BEN LEHFELDT, ASI President
Your ASI Executive Board, officer team and staff are working hard for sheep producers to continue to keep lamb and wool in front of decision makers of all types. Thank you to all of you who have reached out with concerns and suggestions on our industry and the direction we should keep focused upon. This spring has been busy, and we expect to keep up the hard work through the summer.
In addition to advocating for our industry, many of us are making important grazing decisions. Along those lines, remember to reinforce the added value of multi-species grazing – especially with sheep – to improve the value of many ranches. With anything new, there’s a learning curve. Ranching is no exception, especially when you’re talking about adding a new species.
When you add sheep to a cattle operation, you’re no longer putting all your eggs in one basket. We’ve all heard “sheep are just looking for a place to die.” But I don’t believe that. In fact, I think I know where the saying comes from: they’re so tough, you might not notice they’re sick until it’s too late. They tend not to make a sound when they are in pain, whether it be docking or other distress. A cow is so large, she can afford to show a little bit of weakness. But a 140-pound ewe is on all the predators’ lists and doesn’t have that luxury.
That’s another reason why guardian dogs are invaluable on a sheep operation. It is a constant process to try and make sure the right mix of dogs exist on your ranch, and sometimes that exact right mix is never achieved. The mix of old and young dogs is important, so you want to make sure you have time to get replacement dogs trained up. It is always a learning experience. You’ve got young pups learning from the older dogs. Both the older dogs and the sheep must bond with and accept the new dogs. All of this takes time.
One way sheep are different than cattle is in their flight zone – the distance you must stay away from an animal for it to feel comfortable. Of course, once they get used to you, it’ll shrink a little. But sheep remain flightier than cattle and want to stick together more than cattle do, which means they’re actually easier to move than cattle. Additionally, if they escape, you only have to find one and you’ve found them all. Once you adjust to the differences between sheep and cattle, you will really like that they help utilize the resources that God gives us better than if we were only running cattle.
Financially, it just makes sense. By diversifying, you can dramatically improve your bottom line. When you add sheep to a cattle operation, you’re no longer putting all your eggs in one basket. When cattle prices drop, you’ve got sheep to sell, too. And instead of having to spray weeds, sheep will use those weeds to make you money. It’s a win-win. Additionally, sheep are cheaper to get into. You can pay them off in a year or two. And once you’re set up, each step of the way is less intensive than and less expensive than cattle. You don’t have to precondition them. It’s cheap to supplement them during the winter, too. We’re talking a couple of pounds of alfalfa per day per head to get them through the worst part of winter.
So, make sure we continue to sell the value of sheep to our community – and more importantly – to our ag community. The value of red meat is only going to increase, and American lamb should always have a place at the table.
With the Memorial Day holiday – the unofficial start to the summer grilling season – now behind us, let’s take a step back and look at the market dynamics that occurred leading up to and following the Easter holiday.
This year, weekly lamb and yearling slaughter averaged nearly 41,000 head per week during the four weeks leading up to the Easter holiday, which was on April 20. For comparison, weekly lamb and yearling slaughter last year averaged nearly 40,000 head per week during the four weeks leading up to the Easter holiday, which was on March 31 – three weeks earlier than this year. Following the Easter holiday this year, lamb and yearling slaughter decreased to levels that were seen prior to the holiday, which were in the mid-30,000 head per week area.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service releases a Weekly Retail Lamb Feature Activity report detailing retail prices for various lamb cuts, the feature rate, activity index, along with market highlights. As would be seasonally expected, the feature rate and activity index saw a jump higher in the week leading up to the Easter holiday. The Market Highlights in the April 18 report found some of the sampled retail stores offered a prepared Easter dinner that featured a leg of lamb. The report further noted that, “servings ranged from 6 to 10 and meal prices ranged from $179.99 to $205.”
SUPPLY DISCUSSION
Looking into the summer months, weekly lamb and yearling slaughter has already started to trend seasonally lower. Year-to-date through April, weekly lamb and yearling slaughter has tracked about 4 percent above the same period in 2024. Throughout the same period this year, weekly lamb and yearling dressed weights have been averaging about 64 pounds, which is 1 percent above last year. Combining both the 4-percent increase in slaughter and the 1-percent increase in dressed weights has led to a 4.1-percent rise in year-to-date lamb production.
While lamb production has been tracking above year-ago levels, lamb and mutton imports totaled 72.6 million pounds during the first quarter of 2025, a 2-percent increase from the first quarter of 2024. The higher production and imports, so far, through the first few months of 2025 do not appear to be backing up in cold storage. In March, lamb and mutton in cold storage was 20.7 million pounds, which was a decrease of 8 percent from the same month last year and far below the five-year average for cold storage stocks which are typically around 28 million pounds. As a side note, when it comes to data, keep in mind that there is a one- to two-month lag in the release of trade and cold storage data from USDA, so any potential effects on trade flows or cold storage stocks resulting from the fluid dynamics surrounding tariffs will take time to be seen in the data.
PRICES & OUTLOOK
Feeder lamb prices (Three-Market Average, Colo., S.D. and Texas) have been mixed through April and into May but are generally tracking at levels similar to a year ago. Looking ahead, the seasonal price pattern for feeder lambs would be to move generally lower during the summer months. The Livestock Marketing Information Center is expecting feeder lamb prices to track in the mid-$200 per cwt. range for the second quarter.
Recently, weekly fed lamb prices (national negotiated live) have been showing a weaker tone compared to last year. During April and into the first part of May, fed lamb prices have been ranging from $169 to $174 per cwt. with an average of $172 per cwt. A year ago, during the same period, fed lamb prices averaged $212 per cwt. with a range of $206 to $217 per cwt. The pressure in prices is likely due in part to higher year-to-date lamb production that was discussed earlier.
During the first quarter of 2025, the fed lamb price averaged $170 per cwt., down 12.3 percent from last year. The typical seasonal pattern for fed lamb prices would be a slight increase in fed lamb prices in the second quarter compared to the first quarter. Based on this assumption of seasonal price trends, LMIC is forecasting a second quarter fed lamb price in the upper $170 per cwt. range, which would be about 15 percent below the second quarter in 2024.
The lamb cutout value has been tracking steady with a weekly average of $462 per cwt. and a range of $459 to $466 per cwt. during April and into the first week of May. During the same period last year, the lamb cutout value ranged from $469 to $480 per cwt. with an average of $475 per cwt. On average, the lamb cutout value is down about 3 percent compared to the same April to early May period last year. Weakness in the lamb cutout value is due to lower year-over-year values for the leg, loin and rack, while the shoulder has been showing slight improvement.
WOOL UPDATE
Following the Easter recess, the wool market has taken a measured approach. In late April and into early May, on average, the Eastern Market Indicator for 17- to 22-micron wool was tracking about 1 to 2 percent lower compared to the prior month. The EMI for 23- to 32-micron wool was more mixed over the last month with some prices higher while some were lower, but the overall changes were marginal. The week of May 9 was one of the rare occasions when USDA/AMS reported domestic wool prices. The U.S. clean wool price for 19-micron wool was $3.37 per pound, while 20-micron wool was reported at $3.28 per pound. Prices for 21- and 22-micron wool on a clean basis were $3.08 and $2.90 per pound, respectively. USDA reported prices on a clean basis of $2.67 and $2.30 per pound for 23- and 24-micron wool, respectively. Compared to a year ago, reported wool prices were generally even to slightly higher.
Moving ahead, tariffs will remain an influencing factor in the sale of wool in the global market. The implementation of tariffs has been and will continue to be a fluid situation in the near term, which will likely lead to uncertainty in the wool market. This uncertainty has the potential to influence wool sales globally, especially in Asian markets. For example, any tariffs that impact the Chinese wool market could especially impact purchases of coarser, short and other lower-value wools.
Exchange rates remain a driving economic factor on prices as the Australian dollar has strengthened against the U.S. dollar in recent weeks. The strengthening Australian dollar makes the purchase of Australian wool on the global market more expensive once the purchase has been converted into U.S. dollars.
Transitioning from late April to early May, Australian wool supplies have also changed significantly during this period. The supply of bale offerings was tracking in the mid-30,000 to low-40,000 area. The week of May 9 saw a sharp decline in the number of bales offered to 28,508. This was a 29-percent decline from the prior week and the smallest weekly offering since July 2024. If supplies continue to tighten, then this could support prices in the near term, assuming no major changes to demand, tariffs or exchange rates.
It’s once again time to enter your great photos in the ASI Photo Contest. But pay attention when entering, as the categories have changed for 2025. Farmers, ranchers and photographers have five categories available this year: Scenic, White Wool Sheep, Naturally Colored Sheep, Hair Sheep and Open.
The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. mountain time on Aug. 1. Winning entries will be featured in the October issue of the magazine.
“We’re shaking things up a bit this year,” said Sheep Industry News Editor Kyle Partain, who oversees the contest. “We wanted to find a way to show off the diversity of the industry, and we believe the changes we’ve made will do that. In addition, entries in the photo contest have been down the past couple of years, so we felt like it was time to try something different.
“While hair sheep continue to grow among the overall American sheep population, they’ve been underrepresented in the ASI Photo Contest through the years. So, we’re giving them their own category this year. Running Katahdins on the farm or Dorpers in a solar field? Send us your photos.”
The categories for this year’s contest are:
• Scenic: Photos entered in this category must include sheep, but no people. We’re looking for just sheep and the scenic places where they hang out. This category is open to all sheep.
• White Wool Sheep: Photos in this category should include white-faced sheep. They can be hanging out with their shepherds, lambing, getting sheared, etc. Maybe they’re hanging out with their favorite guard dog (or donkey), or being herded by their least favorite Border Collie.
• Naturally Colored Sheep: Same as the White Wool Sheep category, except we want to see your true colors in all their natural glory.
• Hair Sheep: Got Katahdins, Dorpers, St. Croix, Barbados Blackbelly or other hair sheep breeds? This is your category.
• Open: Anything that doesn’t quite fit into the first four categories can be entered here.
In addition, ASI will offer online voting for a People’s Choice winner.
“There’s no monetary award for the People’s Choice category, but the bragging rights will be huge,” said Partain. “ASI staff will select 10 to 15 of the top photos – some of which will be winners in the individual categories – to post online in late August to be voted on by its social media followers. Stay tuned for more details after all the 2025 entries have been received.”
Only the categories have changed. Otherwise, the rules of the contest remain the same as in past years. The winner in each category will receive $125. Second-place finishers will take home $75 and the third-place award is $50.
CONTEST RULES
• ASI can use or reproduce all entries at the discretion of ASI. In addition, entries will not be returned.
• ASI is not required to notify photographers when photos are used in materials.
• Photographs can only be submitted electronically.
• All entries should be submitted in the largest file sizes possible in jpg, tif or png formats.
• Entries must be submitted in the name of the person who took the photograph.
• Entries are limited to two per category, per person.
• Only photographs that have been taken in the past six years can be entered.
• Photographs submitted in previous years cannot be re-entered.
• The following needs to be included with each submission: title of photo; category (from the five listed above) into which it is being entered; photographer’s name; mailing address; phone number; email address; and approximate location/date of photo. If there is a story that goes with the photo, please include that, as well, with the entry.
Entries should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line of ASI Photo Contest.
American Solar Grazing Association Treasurer Chad Raines spent a year studying solar grazing before he ever turned his sheep out onto a site. In early May, he was on hand as the American Lamb Board’s Targeted Grazing Workshop in Sulphur Springs, Texas, tried to teach sheep producers everything they needed to know about solar in two and a half days.
“I wish I’d had something like this when I was getting started,” said Raines, who runs 10,000 head of owned and leased sheep with a partner on a handful of solar sites in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. “It’s been a great introduction to solar grazing.”
While veteran solar grazer JR Howard and ALB’s Camren Maierle served as official instructors for the workshop, they turned to Raines for his perspective on the industry regularly during two days of classroom instruction before workshop attendees visited a solar site grazed by Howard’s Texas Solar Sheep on the third day.
“They didn’t have a certification course like this when I got started,” Raines said. “So, I was just out there trying to learn it on my own.”
Fortunately, he had some mentors in fellow Texas grazers Ely Valdez and Howard. They led him to ASGA, which was developing online resources for grazers, and his education took off from there. Now, he’s looking at plans to run up to 20,000 sheep on solar sites within the next few years.
“Solar grazing really saved our family farm,” said Raines, who was a fourth-generation cotton grower in Lamesa, Texas. “We were struggling with cotton and dug ourselves a hole with it. We were digging out of it with sheep, but at a much slower rate than we are now thanks to solar grazing. It’s an exciting time for the sheep industry. I love the fact that my oldest son is now working for me. And my younger son is in college but when he finishes, he can come and work with us too if that’s what he wants. Without solar grazing, that wouldn’t have been possible.”
As was the case with previous grazing workshops hosted by ALB, some attendees left the training with a new determination to move their sheep operations toward contract grazing. Others decided the opportunity wasn’t the right fit and more than a few fell somewhere in the middle as they were a bit overwhelmed by the challenge yet intrigued by the opportunity.
“A ranch we lease a bunch of sheep from as at this workshop last year,” said Raines. “They like solar grazing, but realized it wasn’t for them. They didn’t want to deal with all of the paperwork and jumping through hoops that comes with this industry. But they still wanted to be a part of it. So, they leased their sheep to us and we run them on solar. They get a check and are part of solar grazing without the hassle.
“Your mindset really has to change to do this. Yes, you’re still managing a flock and managing grass, but you have to do things a little differently on these sites. You have to realize this is a service industry. My sheep take the place of lawn mowers. There are places where I’m rotating earlier than I normally would, and it’s not because I’ve run out of grass or I’m worried about overgrazing. It’s because I’ve got other places that really need to be hit.”
GET CERTIFIED
Students of the school will receive a USB drive featuring ASI’s Targeted Grazing 101 and Targeted Grazing Handbook. They also received an ASGA certification for attending the workshop, which could potentially open the door to more grazing opportunities – especially for those just getting started with an opportunity that has excited the American sheep industry like no other in the past 50 years.
“That’s why I’m here,” said Matt Kraus, whose K-Bar Resource Management offers small-scale solar grazing in south Texas. Based in Falls City – south of San Antonio – he has grazed sites for a couple of years now. “It’s always good to see what other people are doing and what’s working for them. I haven’t done any mowing yet because I’m on mostly smaller sites. But it sounds like I might have to be open to doing that in the future.”
During the site visit, Kraus spent some time examining the Hustler brand commercial mowers that Howard uses almost daily in his hybrid model of service, which combines grazing, mowing and spraying to control vegetation on solar sites.
Having worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service for more than a decade, Kraus has experience in vegetation management and developing grazing plans. Solar grazing provided him with an opportunity to get into the sheep industry.
“At the peak of things, we had about 750 ewes,” he said. “Last year was pretty dry, so we scaled back a bit. I’ve got a small place at home to put some sheep on when they aren’t on solar. I’ve done some targeted grazing for about 10 years at home, so now I’m just applying it to solar.”
Certification in hand, Kraus said the three-day trip to northeast Texas proved well worth the time and financial investment.
“It’s been a good training,” he added. “I appreciate all of the speakers and their input and hearing the questions that everyone had for them. There’s always more to learn with something like this.”
SOLAR, SOLAR, SOLAR
Labeled as a Targeted Grazing Workshop, the training in Texas had a decided lean toward solar grazing. Texas is home to some of the largest solar sites in the United States and is one of the largest producers of solar energy. With a veteran solar grazer such as Howard tapped to lead many of the classroom sessions, he spoke first-hand about his experience with solar grazing as it applied to topics ranging from managing vegetation to developing bids for sites and breeding the right sheep for the job.
Solar companies need vegetation management for two main reasons: to eliminate potential shade on the solar panels and to mitigate fire risk. Using sheep lends a more positive public perception to building solar sites on agricultural land, and is often required by zoning regulations. In addition, sheep grazing has proven to be a more economical approach to vegetation management than simply mowing the entire site.
While the financial benefits of grazing have proven a boon to producers, there can be downsides.
“Site income can be a crutch that allows you to overlook sheep health,” Howard said. “I still want a really good sheep program to fall back on because we never know when pay rates might go down. Don’t go out and buy a bunch of junky sheep just to have something to put on a site. You still need to have good sheep.”
Texas A&M AgriLife Assistant Professor and Extension Sheep and Goat Specialist Jake Thorne, Ph.D., reinforced the need for developing the right kind of sheep for the job, adding that you shouldn’t “force the wrong sheep into a bad situation.”
The right sheep depends on your region and climate to some degree, but parasite resistance is the biggest attribute for grazers in the wet, humid areas of East Texas, where the workshop was conducted.
“You want a forage-based flock,” he said. “You need ewes that don’t need year-round supplementation and can stay in proper condition (with a year-round body condition score of three). They should be healthy overall and appropriate size.”
Smaller ewes – such as Dorpers, Katahdins, St. Croix and other hair sheep breeds – tend to be more profitable and a better fit in this climate.
Like many solar grazers, Howard has often turned to leasing sheep from reputable producers when he finds himself needing additional mouths to fulfill his contracts.
“That’s a good way to get into solar grazing,” he said. “Or you can contract with a mowing company that needs sheep on its sites. That’s a good way to get experience. The hardest site you’ll ever get is your first one. After that, you’ll have something to show the solar companies.”
Getting onto a site also presents an opportunity for additional work, Howard said. Once the solar company and/or the operating and maintenance company that manages the site have confidence in you, they might turn to you to repair fences, handle landscaping tasks or even road maintenance – depending on your abilities. Look for those additional revenue sources once you’re on a site.
Extensive fencing around solar sites often provides an ideal environment for sheep. Predators aren’t eliminated completely, but tend to be less prevalent in that environment.
Other tidbits of knowledge from the workshop:
• Try to avoid one-year contracts. This can be difficult as a new solar grazer, but it’s tough to recoup initial costs in one year. Everything gets more efficient after year one, and bankers are more likely to loan startup costs based on multi-year contracts.
• Before bidding on a project, you need to make a site visit. Researching the site online and looking at Google Maps can provide some information, but it’s important to see the site first-hand to make an accurate bid.
• Water is one of the most essential concerns when starting on a new solar site, especially if you’re in a fairly dry area. Is there water onsite? Will you have to haul it in? If so, where can you find water to haul?
• Some solar companies want to limit access to the site to certain hours and days. But with live animals on site, sheep producers need 24 hour access seven days a week.
• Most contracts will call for a combination of grazing, mowing and spraying to maintain vegetation. Are you prepared to handle all aspects of the contract? Avoid purchasing side-discharge mowers, as these are more likely to cause damage to solar panels during the mowing process.
A WAY OF LIFE
While sheep producers need to realize the differences in targeted grazing and running sheep on pastures at home, they should also embrace the fact that targeted and solar grazing can preserve their livestock operations.
“I was loading sheep recently with my oldest son and my dad,” said Raines. “And I realized how awesome it was that we were all there at the same time working together. We’re not farming our land and doing the same things we always did in the past, but our family operation is intact, and looks like it will be for the foreseeable future.”
Visit LambBoard.com/grazing-workshops to learn more
about upcoming targeted grazing workshops.
Representatives from a dozen solar companies were on hand on May 9 in Sulphur Springs, Texas, to learn more about how and why they should use sheep on their sites. The What to Expect When You’re Expecting Sheep workshop was put on by the American Solar Grazing Association and followed a three-day American Lamb Board workshop for sheep producers looking to get into solar grazing.
Both workshops visited Enel North America’s Stampede Solar Project in nearby Saltillo, Texas. Sheep on the site are managed by JR Howard’s Texas Solar Sheep.
While many of the workshop attendees were there to earn ASGA’s solar grazing management certification for solar industry professionals, only a few were completely unfamiliar with the concept of running sheep on a solar site. Enel employees were plentiful in the crowd and the company is running 6,000 sheep on 18,000 acres at various sites in the state.
“Dual-use solar used to be an innovative technique that only a few companies were doing,” said Enel’s Jesse Puckett. “But now it’s really changing the face of the industry while providing opportunities for local farmers and sheep grazers to support their families.
“We first started grazing sites in 2017 in Minnesota. That was the very early days of solar grazing, and we worked with Minnesota Native Landscapes. And we’ve continued to work with them for many years now. That was really our first foray into grazing. It was a great opportunity for us to do something different, and now the whole industry is doing it.”
Puckett added that it’s becoming more common for solar companies to plan sites with sheep grazing in mind during the design phase of the project.
Grazing sheep on a site helps the companies balance public perception and keep land in agricultural use while also producing renewable energy. Many solar companies will only consider vegetation management proposals that include solar grazing in conjunction with mowing and spraying, as needed. There’s a place for all aspects of what Howard refers to as his hybrid model.
“Sheep are a preventative tool,” said Reid Redden of Premier Solar Sheep in Texas and a former sheep extension specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife. “They can’t match the capacity of a mower, but the are highly effective at vegetation control.”
Redden explained that sheep fit well under and around the solar panels with minimal chances of damage to the panels. And the shepherds who work with the sheep on a daily basis provide an extra set of eyes on the site.
Working alongside Redden as a workshop instructor was ASGA Advisory Board member Caroline Owens of Pennsylvania. She explained that grazers will generally setup temporary fencing – within the site’s permanent fences – and practice rotational grazing to maintain a site. And while water is a necessity, sheep are more efficient with water needs than cows and will travel farther from their water source, if allowed.
One thing sheep won’t do is turn a solar site into a golf course. Solar companies shouldn’t expect well-manicured lawns from the sheep. They’ll graze plants to a variety of heights. But that isn’t a bad thing. Leaving cover on the ground helps to keep weeds from taking over and eliminates erosion issues. This is one reason the hybrid model is so popular in the solar industry.
Solar grazers are tasked with developing a vegetation management program specifically for each site they work on. They might mow an overgrown area before turning out sheep in the area, or the might run sheep first and mow afterwards. They’re also tasked with spraying to kill noxious weeds and to eliminate vegetation around equipment, in parking areas, etc. Solar grazers might even adjust their production cycle, choosing to lamb earlier than normal to take advantage of those extra mouths during the feed-heavy spring growing season.
Owens provided some insight into the minds of sheep, instructing attendees on the animals’ flight zone and flocking instinct, and pointed out the importance of leaving gates the way you found them. If it’s open, it’s probably that way for a reason. If it’s closed, it’s definitely that way for a reason.
“An open gate means new food to sheep, and they are fast and smart,” Owens said. “No sheep goes alone. If one escapes, the whole flock will probably escape.”
Attendees also heard from a panel of experts that included ALB’s Cameron Maierle, solar grazer Chad Raines, Enel’s Joseph Quick of the Stampede Solar Project and Howard. One of the main topics they touched on was the importance of guard dogs on the site. Solar employees were urged not to feed extra treats or leftovers to the dogs, who might neglect their duties while chasing such rewards.
“The sheep are vulnerable without the dogs,” Raines said.
As a group, they also stressed the importance of providing anytime access to the site. Working with live animals often requires early-morning and late-night chores and wellness checks, especially if the sheep are lambing on site. Some solar sites offer a smartphone app that allows authorized personnel to check in and out 24 hours a day.
The overall theme of the workshop was that sheep and solar work well together and the two industries need to continue to develop that relationship. It was a message that wasn’t lost on the solar companies represented in Texas.
“Our approach is light on the land and as much dual usage as we can,” said Aubree Muse of Candela Renewables. “Our job is to make sure the projects are as environmentally friendly as they can be, and the industry is turning toward sheep grazing to be a part of that.
Muse grew up around cattle in Kentucky, so she brings more of a livestock background to the table than many in the solar industry.
“It’s been a really good day,” she said. “It’s always nice to see so many people from different spheres in the same room working together and wanting to find solutions for how we can continue to do that. We’ve got developers and grazers, and it’s cool that we’re working together to make grazing happen on as many of these sites as possible. The benefits of solar grazing are endless.”
With vegetation management contracts on 20 large-scale, utility-grade solar sites in east Texas, it’s hard to believe that even JR Howard had doubts about his new venture just five years ago. Fortunately, his vision and his family’s hard work paid off.
Texas Solar Sheep now runs more than 10,000 ewes – with another 5,000 or more leased from other producers – year-round on sites that JR thinks of as stand-alone ranches. Each site has everything it needs to handle the company’s hybrid grazing model: two or three dedicated employees, sheep, livestock guardian dogs, mowers, sprayers and livestock-handling equipment. But that wasn’t always the case.
“We started with about 500 sheep running on one portion of a site in a six-month pilot project,” JR recalled. “About three months in, the company said it was working better than they thought and we could take over the whole site.”
But that’s where the progress came to a stop. The family – wife, Kellye, and sons, Hunter and Carter – didn’t pick up a second site until 18 months later as JR ran into skeptical solar company executives at every turn.
“I tried to get as many people as I could to come to the first site and take a look at it to get an idea of what was going on there,” he said. “It was tough to get buy-in. At the time, I would say that sheep weren’t really accepted at 95 percent of these sites. It just wasn’t an accepted practice at that point. But then we got a second one, and a third one, and it kind of snowballed from there.
“That might have been a blessing. Over that 18 months, we figured out a lot. When we finally got that second site, we had a better idea of what we were doing, and we were more efficient. It was good training for us.”
Originally from west Texas, JR’s idea of renewable energy was windmills. His vision for the future came only after Texas sheep producer Ely Valdez introduced him to the concept of solar grazing and convinced him that sheep had a place in the solar boom.
“Sheep were a hobby for us,” JR said. “We didn’t have access to the kind of land you needed to run a bunch of sheep in west Texas. My wife and I had town jobs, but we liked having sheep around. Ely told me about the American Solar Grazing Association early on and we were able to access some of their content. But it was nothing like it is now. Like a lot of people who were getting into it back then, we really had to start at zero and go from there.
“I realized that a lot of what would happen going forward was going to depend on how well we did,” JR said. “We could have really screwed this up, or we could do it right and get these companies to accept that sheep are the way to go. I wouldn’t say solar grazing is the standard yet, but we’re getting a lot closer to having all of these companies really accept what we can do for them.”
GRAZING AS A BUSINESS
The term solar grazing can be a bit misleading from the outside looking in, JR says. Large-scale solar companies want one contractor to handle all of their vegetation management needs, which might entail a combination of mowing, spraying weeds and grazing. Sheep producers looking to get into the industry must decide how to handle all of that. They can subcontract with a mowing company or find a mowing company that wants to subcontract the grazing aspect. Another option is to partner with an existing solar grazer who needs additional sheep to fulfill his contracts.
“I work with some producers who don’t want to deal with the mowing and spraying, at least initially,” JR said. “So, they come into one of my sites and run their sheep and I don’t have to worry about the sheep on that site. I just handle everything else. Or, we can lease their sheep and we can manage them and just send a check every month.”
Two things the solar grazing industry is in desperate need of right now are more sheep and more producers who understand that solar grazing is a service industry. Grazers such as JR – who partner with other sheep producers – allow those novice grazers to get their foot in the door and learn the industry first-hand.
“I could be greedy and think that I’m going to do it all myself,” JR said. “But they’re building so much new solar that one person can’t handle it all. We turned down more work than we took on last year, and we’ll probably do the same this year. We need more good, qualified people in this industry.”
Sheep producers looking to make the leap need to understand the change in mindset, however. Solar grazing is a service industry and might require you to manage your flock differently than you would if they were simply running on pastures or public lands.
“When we do schools on solar grazing, I want to put it all on the table and show producers everything that’s involved and everything you to need to know to work in this industry,” JR said. “That way, people can leave knowing if it’s something they want to do. Maybe they don’t want to do it, but they can partner with someone who does and needs their sheep. We can all work together to make this work. Being in the service industry isn’t for everyone. It’s not easy sometimes. But there are opportunities for some good partnerships out there.”
As his operation has scaled up in the last five years, JR has hired more help than he ever could have imagined. Texas Solar Sheep started with the Howard family working hard on nights and weekends to manage that first site.
“I couldn’t have done it without them,” JR said. “They could have given up on me, but they didn’t. They still might not see all of the vision I have, but they’ve supported me through it all and been along for the whole ride.”
Now the Texas Solar Sheep crew consists of roughly 40 full-time employees and another 12 to 15 seasonal hands in the summer. College kids and teachers on summer break fill most of those roles.
“It’s just like a farm and ranch job, just on a solar site,” JR said. “They might be checking sheep in the morning, mowing in the afternoon and spraying weeds the next day. In the wintertime, we are building lots of electric fence and other things that aren’t so much vegetation management. It’s not very often they do the exact same thing from one day to the next. Most of our people live within 20 minutes of the site they work on. We like to hire local people because they get to know the O&M (operations and maintenance) guys on the site. They’re friends and know how to work together. Then everyone is on the same page.”
The addition of employees and more sites has pushed JR into more of a management role, which has been an adjustment from those early days. He’s found it difficult to be less hands-on, even checking almost hourly on a crew working sheep while he was on vacation.
“I’m getting better,” he claimed. “But I’m not there yet. If you get too detached, you’re not in tune with what your team needs to do their job more efficiently. I don’t think I’ll ever be too detached from running out here and jumping on a tractor or whatever else might need to be done. I probably do more with the sheep than I should. But that’s the part I enjoy the most. It’s hard to give that up.”
THE RIGHT SHEEP
Bringing full-bred Dorpers from the San Angelo, Texas, area taught JR a thing or two about the type of sheep he needs to run on solar fields east of Dallas. While Dorpers are generally good grazers, they didn’t bring the parasite resistance he needed in an area that gets around 50 inches of rain a year. That’s two to three times what they were used to out west.
Researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife introduced JR to the National Sheep Improvement Program and the merits of Estimated Breeding Values. He started buying rams with NSIP data for parasite resistance and crossbreeding with White Dorpers and Katahdins to develop the type of sheep he needed to thrive in a wet, humid climate.
“Basically, we started with sheep that we really had to manage and now we’ve developed sheep that we don’t have to manage, if that makes sense,” JR said. “Parasite resistance is a big thing for us. Our survivability rates have gone way up in the last two years just because we’re breeding the right kind of sheep.
“There’s a balance there. We can’t go all in on parasite resistance, so we do look for balanced numbers on NSIP. We want to balance a good, quality carcass to sell with parasite resistance. There’s some push and pull on that, but you can come out somewhere in the middle.”
Not that selling lambs is a primary concern for Texas Solar Sheep. The company needs all of the sheep it can get at this point, so all of the ewe lambs are kept back and find homes on solar sites after weaning. The ram lambs usually go to the sale barn. Usually.
“We got short on sheep last year and even kept a bunch of those ram lambs and ran them all the way until January, when we sold them at 105 to 110 pounds. That’s not typical, but we were short on mouths. It worked out pretty well for us, we just had to manage them a little differently keeping them around that long. Usually, when they get to 65 or 70 pounds, they’re gone.”
With new sites on the horizon, JR is still in search of more sheep. He’ll wean 2,000 or more ewe lambs this year and not a single one will leave the operation. He’s looking to buy another 2,000-3,000 head between now and the fall, if he can find ewes that fit his program. The goal is to not only fulfill his contracts, but to develop a significant breeding program that can produce a large amount of replacement ewes for others grazing solar sites in wet areas.
“I think if you look at where the increases in sheep demand are in the industry, it’s all areas like this that are tougher to manage from the parasite side,” JR said. “Once we turn the corner and have enough of our own ewes, we want to be able to offer these lambs to other people who need them like we do.”
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
In addition to getting paid to graze his sheep, JR has started an extensive haying program at many of the solar sites. Last year, he cut more than 1,000 bales on solar sites and plans to double or triple that amount in 2025. Some of it goes to feed his sheep in the winter. Some gets sold to area livestock producers. In at least one instance, he allowed a local hay producer to cut it for him and take the hay for free.
“They did all the work and made all the profit, but it meant less work for me,” JR said. “Partnerships like that are good for everyone.”
And so is solar grazing.
“I still think solar is the best opportunity in my lifetime for the sheep industry, especially to expand in areas we’re not in now or haven’t been in for decades,” JR said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for acres, and especially acres that are less impacted by drought than places in the west. There hasn’t been a better opportunity for widespread growth in the sheep industry than what we’re doing right here. We need to capitalize where we can and do it right, and we’ll have this opportunity for a long time to come.”
On May 10, the Idaho Wool Growers Association – in partnership with Avimor and the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission – hosted Sheep in the Foothills, a one-of-a-kind celebration of rural life, agriculture and the region’s deep connections to the sheep industry.
Set against the stunning background of the foothills, this event brought together locals and visitors alike for a fun-filled day of family-friendly activities, educational experiences and a chance to learn about the rich history of sheep ranching in Idaho. For attendees, it offered an opportunity to engage with the region’s agricultural roots, taking a look at a day in the life of sheep producers, while making memories and having fun. From demonstrations to hands-on activities, the event highlighted the vital role that sheep production plays in Idaho’s history and economy.
“Sheep in the Foothills is a unique activity that combines the history of sheep, the management of sheep and the need for education for our neighbors. As folks enjoy the flavor of lamb dishes, they are learning that management of the range landscape doesn’t just happen. Sheep are the necessary tool that brings it all together,” said IWGA President Jack Blattner.
In addition to a shearing demonstration that gave onlookers the chance to touch and feel the sheep before and after shearing, attendees had the opportunity to check out a shearing trailer. The trailer quickly became a playground for children as they raced up the chute and slid down the exit ramps like a slide.
ASI Executive Board Member John Noh and his wife, Julie, catered a lamb lunch for the festival. The food was a hit with the crowd, as many were trying lamb for the first time.
“I haven’t had lamb in so long, but this is so good,” said one hungry fan. “I will be eating lamb more.”
Other highlights of the one-day event included vendors who showcased the range of products and uses of sheep, lamb and wool. Approximately 500 people attended Sheep in the Foothills.
GREG JOHNSON
Cowboy State Daily
Guy Edwards ended a long day of working his sheep ranch north of Wright, Wyo., a little after midnight on May 5. About five hours later, he watched in disbelief and anguish as his large barn – and the 170 pregnant ewes inside – burned.
“We didn’t have a chance to let the sheep out,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It was so hot. That barn was engulfed. You couldn’t even get to the doors to try to get the sheep out it was so hot.”
All but four of those 170 ewes were pregnant, representing his entire crop of lambs for the year, Edwards said. He still has another 120 ewes, but they aren’t “going to lamb,” he said. “It was everything I had that was going to lamb this spring that was in that barn.”
Now they’re gone, along with the large 60-by-200-foot barn that was built in the 1940s and had been in his family for generations.
“I grew up in that barn,” he said. It held decades of memories of learning to become a rancher from his father and grandfather. “There’s a lot of history in that barn,” he said, adding that it was built to last. “You can’t find good rough-cut lumber like it was built with anymore.”
Edwards said he put all the sheep in the barn for the night, then went into the house for some sleep. At about 4:30 a.m., his wife checked on the animals and the barn, “and everything seemed fine,” he said. By 5:15 a.m., they went outside again to find the barn fully engulfed in flames.
“I have no idea what started it,” Edwards said. “I have no heat lamps or anything in there.”
Just what sparked the fire hasn’t been determined, but the Campbell County Fire Department is investigating, said Fire Marshal Stuart Burnham.
“It’s a challenge based on the extent of the damage,” he said, adding that crews from Wright, Wyo., and Gillette, Wyo., responded to the rural area.
Because there are no hydrants there, firefighters had only the water they brought with them. In this case, the barn was lost, but crews worked to keep it from spreading to other areas.
“They did the best they could, but unfortunately it just takes some time to get where they’re at,” Burnham said of the response.
Edwards said he’s grateful for the work the firefighters put in, but it was just too far gone to save the barn or those animals inside. Now, Edwards said he feels a little shellshocked as he deals with the aftermath, which includes the burned remains of 170 ewes, along with cleaning up.
“I’ve had sheep all my life and I’ve heard about (things like this happening), but I’ve never seen it,” he said. “It’s pretty depressing walking through everything that’s left, which is pretty much just the concrete poured for the doors.”
Edwards said he believes all those sheep died from breathing the smoke from the fire before they burned.
Along with the financial impacts of losing the nearly 170 lambs he would’ve had to sell this year, Edwards choked up describing the emotional loss. Those ewes didn’t just represent a crop of lambs, they were part of a decades-long effort to develop their genetics.
“I don’t know how to explain it. You watch 45 years’ worth of genetics and work, and it’s just gone,” Edwards said. “It’s going to cost me a lot of damn money to buy the sheep back. But I was raising yearling lambs and ewes and all those genetics are gone.”
Then there are the sheep that once belonged to his grandparents.
“Some of those ewes (that burned in the barn) I bought six years ago when my grandparents died,” he said. “I bought them from their estate. I called them my third-generation sheep.”
Farmsteads in rural Wyoming can be far apart, but word travels fast. It didn’t take long for the local ranching community to hear about the fire and start turning out to help, Edwards said.
“All the neighbors are stepping in and helping trying to get the cleanup done,” he said. “The community is helping quite a bit, and big thanks to those guys.”
Watching his barn burn and now facing a daunting cleanup, Edwards said the reality of the situation still hasn’t sunk in.
“I’m still kind of numb. I can’t breathe,” he said. “I’m really just mad at myself, because as a rancher, you’re supposed to protect them, but there was nothing I could’ve done.”
Visit GoFundMe.com/f/aid-chances-family-ranch-fire-tragedy to contribute to the family financially.
Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Shawn Ramsey, Ph.D., assistant department head for academics in the Department of Animal Science, has been awarded the University Professorship for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, one of the university’s highest honors for teaching faculty.
The award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate exceptional teaching, innovation in pedagogy and a sustained commitment to student success. Ramsey is one of only two Texas A&M University faculty members to receive the honor this year.
“Dr. Ramsey’s approach to teaching is rooted in mentorship, innovation and a deep commitment to preparing students for real-world success,” said Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “His impact spans the classroom, the livestock arena and international borders, shaping students into leaders and lifelong learners.”
Ramsey earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Texas A&M in 1990 and his master’s and doctoral degrees from New Mexico State University. He joined the Department of Animal Science faculty in 1995, serving as one of the state’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service sheep and goat specialists.
Since then, he has taught thousands of students in introductory and advanced animal science courses, including those on sheep and goat production, as well as wool and mohair judging classes. He also created Animal Science 111, a hands-on course designed to immerse second-semester freshmen with limited experience into working directly with all types of livestock and equipment.
Ramsey also created and continues to coordinate one of Texas A&M’s largest student education abroad programs. Since August 2012, 490 students have traveled abroad to New Zealand, Ireland, England, Wales, Uruguay, Argentina and Australia.
Additionally, he has developed more than 350 internship opportunities, and he is known for his student-centered and innovative lectures, which have been presented to more than 28,000 students.
Ramsey’s honors include the Margaret Annette Peters Advising Award, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching, the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Educational Enrichment and Innovation and the AgriLife Extension Superior Service team award with the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo Team. He also received the Association of Former Students Individual Student Engagement Award earlier this year.
We’re reaching out with important news – and hearts filled with gratitude. Beginning this month, Brooklyn Tweed will return to its roots as a pattern-only design company, transitioning out of yarn manufacturing. This decision was not easy, nor driven by any lack of viability. BT yarns remain beloved and vibrant, thanks to your incredible support.
Instead, we’re following our personal creative paths, seeking space to explore new ideas while honoring the spirit of what we’ve built together over the past 20 years. This change marks not an ending, but the next step in our ongoing journey. We’re eager to learn, grow and explore new creative avenues. Soon, we’ll launch an updated website showcasing our extensive library of over 800 original patterns – an inspiring platform for both past and future projects. Our celebrated designs will continue to be available, and we look forward to sharing even more creative work with you in the years to come.
Producing yarn in the United States has been profoundly rewarding and challenging. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to pursue our passion for quality and craftsmanship, thanks entirely to your support. Together, we’ve cultivated a community centered around beautiful American wool, thoughtful design and the timeless art of knitting. Each skein and pattern we’ve created reflects our dedication to care, creativity and purpose.
The final months of Brooklyn Tweed yarn production will be a celebration, honoring the yarns that have accompanied your creative journey. Our Farewell Sale features all remaining skeins from our final production runs, continuing through June or while our supplies last.
Our commitment to providing meticulously crafted, inspiring patterns remains stronger than ever. Brooklyn Tweed will continue to offer the exceptional quality and innovative design you’ve come to expect. Raising the standard for knitters everywhere has always been – and will remain – central to our mission. On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your trust, creativity and unwavering support. You – our cherished knitting community – are truly the heart and soul of Brooklyn Tweed.