Sheep GEMS: Is the length of productive life a concern in the U.S. Katahdin ewes?
Ewe productive longevity, which is the number of days between a ewe’s first and last lambing, positively impacts flock profitability in at least three ways. It reduces annual ewe replacement costs. It increases ewe output by increasing the proportion of mature ewes in the flock. And lastly, ewes that live longer usually have fewer reproductive and health issues, which are major reasons for early culling.
As part of Sheep GEMS, we are investigating ewe longevity using information on ewes in flocks enrolled in the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). Our aim is to develop breeding strategies to improve ewe longevity genetically. As a first step, we evaluated lambing records on 10,474 Katahdin ewes born between 1992 and 2021 in 58 NSIP flocks located across the U.S. Thirty-three percent of ewes were culled before their second lambing. Moreover, 50% of ewes with two or more lambing records had less than 3 years of productive life. These results suggest an opportunity, even a need, to improve ewe longevity by genetic selection.
We also learned that Katahdin ewes born from twin and triplet births had longer lives than ewes born from a single birth. Furthermore, ewes that weaned lambs of heavier weights, between 44 and 55 lb., remained in flocks longer than ewes that weaned lighter lambs. These results suggest that NSIP flock owners select Katahdin ewes for both increased litter size and for better maternal ability.
It also became evident that there is a need to record the dates and reasons for culling ewes in NSIP. We often classify culling into two categories. Involuntary culling, which is when ewes leave a flock due to illness or death. And voluntary culling, which is when we decide to cull a ewe due to low genetic merit or productivity, or due to older age. Involuntary culling represents ewe wastage. Voluntary culling, on the other hand, is key to any genetic improvement program. Simply said, it entails replacing mature ewes with poorer genetic merit with ewe lambs with higher genetic merit.
Based on a survey conducted by the USDA in 2022, 26% of the ewes culled in commercial flocks were due to internal parasites or lambing issues. However, we expect involuntary culling to be lower in seedstocks flocks, where the primary objective is to maximize the annual rate of genetic gain. For instance, seedstock producers may cull a ewe with a poor estimated breeding value for fecal egg count (FEC), even when the ewe does not have a high FEC record, as their objective is to improve their flock genetically for increased parasite resistance. In this case, we have a voluntary culling. On the other hand, commercial producers usually do not have estimated breeding values for ewe selection, but they may cull their ewes based on high FEC records. In this case, we have an involuntary culling decision.
In short, we need to consider the length of ewes’ productive lives in our breeding programs, especially if we cull a substantial proportion of ewes in a flock due to involuntary reasons. To be most effective, producers need to record the date and reason for culling. By incorporating such information into the NSIP recording system, we can be more accurate in our assessment of ewe longevity and, thereby, achieve quicker improvement.
For further information contact Drs. Luis Pinto ([email protected]) or Luiz Brito ([email protected]).
Acknowledgements. We thank the Katahdin producers participating in the National Sheep Improvement Program for access to their records. This work was supported by the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (grant 2016-51300-25723/project accession no. 1010329), and by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant (grant 2022-67015-36073/project accession no. 1027785), from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.
Source: Sheep GEMS
Australian Wool Market
The Australian wool market has fallen this week, although only by the barest of margins on each day. The series was held in an unusual Wednesday/Thursday pattern, this was to accommodate Monday Public Holidays in Sydney and Melbourne, while Fremantle also moved to avoid selling in isolation. With Fremantle returning to the selling program the national offering rose by 6,076 bales compared to the previous week, there was 28,882 bales available to the trade nationally.
Although the smaller than normal offering received good buyer support, particularly higher yielding types, which continued to be highly sought after, from the opening lot it was apparent that the prices on offer for many types were not reaching the levels available at the previous sale. By the end of the first day the movements in the individual AWEX Micron Price Guides
(MPGs) for merino fleece were mixed. There were pockets of positive movements, a 10 cent rise in the 20.0-micron MPG in the North the highlight. As Fremantle was yet to realize the losses felt in the East in the previous series, the largest falls were recorded in the West, the MPGs dropping by between 18 and 26 cents. The benchmark Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) dropped by one cent, a buoyant crossbred market preventing a larger fall. The second day was very similar to the first. General weakness in the merinos countered by strength in the crossbreds resulted in another one cent fall in the EMI. The EMI closed the week at 2 cents lower at 1,197 cents. When viewed in USD terms the market movements were positive. The EMI added 3 US cents for the series, closing the week at 778 US cents. Only Melbourne and Sydney will be in operation in the
following series, with Fremantle absent the national offering falls. There is currently expected to be 21,766 bales on offer nationally.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX
American Lamb Checkoff: Boosting Quality and Demand
The American Lamb Checkoff, overseen by the American Lamb Board (ALB), was established in 2002 to consolidate industry resources, increase awareness, expand demand, and enhance industry profitability.
Checkoff funds are used to:
1) Promote American Lamb
ALB offers a variety of promotional programs that provide consumers with opportunities to sample or cook with American Lamb. These programs include:
- Seasonal Promotions like Lamb Lover’s Month, Lamb Jam and various seasonal promotions with recipes and tips for preparing American Lamb.
- The Lambassador Network, where talented chefs, influencers and recipe developers showcase American Lamb on their websites and social media channels.
- Restaurant Promotions, such as the ongoing partnership with Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, serve American Lamb on their menu.
- Online Cooking Classes, like Homemade and Kittch where home chefs can prepare delicious American Lamb meals alongside professional chefs.
- Consumer Events, including markets, festivals and dining events, where consumers can sample American Lamb at local venues and events.
- Foodservice Promotions & Conferences, where American Lamb is presented to chefs looking to expand their menus and add new flavors.
2) Conduct Research
The American Lamb Board works with universities and industry partners to conduct research related to greenhouse gas emissions, solar grazing, lamb quality and much more.
3) Provide Information to Producers
ALB provides services and educational opportunities to producers in the form of:
- Cooperative Funding Programs, where ALB collaborates with industry partners and stakeholders to grow, promote, improve and support American Lamb, creating greater demand and profitability for the industry.
- Promotional Materials that are available free of charge to producers and direct marketers to promote American Lamb at local events.
- Producer Resources, including educational resources like fact sheets.
- Educational Events and Workshops, like the American Lamb Summit and Targeted Grazing Workshops, where producers can learn new strategies to improve production practices.
“Thanks to these industry contributions, the ALB can increase awareness and provide producers with an array of tools and resources to promote American Lamb in markets all across the country,” says ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert.
How are Funds Collected?
The Lamb Checkoff is funded by the mandatory assessments paid by all segments of the sheep industry. By federal law, all sheep or lambs of any age, including ewes, rams, feeder and market lambs, breeding stock and cull animals, are subject to the national lamb checkoff assessment at the time of sale.
Producers and feeders pay the live weight assessment of $.007 per pound, and the first handler assessment is $.42 per head. A first handler is the owner of the animal at the time of slaughter, such as a packer, processor or direct marketer.
Direct marketers are both the producer and the first handler and are responsible for paying both the weight and per-head assessment. Direct marketers are producers who maintain ownership of some or all of their lambs and sheep through production, feeding and harvest, and sell their products directly to consumers, retailers and/ or chefs. Direct marketers have their lambs or sheep custom-harvested at a local processor or butcher. In some cases, primarily for ethnic sales and holidays, direct marketers sell their lambs and sheep directly off the farm.
Source: ALB
Dr. Tim Turner Honored by Texas A&M
Dr. Tim R. Turner, president and owner of Southwestern Livestock Mineral Co. and longtime ASI Animal Health Committee member and chair of the ASI Sheep Venture Company, was recently honored as an Outstanding Alumnus by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Turner is recognized for his decades of service to the livestock industry, leadership in animal health, and commitment to mentoring future veterinarians.
A passionate advocate for rural veterinary medicine, Turner has helped shape the future of the profession by supporting programs like Texas A&M’s Rural Veterinary Practice Preclinical Externship and Veterinary Innovation Summit. His dedication to agriculture, education, and community reflects the values that define both his personal and professional life.
Click Here to read the full story.
Source: San Angelo Live
Legislative Update from Washington, D.C.
The American Sheep Industry Association’s lobbying firm – Cornerstone Government Affairs – offered an update this week on legislative issues in our nation’s capital.
Senate Ag Committee releases reconciliation bill text:
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry released legislative texts to contribute towards the Senate’s broader budget reconciliation package. In the beginning of the reconciliation process, Senate Ag was instructed to cut at least $1 billion from within the Committee’s jurisdiction, which was vastly different than the House Agriculture Committee’s instruction of $230 billion. Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and the Committee markets the bill as reining in runaway spending in the nutrition title while promoting fiscal responsibility and investing in rural America and America’s farm families. In the Senate’s version, the bill has a net savings total closer to $140 billion, whereas the House’s version meets their instruction of $230 billion in net savings. Notably to ASI, the Senate’s framework funded orphan programs including the Wool Manufacturers Trust Fund, Wool Research and Promotion, and the Sheep Production and Marketing grant program. The Wool Marketing Loan Rates have increased nearly 40 percent as well as in the proposal. You can find the Senate Agriculture Committee’s complete legislative text here and a section-by-section summary here.
House Appropriation delays Ag-FDA FY26 markup:
On Wednesday, the full House Appropriations Committee convened to mark up the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill. This bill provides a discretionary spending total of $25.523 billion, $1.163 billion (4.2%) below the FY25 enacted level. Members engaged in hotly partisan debates regarding funding levels for rural infrastructure, the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the foreign influence on farming in the U.S. Republicans supported efforts for the federal government to assume more fiscal responsibility while simultaneously supporting rural communities’ access to broadband, water infrastructure, and affordable housing. While the Committee managed to get through the bulk of the amendments, a handful still remain, and a continuation date has yet to be confirmed. Notably to Sheep producers, the US Sheep Experiment Station funding has increased $1 million, Wildlife Service livestock programs are protected, and specific language supports USDA use and supply of the Spring-Loaded Ejection Device (SLED) for coyote control. A copy of the bill text here and report language here.
Senate confirms Stephen Vaden as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture:
On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Stephen Vaden to be the next Deputy Secretary of Agriculture along a 51-44 party vote. He will now head down to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he will serve as Secretary Brooke Rollins’ number two in command. This vote comes two months after his nomination hearing before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Before this new role, he served as a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade and was at USDA during President Trump’s first term as a general counsel. The Senate has yet to schedule confirmation votes for several other USDA nominees in the queue, such as Luke Linberg, Tyler Clarkson, and Dudley Hoskins.
House Ag holds hearing on conservation and working lands:
On Thursday, June 5, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology held a hearing titled, “Supporting Farmers, Strengthening Conservation, Sustaining Working Lands.” The hearing featured testimony from various agriculture industry stakeholders involved in and around the natural resources and conservation space. During the hearing, Republicans and Democrats agreed on the importance of supporting farmers and ranchers through effective, voluntary conservation programs. Republicans focused on modernizing and streamlining Farm Bill conservation programs, emphasizing local leadership, flexibility, and reallocating Inflation Reduction Act funds to enhance these efforts. Democrats prioritized protecting and expanding conservation funding—particularly technical assistance—and highlighted the need to address climate change and support underserved communities. Other topics discussed included administrative barriers, the role of science and technology in agriculture, the impact of funding cuts, and the importance of technical assistance and private investment in conservation program success. You can watch the full hearing here.