES often based on show ring performance rather than commercial efficiency criteria. Only a small number of sheep breeders are using accurate estimates of genetic merit and performance‑based criteria for economically important traits in their selection decisions.
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 115 REFERENCES ALBC (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy)
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116 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Glimp, H
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THE U.S. LIVE SHEEP INDUSTRY 117 NIAA (National Institute for Animal Agriculture)
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118 CHANGES IN THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES Tatum, J
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