Grazing Native Warm-Season Grasses: SARE Grant Update

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In my career with USDA-NRCS I've been fortunate to see a lot of different production methods involving a variety of livestock operations across North Carolina. Beginning in 2016, I began working with more producers that had established or wanted to establish native warm-season grasses (NWSGs) in their pasture operations. Those producers mainly worked with beef cattle. These work experiences led me to want to do the same thing on our small 20-acre farm in North Carolina. However, I wanted to do something different by using sheep. Study Design My proposed theory was that I could use NWSGs to lower feed…

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Impact of NSIP Status on Ram Value

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In 2022, the Southwest Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center hosted its 10th ram test and sale. Over the years, the program has developed a strong reputation for the development and identification of superior rams for growth and parasite resistance in a forage-based environment. Historically, the test has included rams from NSIP flocks and some rams from flocks not enrolled in NSIP (non-NSIP). The 2022 test and sale data were analyzed to explore the impact of NSIP enrollment on ram performance and value in the program. The 2022 test included 119 rams from 10 states. Rams were delivered in late…

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Scours: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

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Scours or diarrhea is something that most of us probably see in our flocks over the course of a year. Animals scour whenever there is a disturbance in the normal processes that regulate how much fluid is excreted in their manure. Scours is a symptom, sometimes due to a serious disease that requires prompt treatment, but often diet induced and transient, requiring only tincture of time to resolve. Diet plays a large role in manure consistency; expect looser manure for a few days whenever there is an increase in protein and/or energy or a decrease in fiber in their diets.…

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It All Starts in the Rumen

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As prey animals, sheep evolved with the ability to harvest their food quickly with very little chewing, then retire to a safe place to further process their meal. Sheep are unable to directly digest the cellulose in forages and must rely on billions of microorganisms in the rumen (bacteria, protozoa and fungi) for fermentation and digestion. The byproducts of these microbes provide the sheep with needed nutrients (protein, energy, B vitamins and vitamin K). The health of the entire animal is reliant on the health of the rumen microbes. The rumen is often referred to as a large fermentation vat…

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Profile: Dr. Scott Bowdridge

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This past summer, Dr. Scott Bowdridge, Associate Professor of Food Animal Production, West Virginia University, opened our minds to his exciting research identifying immune mechanisms in sheep to eliminate parasitic infections. At the 2022 Eastern Alliance for Production Katahdins (EAPK) symposium he discussed his data that links low FEC EBVs (Fecal Egg Count Estimated Breeding Values) with an overall increase in disease resistance. Dr. Bowdridge has diverse experiences working as a sheep producer, geneticist and now as an immunologist. Through the years, he has developed many relationships with other scientists in the field. Together their groundbreaking research is advancing the…

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Signs and Symptoms: What are your sheep trying to tell you?

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We've all experienced a sick sheep, or at least one that doesn't look quite right, but how do we distinguish a serious illness from one that is mild, or simply normal behavior? While your veterinarian should always be your primary source of medical advice, it's still important that shepherds have the ability to accurately identify and describe any signs and symptoms your animal may be experiencing. When calling your vet, this information will help him/her determine whether a farm visit is necessary or if a plan of care can be initiated by phone. It will also assist you in researching…

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Shepherd to Shepherd: Producer Forum Blog #4

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For our fourth and final producer forum we asked our four shepherds to share some words of wisdom. As usual, their answers are as varied as their production systems and geographic location. What has your experience taught you over the years and what nuggets or advice would you share with others, especially new, Katahdin producers? Michelle Canfield (Canfield Farms, Western Washington) Farming is a lot of work! Pulling from my day job that involves a lot of concepts from Toyota Lean Six Sigma, I think having a continuous process improvement mindset is helpful. I utilize "Kanban Boards" that help me…

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Sheep GEMS Update

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Sheep GEMS is roaring ahead, with the strong commitment by Katahdin breeders particularly welcomed. With the help of John Bare, Michelle Canfield, Tom Hodgman, and Jim Morgan—members of a Project Advisory Group—twenty-six Katahdin flocks have voiced their interest to participate in this project. A key element of Sheep GEMS is collecting performance records in NSIP-member flocks that reflect the productive efficiency, robustness, and climatic resilience of their sheep. These include udder health, lamb survival, ewe longevity, and parasite resistance. Based on the outcome of a pilot study underway, we also are developing a measure of coat shedding in Katahdins that…

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Late Gestation Management Considerations

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Ewes are bred, the holidays are just around the corner, and for all of us with winter lambing flocks, lambing season is almost here. Over the last year, we have invested in high quality genetics to move our flocks forward and now it's important that we make sure our next generation of lambs gets off to the right start. This begins with good late gestation management. I have summarized nutritional requirements in Table 1 (think of this as nutrient demand by the animal). Requirements for energy (as indicated by total digestible nutrients) and protein increase substantially for late gestation and…

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Alternative Feeds: Is Variety the Spice of Life?

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When it comes to sheep feed…it depends. With staggering increases in feed costs due to inflation, supply chain disruptions, impacts of international conflicts affecting energy, grain and fertilizer production along with regional weather events, now might be a good time to investigate alternative feeds. Alternative feeds are those that are not commonly used on a regular basis as part of the usual livestock feed ration and are often cheaper than typical feed, such as corn and soybeans. Availability and cost of certain alternative feeds will vary based on geographic region so it pays to do some research on what might…

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