Spring Trip Scheduled for Late March
The American Sheep Industry Association’s Spring Trip to Washington, D.C, is set for March 25-26, and will give sheep producers the opportunity to hear from leaders of agricultural and public lands agencies while also addressing sheep industry concerns with their states’ congressional leaders.
It’s the perfect opportunity to address the Farm Bill and the sheep industry’s needs for the legislation with your state’s senators, representatives and their staff. The trip will also include meetings with government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including the Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Forest Service and Wildlife Services. Past trips have also included visits with representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Labor, as well as other agencies as necessary to address industry issues.
Producers interested in attending the ASI Spring Trip should contact their state sheep association executive, who will coordinate with ASI to plan the annual legislative fly-in.
YEE Leadership Nominations Open
The American Sheep Industry Association’s Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs are accepting nominations for committee members, chair and co-chair positions.
The group needs motivated individuals with a passion to see the sheep industry grow. The group is setup to empower the future of the American sheep industry through education and innovation.
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. central time on Feb. 21.
Click Here for the nomination form.
Source: ASI’s Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs
Apply Now for the Global Sheep Forum
Are you a passionate sheep producer eager to expand your horizons? The American Lamb Board and the American Sheep Industry Association’s Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs present an exciting opportunity for you to participate in the Global Sheep Forum’s Young Leaders Program, which will take place during LambEx in Australia in August 2026.
This unique program aims to connect young producers and leaders from around the globe, fostering the exchange of ideas and networking opportunities. Participants will also gain valuable insights into the latest innovations and technologies shaping the sheep industry. As representatives of the United States, the selected candidates will showcase their leadership potential and contribute to global conversations about the future of the sheep industry.
To be eligible to apply, producers should be an existing and active member of ASI and an ALB contributor; be between 25 and 40 years of age; and have the ability to travel and make presentations.
As part of the program, selected participants will be asked to engage in several educational and leadership programs in the United States throughout 2025-2026, including: the Lamb Summit in July in Moscow, Idaho; the ASI Annual Convention in January 2026 in Reno, Nev.; and the National Lamb Feeders Association Howard Wyman Sheep Industry Leadership School in June 2026 in Sacramento, Calif.
Applications are being accepted now through April 15. Applicant interviews will then take place through May 1, and the selected applicants will be announced on May 5.
When applying, please ensure you respond thoroughly to all questions posed. Incomplete applications will not be considered. ALB and ASI encourage you to strengthen your application by including additional content, such as videos, photographs, articles, blogs or letters of recommendation that will help the review committee better understand your qualifications and passion for the industry.
“The Global Sheep Forum Young Leaders Program presents a fantastic opportunity for young sheep producers to enhance their skills and learn from experienced leaders worldwide,” said ALB Chair Jeff Ebert. “If you meet the eligibility criteria, I strongly encourage you to apply and participate in this transformative experience.”
For more information, or to request an application, email [email protected].
Source: ALB
Sheep GEMS: Genetic Aspects of Udder Health
In the last Sheep GEMS news brief, we presented the economics of subclinical mastitis in meat and wool ewes. Despite the major production impact that subclinical mastitis poses, the only way to diagnose it involves collecting and testing milk from every ewe. Take it from the guy who has milked the rankest Rambouillet and most cantankerous Katahdin ewes, you don’t want to go down that road.
So, we’re at a bit of an impasse; we have a disease that costs us money, but we don’t know which ewes have it. How can we reduce its incidence? It begins with understanding the genetic and environmental factors at play and identifying more easily measured indicator traits that may be strongly genetically related to udder health.
Past work in dairy sheep estimated that milk production, udder depth and indicators of subclinical mastitis – such as somatic cell count – are moderately heritable (20 to 35 percent). Perhaps unsurprisingly, milk production and udder depth are favorably genetically related. That is, selecting for deeper udders will, on average, increase milk production. However, somatic cell count is unfavorably genetically correlated with milk production and udder depth. Meaning, if you only select for increased milk production or deeper udders you will, on average, increase susceptibility to mastitis in your flock. We rarely measure actual milk production in non-dairy ewes, but we’d expect the same biological relationships to apply.
Milk production has been subjectively scored – low, medium, high – shortly after lambing on U.S. Sheep Experiment Station ewes since the 1980s. They also record a subjective udder score at weaning. We analyzed more than 23,000 records from more than 10,000 USSES Polypay, Rambouillet and Targhee ewes. Our results showed that ewes with high milk production went on to wean more total weight of lamb than ewes with low or medium milk production: 21 and 8 lbs., respectively. That’s not a Nobel Prize winning discovery – of course heavy milking ewes wean heavy lambs. But we also found that ewes with high milk production had greater risk of recording an abnormal udder at weaning – swing bag, lopsided, damaged, etc. – than ewes with low or medium milk production: 2- and 1.6-times, respectively.
So which ewe is the most profitable? Is it the heavy milker that weans big lambs this year and has a greater likelihood of getting culled next year or the moderate milker that’s consistent for eight years? When we shift our perspective from the single individual at a single point in time to the whole-system level, we quickly realize that maximum performance is rarely the most economical in the long run. Breeding for intermediate optimal reproductive rate or milk production is challenging, particularly when optimal performance depends on ewe age, nutritional and labor resources, and production climate. Nevertheless, our preliminary work in Sheep GEMS has found that udder depth and teat placement are moderately heritable (~25 percent) and most mature ewes have intermediate scores. These early results are encouraging as we continue to research genetic strategies that American sheep producers can employ to breed more productive and longer-lived ewes fit for a variety of production environments.
For further information, contact Tom Murphy at [email protected].
Acknowledgements. We thank American sheep associations and breed organizations, the National Sheep Improvement Program and sheep producers for their contributions to this research. 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. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Source: Sheep GEMS
MSU Plans Sheep & Goats for Small Farms Webinar
The Michigan State University Small Ruminant Team will be hosting its virtual Sheep and Goats for Small Farms workshop this year on March 8. The program will start at noon eastern time and end at 4 p.m.
This workshop addresses a variety of topics for the small to intermediate-sized sheep and/or goat farm; however, the topics often have greater interest to all producers. This series aims to inform and educate participants on health, nutrition, facilities, marketing, food safety, product quality (milk, meat, fiber) and more to help producers improve their management and marketing abilities. Those interested in starting or expanding their operation, refining their farm goals, understanding their options, and/or improving their management will find value in attending this workshop.
Preregistration is required for this free event. Those who register will be sent an email prior to the event with the Zoom link as well as given access to recordings of all sessions soon after the event. If you have questions, contact event manager Mike Metzger at [email protected].
Click Here for more information.
Source: MSU
First Flock-Herd Recipients Announced
The RSG Foundation recently announced the winners of the 2025 First Flock-Herd Grant Program, a national initiative designed to support young and aspiring livestock producers in acquiring their first breeding sheep or goat. This year’s recipients will receive a high-quality breeding animal, a $500 monetary award from the RSG Foundation, and an additional $500 credit from Premier 1 Supplies, providing them with essential resources to establish and sustain their breeding programs.
The 2025 First Flock-Herd Grant recipients are: Corlely Atyeo, 9, South Dakota; Noah Davis, 11, Indiana; Riley Ellis, 8, Texas; Zoe Flowers, 11, Alabama; Ashlyln Goodwin, 14, Florida; Beau Kniestedt, 10, Nevada; Bristol McCracken, 11, Iowa; Ethan Richner, 9, Missouri; Hayden Turner, 9, Kentucky; Case Williams, 16, Indiana; Elizabeth Wipperfurth, 9, Wisconsin; and Autumn Zook, 20, Iowa.
“We are thrilled to support the next generation of sheep and goat producers through this program,” said RSG Foundation Director Doug Edge. “By providing young producers with the necessary breeding animals and resources, we will be sure to cultivate their passion for agriculture and ensure the sustainability of the sheep and goat industries.”
The First Flock-Herd Grant Program is open to youth across the United States who have demonstrated a strong interest in raising and breeding sheep or goats. This initiative is a part of the RSG Foundation’s ongoing commitment to fostering educational opportunities, industry engagement, and the growth of responsible livestock management among young producers.
Click Here for more information.
Source: RSG Foundation
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.
Brooke Rollins Confirmed as Secretary of Ag
On Thursday, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, was officially confirmed on the Senate floor by a vote of 72-28. Prior to her confirmation vote, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Foresty had favorably reported her unanimously 23-0 out of the committee.
Not surprisingly, Rollins was able to garner considerable support from Democrats for her nomination, unlike many other Trump appointees who were only confirmed on party line votes. With a new secretary of agriculture finally in place, it helps streamline the process for other Senate confirmed positions at USDA to start going through the confirmation process and continue making progress in staffing up the department.
House Ag Holds Farm Country Hearing
On Tuesday, the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing titled, Examining the Economic Crisis in Farm Country. Featured testimony included representation from various producers across the country as well as an agricultural economist.
Democrats and Republicans alike agreed that a new Farm Bill providing stability and support for farmers facing economic challenges is paramount to industry viability. Republicans focused on strengthening the farm safety net and avoiding the reliance on ad hoc agricultural disaster assistance, whereas Democrats argued that the administration’s use of tariffs, firing of federal employees and funding freezes will intensify trials and tribulations felt at the farm gate.
Other topics discussed included the impact of tariffs, labor costs, the struggle to keep up with rising input costs, and the need for improved crop insurance and risk management tools to support the agricultural sector.
Click Here to watch the full hearing.
Australian Wool Prices Take a Hit
Despite many industry observers predicting a dearer market – based on overseas inquiry – the Australian wool market defied predictions and recorded losses across both selling days of the series, thus ending its strong opening to the 2025 calendar year.
The higher prices on offer last week encouraged some sellers back to the market, pushing the national offering up to 40,651 bales. Included in this offering was 6.3 percent of wool that had been offered in a previous sale. On the first selling day, the benchmark AWEX Eastern Market Indicator dropped by 9 cents, ending its run of four selling days of consecutive rises. This was followed by a further 14-cent drop on the second day. The EMI fell by 23 cents for the series, closing at 1,192 Australian cents. This was the highest weekly fall in the EMI since August of last year.
Although the EMI lost ground this series, it is still trading higher for the calendar year. The EMI opened 2025 at 1,154 cents, meaning it is 38 cents higher for the year – an increase of 3.3 percent. Understandably, the softer market was met with seller resistance, pushing the passed-in rate up to 14 percent. This was the highest passed-in rate since August 2023, when it was 15.3 percent. For comparison, during that series the EMI dropped by 36 cents.
The total dollar amount of wool sold so far in this season continues to track well below that of the previous season. Season to date there has been $1,186 million worth of wool sold at auction, which is $204 million below last season for a drop of 14.7 percent. The fall tracks closely with the overall fall in the national offering, which has reduced by 15.8 percent.
The weaker market has not been a major deterrent and next week’s national offering is expected to rise. There are currently 44,748 bales rostered in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX