Rebuild the U.S. Sheep Inventory
A new website, www.growourflock.org, documenting the progress of this campaign is being set up and will launch at the end of April. Check back for updated information.
Committee Rolls out "2+2+2=Rebuild" Plan
A plan setting goals for the increased production of the U.S. sheep inventory was unanimously approved during the 2011 American Sheep Industry Association (ASI)/National Lamb Feeders Association convention in Reno.
To meet the emerging demand for American lamb in the nontraditional markets, as well as supplies for our national lamb and wool processors, the ASI Board of Directors approved a campaign to increase the U.S. sheep inventory. The campaign was brought to the board by the Re-build the Sheep Inventory Committee after unanimous approval in its own meeting. The committee, comprised of representatives from both the lamb and wool industries as well as producers from across the nation, was formed more than a year ago with the task of identifying ways to increase sheep numbers and improve infrastructure support.
The campaign to be launched in 2011, titled 2+2+2= Rebuild, asks that each producer increase the size of their operation by two ewes per operation or by two ewes per 100 by 2014, increase the average birthrate per ewe to two lambs per year and increase the harvested lamb crop rate by 2 percent. This program provides an attainable, challenging, measurable and realistic plan for increasing sheep numbers in the United States and maintains jobs and infrastructure - past studies have shown that for every 1,000 head of ewes, 18 jobs are created. Importantly, the program will provide approximately 315,000 more lambs and 2 million pounds of wool for the industry to market.
"I think these goals are not only realistic in that they are achievable but they are also realistic in that the industry needs to achieve them," said Clint Krebs, ASI vice president and executive board liaison to the committee, adding that the industry, regardless of market prices, may be in real danger of losing its infrastructure if it can't provide enough lambs to keep traditional processors and wool companies afloat.
"We need to fill the traditional market channel to keep American lamb in the largest grocery store chains and in the restaurant chains. Additionally, we need our wool companies to fill the pipeline for U.S. military use of our wool. Combining the growing ethnic market with the need to keep traditional companies operating means we need to produce more," said Krebs.
The plan takes two approaches to increasing flock numbers: encouraging and facilitating new producers to get into sheep production and encouraging current producers to increase their production.
For new producers, the committee suggests focusing on obtaining beginning rancher grants, strengthening college and internship sheep programs, encouraging starter flock or ownership transition programs and focusing on online/video education programs and advertising to let people know of the opportunities the sheep industry can provide.
For current producers, the goal is to address the 2+2+2=Rebuild formula to increase their current production, which makes a significant increase in sheep in the country within just a few years.
With the nontraditional markets providing such a large outlet for lambs, those operations located in the East and Midwest, traditionally smaller than range outfits of the West, may be especially suited for success with the plan. These operations may be able to increase two ewes per operation easier than those that have to increase two ewes per hundred.
"It's just a math problem, and the key may be small operations as our most important asset for rebuilding the sheep industry," said Krebs.
Krebs also said that in order for the plan to work, producers need to be on the cutting edge of management practices and possibly new technology to increase both lamb birth rate and lower lamb mortality rates.
Management practices like flushing, teaser bucks, vaccination, ewe nutrition and parasite management are just a few key practices that may make the plan become a reality.
"The SID handbook is probably the best sheep production handbook in the world and producers need to be following its recommendations. Almost everyone has a SID handbook, but when was the last time we looked at what it says? All the answers people need to increase lambing percentages are there," Krebs added.
Moving forward, the committee suggested hosting regional meetings and setting up key industry personnel to be available as information contacts.
"We aren't going to fix all the problems with the sheep industry overnight," Krebs related. "But we now have a set of goals to go forward with and start implementing."
"You have to start somewhere, and I think this is a good start and concept," said Re-build Committee member, Lee Puckitt, San Angelo, Texas. "I can certainly up my flock by 2 percent."
To order a copy of the SID Handbook, visit www.sheepusa.org/Order_Materials.