Brad Boner, ASI President
I truly have no idea how we have already put 2024 to bed and are starting a new year. That means that this year’s ASI Annual Convention must be right around the corner. I would like to spend some time in this month’s column hitting some of the highlights of the upcoming convention in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This three-day event brings together every sector of the American sheep industry to one place. This year is no exception with a dozen individual industry groups having meetings during our time in Scottsdale. This offers our members the opportunity to learn new things and hear about what else might be happening that could impact each of their agribusiness enterprises.
Official meetings get started at 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 16 with the Animal Health Committee. Important topics like Scrapie and New World Screwworm updates will offer insight into one old and one new health issue that might impact your sheep flock and your bottom line. At 8:30 a.m., the National Lamb Feeders Annual Meeting and Forum will take place. This meeting typically offers lively and informative discussions on many of the topics that impact the lamb market.
At 10 a.m., the Genetics Forum kicks off with Perspectives on Sheep Genetics in Australia and a well-known panel to discuss Genetic Progress in the Real World. This informative session will continue after lunch with additional topics focused on how to use genetic selection to improve your bottom line. At 1 p.m., the Production, Education & Research Council kicks off its Policy Forum discussing things like New and Emerging Production Technologies and Scaling Up Production – How to Do It Successfully. The Legislative Council also begins at 1 p.m. with topics such as a Farm Bill update and other legislative items that impact our industry. At 1:30 p.m., the ASI Wool Council will meet to discuss the latest issues in the wool industry.
At 4 p.m., please join us for our Opening Session which is a panel discussion on Energizing the Sheep Industry with Solar. This will be an upbeat and informative panel of five knowledgeable professionals who are involved with sheep grazing under solar arrays – or agrivoltaics. Agrivoltaics is a growing sector within the sheep industry that might offer some new opportunities for sheep producers. Don’t miss this one. Everyone will look forward to 6 p.m. and our Industry Welcome Reception, where we can catch up with our friends, ASI officers and staff members to talk about everything SHEEP.
Jan. 17 begins at 8 a.m. with the Lamb Council session and Resource Management Council Policy Forum. Friday’s Awards Luncheon offers us the opportunity to honor individuals who have given extraordinary time and effort to our industry while making it better along the way. You can read more about the award winners in this issue of the Sheep Industry News.
After lunch, the ASI Board of Directors Information Session will get underway. This year, we will have some great speakers including the three young producers who represented the American sheep industry at Lamb X in Australia. We wrap up Friday with the fun filled and lively RAMPAC Reception and Auction. This event is one of the highlights of the convention and lets everyone relax and enjoy each other’s company.
Saturday begins with the all-important Regional Caucuses, where we will elect three new members to the Executive Board. The ASI Board of Directors Business Meeting will begin at 10 a.m., and is open to anyone who would like to attend. It will include an informative talk from Paul Rosenthal, ASI’s trade law attorney. A fitting way to wrap things up is with the Make It With Wool Fashion Show that night.
As you can see, there will be lots going on in Scottsdale and it will avail us of the once-a-year opportunity to network with other industry participants in hopes of better understanding how we best grow and prosper as sheep producers and industry.
Until then, keep it on the sunny side.
The start of the year sets the table for an important month of anticipation for Jan. 1 inventory reports that will come in February. At the time of this writing, there are some sideway movements in key prices, which could be seen as positive or negative, depending on one’s perspective.
RETAIL
Coming off the heels of Thanksgiving, retail activity and feature rates are down. The activity index in the National Retail Report measures the frequency of feature activity equal to the total number of stores for each advertised item – i.e. a retailer with 100 outlets featuring five items has an activity index of 500. Of the 24,443 outlets, the activity index was 2,317, which was down from 8,298 from the previous week. The decrease is expected given that Thanksgiving week is a time when the activity index is historically one of the highest weeks during the year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture report breaks the nation into eight markets: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, South Central, Southwest, Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii. Following the Thanksgiving holiday, the Northeast region had the highest activity index (1,065).
Nationally, the feature rate decreased from 27 percent down to
6.6 percent. The feature rate is the amount of sampled stores advertising any reported item during the current week, expressed as a percentage of the total sample. The same Thanksgiving week logic applies to the feature rate. Thanksgiving week sees increased featuring, followed by lower featuring weeks until Christmas time each year. In the second week of December, the Hawaii market lead all markets with the highest feature rate (22.4 percent).
While retail activity and feature rates are down across all markets, fresh loin chops are increasing in prices at the retail level, increasing from $9.08/lb. up to $10.69/lb. Fresh bone-in leg cuts and fresh Halal rib racks have also increased in value.
WHOLESALE
Last year, the fourth quarter is when the lamb cutout value rose and set the stage for 2024. Cutout values peaked at $480.11 per cwt. (April) and bottomed out at $460.79 per cwt. (November) this year. The bottoming out occurred election week, and since then has trended upward to $268.87 per cwt. through the first two weeks of December.
Compared to last year, the fourth quarter cutout has not increased at the same rate as the markets saw last year. But throughout the year, 2024 prices ($471.05 per cwt.) averaged higher compared to a year ago ($450.71 per cwt.). Compared to the previous five-year average ($421.54 per cwt.), 2024 cutout values have also averaged higher, and are currently $31.78 per cwt. higher than the previous five-year average for the same week in December. Thus – from a sky view – prices have maintained sideways movement throughout the year with no real pop upward, but no real slide down. This is somewhat positive news given that inflation started the year high, and relatively, proteins are still expensive for the consumer. From a demand perspective, the stabilization in prices indicates stable demand. From the supply side, slaughter headcounts and weights have helped with stable wholesale prices.
SLAUGHTER
Through the first 47 weeks of 2024, weekly lamb and yearly slaughter averaged 33.81 thousand head per week, which is up from a weekly average of 32.73 thousand per week for 2023. Compared to the previous five-year average for the same period (47 weeks), weekly slaughter is down from a weekly average of 34.47 thousand.
Through 2024, weekly dressing weights for lamb and yearlings were at 61.9 pounds, which is down from 62.38 pounds for the same period in 2023. Taking total slaughter and dressing weights, total production is up 2.5 percent compared to the previous year. Thus, with supply slightly up, and stable cutout values, demand must be holding steady to higher. Compared to the previous five-year averages, current dressed weights are nearly 5 pounds lower and total production is lower by approximately 8.5 percent.
PRICES
Depending on weight, slaughter lamb prices have been on a roller coaster in the last couple of months. For heavyweight (100 to 150 pounds) lambs in San Angelo, Texas, prices have trended down from $208.40 per cwt. in mid-summer and bottomed out at $136.08 per cwt. in October. Prices rallied back up to $190 per cwt. in November but declined back to $150 per cwt. in the first couple of weeks in December.
Given the dressed weight averages, the volatility in the heavyweight slaughter lambs is expected. In lighterweight slaughter lamb (60 to 90 pounds) markets, the three-market average (Colorado, South Dakota and Texas) saw prices go from $263.96 per cwt. in April, all the way down to $143.81 per cwt. in October. Since then, prices have trended back up, with prices sitting at $200.98 per cwt. in the second week of December.
As of this writing, both heavyweight and lightweight slaughter lamb types are below last year’s and the previous five-year’s price ranges. Looking back at last year’s price movements and seasonality, both weight types should close the year steady to higher, which will set the table for the seasonal price movement upward in the first few months of 2025.
Through 2024, feeder prices also tumbled from March ($324.61 per cwt.) to September (approximately $200 per cwt.), and since have trended upward through the first few weeks in December. But the key difference is that the rally of feeder prices has been mostly above last year’s prices, which from a producer perspective is a positive sign.
Given the similar movements between last year and this year, I would expect the first few months of 2025 to have steady to strong feeder prices.
TRADE
Through the latest trade data for exports (October), U.S. exports for 2024 are at a total of 525,000 metric tons, which is 51,600 metric tons higher than last year for the same time period. In value, U.S. exports are valued at $29.8 million, which is $3.03 million higher than last year through October.
Lamb and sheep skins and pieces make up the majority of U.S.
exports in volume, while lamb and mutton (33 percent) and wool
(47 percent) make up majority of the value. I have started using weekly data to watch imports, and in the first two weeks of December, U.S. fresh and frozen lamb imports have been approximately 7.4 million pounds. In the weekly import figures, you will see that through this year, we have started to import more fresh product from our trade partners, whereas U.S. imports for frozen products has remained relatively the same.
Racks, short loins and legs make up majority of the product mix that the United States is importing.
WOOL
Through the last few weeks leading into the middle of December, the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator had fluctuated up and down but trended upward to 1,142 AU cents per kg. This is up from the bottom of 1,087 AUS cents per kg of the calendar year that was seen in late September to early October. But when converted to U.S. dollars per pound, prices remained steady at $3.38 per lb.
The reason for the difference is the exchange rate, in that the Australian dollar has depreciated compared to the U.S. dollar. American wool prices have been steady to lower depending on quality.
OUTLOOK
Overall, prices throughout the supply chain have mixed signals depending on who is buying and who is selling. From a domestic standpoint, demand remains steady, imports have increased slightly, but I foresee the beginning of 2025 to be similar to 2024, unless there are massive macroeconomic shakeups.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in December 2024 the reappointment of four members to serve on the American Lamb Board. Each member will serve a second three-year term beginning January 2025 and ending January 2028.
The newly reappointed members are:
• Jimmy Parker, Vinemont, Ala. – Producer.
• David Fisher, Sonora, Texas – Producer.
• Stephen J. Schreier, Tracy, Minn. – Feeder.
• Andrew Allman, Gill, Colo. – First Handler.
“It has been a true honor to serve on the American Lamb Board and represent sheep producers from across the country. I am deeply passionate about the quality of both the product we produce and the people who grow it,” said Fisher. “We have a great board with a willingness to think outside the box to promote our industry. I look forward to serving a second term and representing this great industry.”
“I am honored to be reappointed to serve on the American Lamb Board,” said Parker, a former member of the ASI Executive Board. “It has been an educational and eye-opening experience thus far and I look forward to three more years of serving the sheep industry by helping guide the promotional and educational opportunities that will continue to help our industry grow.”
“My first term on lamb board went by very fast as there is a lot to learn. The board is very diverse, and it was a great experience to learn about the issues and concerns from members representing different areas of the sheep industry,” said Schreier, who also previous served on the ASI Executive Board representing the National Lamb Feeders Association. “My goals for the next three years will be to better understand all challenges of the sheep industry and budget check off dollars toward programs that will strengthen the industry and support our contributors.”
“I’m honored to be selected and look forward to serving the lamb community,” said Allman.
Each spring, USDA seeks nominations for the board from industry organizations that have been certified by USDA. ASI is one of these organizations, which represent producers, feeders, seedstock producers and first handlers.
“It is incredibly beneficial to have strong industry leaders like David, Jimmy, Steve and Andrew serve a second term,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert. “They can continue to contribute to our organization and provide strategic direction based on their knowledge and experience both in the sheep industry as well as having three years serving on the ALB.”
Source: ALB
Longtime ASI Wool Consultant Barry Savage has been chosen by the Wool Roundtable as the winner of the 2025 Wool Excellence Award for his two decades of dedication to marketing American wool in international markets.
“This is quite a surprise, and very much appreciated,” said Savage, who officially retired from ASI in December 2023, from his home in Boston. But, he’s found it difficult to walk away from the industry. He was appointed to a three-year term on the board of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center in 2023 and was already planning to be at the ASI Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz., this month in that capacity.
Savage will receive his award during the Wool Recognition Lunch on Jan. 16 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. If you’re interested in joining the celebration, tickets for that lunch might still be available for those who didn’t purchase them when they registered for the convention. Check with the registration desk in Scottsdale to inquire about availability.
In addition to driving international marketing for ASI and American wool, Savage also contributed to the ASI Wool Team in the areas of technical and commercial input in regard to early-stage processing and spinning as well as logistical and marketing issues after joining ASI in July of 2001.
“It’s definitely hard to walk away after 21 years with a company,” Savage said. “With the exception of Anodyne, most of the American wool companies didn’t have a lot of experience with other countries outside of Mexico when I started working with ASI. I’m glad that I was able to bring my connections to the industry. International sales are really made on trust and personality. If people can relate to you, that makes things easier. Working with ASI allowed me to utilize my knowledge of these other countries and their technical capabilities. The thing I enjoyed the most about working with ASI was that it allowed me to keep up all of these international connections I’d made through the years.”
Many of those connections came when Savage was previously employed by G. H. Michell & Sons (Australia) Pty. Ltd., a major, early-stage wool processor and sheepskin/leather tanner. He began his career in Sydney in production management in the scouring/carbonizing/topmaking/fellmongery facilities of Michell before becoming the general manager of Woolscourers (Vic) Pty. Ltd. in Melbourne.
He subsequently became the general manager of Penny’s Knitting Mills Pty. Ltd – a worsted spinning and knitting operation in Adelaide and a Michell Group subsidiary – before moving to the United Kingdom where he acted as Michell’s manager for Eastern Europe, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Scandinavia Region. He then moved to Boston where he was Michell’s manager of the Americas Region.
After 30 years with Michell, Savage moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as the sales director at Clicktex, a textile internet marketing company. He then joined ASI and worked to market American wool until his retirement.
“There was a real decline in manufacturing in the United States in the mid-90s, so there was this big need to find new markets,” Savage said. “We had no choice but to develop new markets outside of the domestic industry, so that’s what we did.”
During his time at ASI, Savage was a regular attendee on trade missions that introduced international buyers to American wool.
“Barry was always a pleasure to work with and was well liked by not only the international buyers, but also the American wool exporters who benefitted from the expertise he brought to his position with ASI,” said ASI Director of Wool Marketing Rita Samuelson. “We’ve definitely missed his presence on our team in the year since he retired.”
Michigan sheep producer Eric Wallis is “just a shepherd,” but his desire to create avenues for profit from his flock’s wool led to a unique partnership between his Lake Superior Woolen Company and longtime hat maker Stormy Kromer.
Lake Superior has long produced wool blankets, selling the product through word of mouth and online before Wallis’ daughter, Kristy, opened a retail store in touristy Mackinaw City, Mich., in 2024.
“Four or five years ago, I reached out to Gina Thorsen (chief executive officer at Stormy Kromer) to see if they had a place for our wool blankets,” Wallis said. “I had a couple of Kromers and we chatted a bit but it didn’t work out. Recently my daughter told me they were selling wool blankets now, so I reached out again and Gina remembered our conversation. When we visited in the spring, she was pretty excited about it and wanted to see if they could make a hat out of our blankets. Eventually, we sent them the raw material to make the new limited edition cap.”
Since they were introduced in late 2024, the caps have sold quickly, leaving just limited stock available heading into the holiday shopping season. And the success has generated talk of additional collaborations in the future.
“She’s given us some hints at what they are thinking,” Wallis said. “We would definitely be interested in working with them again.”
It appears the feeling is mutual.
“We love partnering with other businesses all over, especially in the state,” said Thorsen. “But then when it’s a chance to do it here in the Upper Peninsula, it’s just really wonderful to know that the start of this fabric that is in the hat started with sheep being raised in Rudyard (Mich.) is really amazing. To think of the whole journey of that, starting with the wool being sheared and ending up in what’s kind of the unofficial hat of the U.P., right? It just all feels so wonderful. We love partnering with great people, and Kristy and her dad, Eric, are certainly that. They value the same things we do in terms of like quality and hard work and just putting everything into what they do. I think just comes through in the product.”
Wallis’ family started with a dairy in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula after his grandfather homesteaded the place in the early 1900s. His father sold the dairy and switched to a cow/calf operation when Wallis was a kid. Sheep came along in the early 1980s and the family farm in Rudyard has since been home to as many as 650 Polypay ewes through the years. The flock is down to just under 300 now, but Wallis is as busy as ever keeping up with demand for his blankets.
“Before we opened the store, if I sold 12 to 15 blankets between May and September most years, then that was about normal,” he said. “With the store this year, we sold 120 blankets in that time. And sales always pick up in October as we head into winter. The store has been great for us, and that’s totally my daughter and son-in-law’s deal. What she wants to do is sell our stuff, the Stormy Kromer caps and some other local artisan products.”
Wallis said the blankets, the cap and everything else he’s done in the wool industry was just an effort to find value in his flock’s wool at a time when the value of raw wool seemed to be decreasing exponentially.
“We had a great product that we couldn’t sell for a profit, so we had to figure out a way to change that and make a profit,” he said. “It’s worked well for us.”
The limited-edition caps are (or possibly were by the time you’re reading this) only available through StormyKromer.com and the Lake Superior Woolen Company store.
Roughly 50 sheep producers – ranging from aspiring and new to experienced – attended an in-person lambing workshop hosted by ASI’s Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs on Nov. 23, 2024, in Watertown, S.D.
“It went really well,” said Dr. Kelly Froehlich of the YEE group. “We handed out a survey at the end of the day and almost everyone said they learned a lot.”
Attendees were asked, “What was the most useful topic covered during the school and why,” and responded with:
• “Really everything. It’s been a truly informative day, and I learned a ton. As a total novice, I’m even more excited after today than I already was about raising sheep soon.”
• “Practical application of pulling the lamb. The nutrition breakdown. The vet sharing different meds for specific things. How to tube feed. Side conversation of the best weights and times of year to sell.”
• “I loved the lamb kit, the list of medications needed, and the protocols. I also like the ewe they brought in. I also like the transparency of the group and how helpful everyone is willing to be.”
The highlight of the school was the dystocia simulator that the group purchased with funds from a National Sheep Industry Improvement Center grant that was awarded in 2024. The simulator allowed attendees to practice pulling lambs and get a first-hand look at problems that sheep producers might encounter in the process.
But the workshop also touched on topics ranging from facility requirements for lambing to nutrition of both ewes and lambs. A veterinarian provided tips on deworming, establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship and medicines that producers might need to have on hand. The workshop also discussed putting together a lambing tool kit with necessary supplies.
Producers from four states attended the free workshop, which is just the first step in the YEE group’s efforts to educate new sheep producers with funds from the NSIIC grant. Froehlich is working on developing an online curriculum – which she hopes to preview at the ASI Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz., this month – for beginning sheep producers.
“I should have a few lessons done by the convention,” she said. “We spent a lot of time preparing for the lambing school. Now that it’s done, I’ve got more time to work on the lessons.”
The Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs have also received several requests to bring the dystocia simulator to other sheep gatherings, including state sheep association meetings.
“We’ll have the simulator at the ASI Annual Convention,” Froehlich said. “That will give people there a chance to practice pulling lambs and see it up close.”
Froehlich said there are plans to auction off the naming rights to the simulator during the RAMPAC Auction on Jan. 17 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort.
Working with South Dakota producer Cody Chambliss, Froehlich and the YEE group are planning additional in-person educational opportunities in the year to come. While the online education program will be open to everyone, the YEE group’s grant called for in-person training to focus on a six-state region in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
While the Rafter 7 Merino flock peacefully grazed in a feedlot at the Fish Creek Ranch – just 12 miles south of Eureka – a coyote stealthily approached the unsuspecting flock, plotting the perfect opportunity to attack.
Unbeknownst to the predator, an army of white guard dogs camouflaged within the sheep was eyeing its every move, strategically positioning to attack in defense of the flock. As the coyote closed in on its target, the encircling guard dogs swiftly subdued and dispatched it as the herd dogs hurriedly guided the sheep to safety.
The Rafter 7 sheep flock – a research flock developed by the University of Nevada-Reno more than 30 years ago and now globally recognized for its fine, soft wool and flavorful meat – holds a special place beyond its role in research and is beloved by all who encounter or care for it.
The flock’s sheepherders and Sheep Manager Fabrizio Cartagena equally share an unwavering devotion to its well-being. They go to great lengths to care and nurture the sheep. They have carried exhausted lambs for long distances through steep terrain to prevent fatalities, and with Cartagena, skillfully handled countless difficult births and a range of health problems and injuries, ensuring the survival of both ewes and their lambs. The Rafter 7 Merino sheep have come to reflect the profound bond between the animals and people at the heart of the Great Basin Research & Extension Center, a property of the university’s Experiment Station in Eureka, Nev.
The story of the development of the Rafter 7 Merinos is an interesting one and illustrative of the university’s rich history of innovative contributions to the state’s agriculture and livestock industry.
THE FOUNDATION: RAMBOUILLET
The Rambouillet sheep was developed by the French government in the late 18th century in Rambouillet, France, from a selection of Spain’s best Merino sheep. They were first imported to the United States in the mid-19th century and selectively bred to meet the needs of American sheep producers. Today, they are predominantly raised on the Western ranges of the United States and have been regarded as the cornerstone of profitability in the sheep industry due to their many attributes.
“Rambouillet sheep thrive in the harsh weather conditions of the Nevada desert,” said Scott Huber, the senior assistant director and research coordinator of the university’s Experiment Station, who also manages the center’s operations. “They are gentle and easy to handle, and they require minimal feed and water. Their agility also allows them to navigate the mountainous terrains to forage.”
Rambouillet sheep are renowned for their high-quality wool and meat, and have strong milking maternal instincts leading to lower offspring mortality. They also breed out of season and are resistant to diseases, making them a financially rewarding choice for farmers.
The university’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources has managed the Rafter 7 Merino sheep project since it developed the flock in 1990 – except for a brief period during which the flock was sold before being reacquired. The flock is a crossbreed of the Rambouillet sheep – a large, hardy breed that thrives in extreme climates and sparse forage conditions – and the Australian Merino, which is also reared in similar arid climates in Australia, and is renowned for its superfine, premium wool.
The Rafter 7 Merino sheep project began with a partnership among the university, the E.L. Wiegand Foundation and the Rafter 7 Ranch, located 21 miles south of Yerington, Nev., along the East Walker River. The new breed was aptly named after its initial home – the 3,000-acre Rafter 7 Ranch, which was purchased in 1988 by the Wiegand Foundation to develop the purebred Merino sheep and advance agricultural research and conservation efforts, according to Jim Carrico, then chief financial officer of the foundation.
The late Hudson Glimp – a newly appointed sheep specialist at the university’s Experiment Station – and Raymond ‘Skip’ Avansino Jr. – then chairperson of the Wiegand Foundation – embarked on a concept development project with generous support from the foundation to create a new Merino breed by crossbreeding Rambouillet sheep with Australian Merinos.
“The desire to develop a flock that produces both high-quality meat and extra fine, premium wool, while also retaining the Rambouillet’s hardiness and low-maintenance traits that enable it to thrive in extreme weather, was the impetus for this project,” said Gary McCuin, Eureka County Extension educator and a former director of the center.
Glimp and Avansino spearheaded the purchase of the initial breeding stock of approximately 400 Rambouillet ewes from ranches in Montana and the Dakotas, and had the ewes relocated to the Rafter 7 Ranch.
“That was the initiation and beginning of the Rafter 7 Merino herd,” McCuin said.
GENETIC DEVELOPMENT (1990 – 2006)
During the next 16 years, Glimp and his team – including Tom Filbin, the first sheep manager of the new flock – imported Australian Merino rams and semen from Australia, which they bred both naturally and artificially into the original breeding stock of Rambouillet ewes.
“During this period, around 16 rams and semen from 41 Australian rams were imported to enhance the Rambouillet’s genetic pool,” said Andrew Hess, an assistant professor of animal breeding and genetics in the College’s Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences who has been assisting in developing the breeding program and conducting genetic research at the center. “The ewe selection criteria included parameters such as wool fiber diameter, fleece weight, growth rate and reproductive performance traits.”
After successive phases of insemination, the project developed two distinct breeding lines. The Rafter 7 Pure Merino line was developed by a grade-up program where the imported semen was progressively bred into the Rambouillet ewes until they became 100 percent Merino. During this process, breeders observed that the Rafter 7 line – which is approximately 60 percent Merino and 40 percent Rambouillet – exhibited favorable characteristics and was subsequently developed.
“The Rafter 7 Pure Merino line’s wool fiber diameter was reduced by an average of three microns, making its wool more superior compared to the foundation flock,” Hess said. “It was bred for its high fleece weight, wool quality and reproductive traits, while the Rafter 7 line was developed for high fleece weight, consistent twin births and fast growth traits.”
By the 2005 breeding season, the Rafter 7 Merino flock had expanded to about 1,300 ewes, organized into groups of 30, each paired with a single ram for mating.
SELLING THE RANCH & FLOCK
By 2013, the Wiegand Foundation decided to sell the ranch. In a press release published by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – a private foundation chartered by Congress to conserve wildlife in riparian ecosystems – Carrico said, “We recently completed our objectives and decided that it was time to sell the ranch.”
The foundation sold the ranch to the conservation group’s Walker Basin Restoration Program. With the sale of the ranch, the university decided to sell the flock to Rick Powers, a wool buyer familiar with the value and quality of the Rafter 7 Merino line.
Powers relocated the flock to Diamond Valley in Eureka County and continued to inseminate the Rafter 7 Pure Merino line with the Australian genetics.
In 2014, the university appointed Bill Payne as dean of the college, and two years later he and Glimp began discussions on reacquiring the Rafter 7 Merino flock from Powers. Their goal was to house the flock in a future agricultural research center, which is now the Great Basin Research & Extension Center, jointly operated by the college’s Experiment Station and Extension units.
Since then, the center has commercialized Rafter 7 wool and forged partnerships with several entities for its processing and sale. Through collaborations with Jimmy Beans Wool, Mountain Meadow Wool Mill in Wyoming and the campus Nevada Wolf Shop, Rafter 7 yarn and branded merchandise are sold to do-it-yourself clients, students, faculty, alumni and the public.
Due to the specialty niche of handling such fine wool, the wool processing, spinning and manufacturing is managed by Mountain Meadow Wool. The hand-dyeing process for Jimmy Bean’s yarn is overseen by Madelinetosh, a hand-dyed yarn company in Fort Worth, Texas. The center also independently sells the Rafter 7 wool to commercial wool buyers.
“The high-quality Merino and Rambouillet rams and ewes offer Nevada and Western range sheep producers an opportunity to improve the wool quality of their flocks and increase their profitability with wool that rivals what one might find in New Zealand or Australia,” McCuin said. “The wool and its products are made possible by Nevada sheep, Nevada designers, Nevada breeders and Nevada scientists, all working together to give Nevada shoppers a better option.”
Since reacquisition of the Rafter 7 flock, life at the center has transformed into a whirlwind of operational activities. From meticulously documenting the flock’s reproductive phases and wool data to orchestrating key events such as the annual autumn ram sale, Huber, Cartagena, Hess, the sheepherders and veterinarians hardly find a moment of leisure amidst their responsibilities. With a herd of 2,000 sheep to manage, the pace at the center remains relentless.
The first major undertaking of the year is shearing the sheep in early spring. Wool sales are the center’s primary source of income, with the Rafter 7 Merino wool consistently fetching the highest price for American-grown wool over seven consecutive years.
Following shearing, Huber and his team shift their focus to lambing. Pregnant ewes are sorted into groups every two to three days as they near their due dates.
“When a ewe gives birth, the newborn lamb and mother are transported to a lambing barn, where they are placed into individual pens called jugs to bond for about 24 hours without interference from other animals,” Huber said. “This allows the lamb to safely nurse colostrum from its mother before they are transferred to a mixing pen with other new pairs, allowing time for the newborn lamb and ewe to bond and for the newborn lamb to safely nurse.”
This process continues throughout the lambing season, which typically spans around a month and a half each spring. Herders work around the clock, feeding and monitoring the sheep as they await the arrival of new lambs, making for an intensive yet rewarding process.
Toward the end of May, Cartagena begins arrangements for sending the flock out to graze in the hillsides, a process known as turning out. Cartagena coordinates the transportation of the sheep hauling trucks and trailers that serve as living quarters for the herders during their time in the hillsides. He also ensures that the herders have an ample supply of food, water and other supplies.
The turnout season continues until October, when the center’s grazing permit expires. At that point, the herders bring the sheep down to the valleys to graze in open pastures or return them to the center to be fed alfalfa grown on site or purchased from other growers. During these months, Cartagena maintains daily phone contact with the herders and makes weekly visits to each of the herders, who typically oversee a flock of 500 to 800 sheep, along with five herding and guard dogs and a horse.
“When I visit the herders, I examine the flock to make sure they are healthy and well fed,” he said. “I also replenish their food, water, fuel for their generators, hay for their horses and food for the dogs.”
The center has 26 dogs serving as either herding or guard dogs. The former steer straying sheep back into the fold, while the latter, large white dogs, blend in with the flock to protect them from predators.
“You’d never know the guard dogs are among the sheep unless you are closely observing,” Cartagena said. “They naturally position themselves in front of and circle the sheep when they sense a predator.”
SELECTION & RAM SALE
Cartagena’s team starts selecting sheep for sale around July, while the flock is out grazing, culminating in the annual September ram and ewe sale. This sale features rams, ewes and 15-month-old yearling lambs chosen based on traits crucial to buyers, such as body conformation, health, and reproductive and breeding potential to improve the quality of their flocks.
Buyers come from all around the country – but primarily the West – seeking to replace old or deceased animals and improve their existing stock by breeding with the desirable Rafter 7 traits.
“We usually retain the top 8 to 10 percent of the highest quality sheep to continue breeding our own line,” Huber said. “The remaining sheep – not sold as part of the sale to buyers or selected for breeding purposes – are either sold to others to process for meat, or processed by our Wolf Pack Meats in Reno to be sold as local, Nevada-grown meat.”
This year, the center is launching a new initiative called the Replacement Development Program. The program will establish a systematic process for gathering meat yield and quality data from the Rafter 7 flock. Approximately 300 Rafter 7 Merinos will be transferred from the center to the university’s Main Station Field Lab for extensive genetic studies and data collection.
This initiative – and the wider research at the center – aims to enhance research and support for the American sheep industry by using genomics to analyze the sheep’s DNA and improve their meat and wool traits. The program will also employ precision phenotyping to meticulously record measurements of the sheep’s physical characteristics to enhance the selection of sheep with superior qualities and resilience.
Hess, who will oversee the program, said that locating it at the Main Station Field Lab – which is closer to campus – will also give students the opportunity to gain practical experience with sheep breeding practices and help them to foster an appreciation for and greater understanding of the industry.
TOUCHING & CHANGING LIVES
Five herders tend to the daily needs of the Rafter 7 flock: four from Junín, Peru, and one from Zacatecas, Mexico. Despite the extreme weather and desolation, they experience while grazing the flock in the mountainous ranges, the herders have been able to improve their families’ standards of living and provide higher education for their own children through the wages they earn working with Rafter 7.
“I’ve gotten to know the guys a bit, and each one of them will tell you that the reason they’ve decided to move away from their countries and stay away for long periods of time in rural Nevada is to improve the livelihoods of their families,” Huber said. “Some of them have told me that they’ve put their kids through college doing this job as well, which I find pretty noble.”
Cartagena – a veterinarian from Peru with more than two decades of experience – arrived in the United States with his wife and young daughter two years ago. He was introduced to McCuin and Filbin through family connections. Cartagena’s expertise in caring for alpacas and sheep, and his knowledge of wool production quickly made him a valuable addition to the team.
“When my referrers learned that the center was looking for a new sheep manager, they approached McCuin and Filbin, and told them that I was the right person for the job given my experiences,” Cartagena said. “They gave them my email address and the next thing I knew, I received an email inviting me to a Zoom interview.”
The process of hiring Cartagena was a university affair. The university’s legal counsel successfully petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for Cartagena’s work permit, with references from McCuin and Filbin.
“I’m happy for this opportunity to work with the Rafter 7 sheep,” he said. “It has changed my professional and personal life because I have the opportunity to work with such high-quality animals alongside some of the most knowledgeable sheep experts in the U.S., or even the world.”
I recently had the pleasure of attending the 10th World Congress on Colored Sheep, held in Christchurch, New Zealand. The congress was centered around presentations by attendees, from industry and academia to personal projects that involve colored sheep and wool. We were also treated to a day at the Christchurch Agricultural and Pastoral show as well as a fashion show of wool clothing and wearable art, which mainly showcased natural colored wool, of course.
The congress was directly followed by a week-long bus tour of the south island that granted us lovely scenery and included visits to sheep farms, fiber mills and sightseeing locations, and concluded with a personal tour of the Ashford fiber equipment factory – if you are in fiber arts, yes that Ashford – by Richard and Elizabeth Ashford themselves.
The Christchurch show boasted about 75 natural colored sheep. It was surprising how different their class divisions are from what we are used to in the United States. There are only two age groups – either under or over 18 months old. For the over 18 months age group, sheep may either be shown woolly – approximately 12 months’ wool growth – or shorn – approximately six months’ wool growth. Either way, the judge gets to see and judges heavily on the wool. Ewes being shown in the 18 months or older class are expected to bring their lamb(s) alongside and they are judged as a set with the quality of the lambs making up a large part of the ewe’s placing. There is no maximum age for an animal to qualify for the show.
But possibly the most eye-opening part of the show was that all sheep in a given class are first let loose in the ring to move freely amongst themselves for several minutes as the judge evaluates their movement uninhibited by a handler. Yes, there was as much chaos as you are imagining for the ewes with lambs class. More sheep show surprises for me were that the sheep may not be coated leading up to or during the show, no fitting was allowed, and the handler in the ring may not touch the legs or feet to influence how the sheep stands. Despite my obvious naivety of their show etiquette, Will Gibson of Bluestone Stud graciously let me help show a couple of his Merinos, which was a real highlight of the trip for me.
Along with the sheep show, the Christchurch A&P show also holds a fleece competition. About 100 white fleeces and 35 natural-colored fleeces were on display. All fleeces entered get graded based on a very specific rubric, and are tested for yield and fiber diameter. Merino fleeces dominated the entries by number, but a black Polwarth fleece took the natural-colored top honors, and a white Polwarth won the supreme fleece in the white wool show. We got to visit both farms that produced these fleeces on our bus tour just a few days later.
Our first stop on the tour was Greenacres Fiber Processing, owned and run by Leo and Karen Ponsonby. They run a flock of natural-colored Romney, Corriedale, Merino and Polwarth sheep. Leo processes wool in small batches from his own flock as well as for nearby producers. His willingness and ability to handle small batches addresses a big pain-point for many of the flock owners that we spoke with on the trip. They might like to get their wool processed, but either cannot meet the minimum batch requirements of larger mills that have remained open in New Zealand, or the infrequency of colored wool processing runs – offered only every two years or more due to the equipment cleaning time before white wool can go back through – greatly limits the flow of their products.
Next, we met David and Viv Strong of Chudleigh Polwarths. They aim for 21- to 25-micron fleeces in their mainly natural-colored flock, and had their recently crowned supreme champion colored fleece on display in their wool shed along with some other beautiful fleeces from their very successful program.
Day two of the tour brought us to Tarras, a high-country town that is surrounded by Merino stations and, incidentally, is where the famous Shrek the Sheep lived. There we met Christina Perriam, whose family owns and runs the nearby Bendigo station. Her entrepreneurial mother inspired and encouraged her to expand the family business, and so she received a degree in fashion design and created her own 100-percent, New Zealand-made Merino wool clothing lines.
Our next farm visit was to the sweeping Matakanui station that covers nearly 9,000 hectares, rising from flat, tillable pastures to the high, hilly country of the Dunstan mountains. By gradually improving their pastureland, they have been able to increase their flock size and currently run around 20,000 white Polwarth sheep and 1,100 cattle. Owners Andrew and Tracy Paterson have been focusing on setting up long-term contracts with wool buyers so that they have a reliable income from their 19- to 23-micron wool clip.
They currently have contracts with Icebreaker and Smartwool for wool, as well as high-end meat seller Silere. The sheer amount of logistics and infrastructure needed to run a station of this size was astounding, from their seven-stand woolshed and covered yards that can hold 3,000 sheep to the casual way Andrew described their plans to build a hydro plant, solar farm and add kilometers of irrigation lines.
We continued south through exceptionally scenic country toward Gore with a stop at Norham Park Romney Stud, where Julie Howden shared with us her flock of polled Dorsets and natural-colored Romneys. They also overwinter deer and cattle for neighbors. Julie treated us to a shearing demo and a presentation from a nearby farm on how they had entered into growing hemp for oil and had learned how to make value-added products from that.
The next day of the tour took us to Will Gibson’s Bluestone Colored Merino Stud. Will’s lifelong interest and passion for breeding livestock led him to work for a genetics consulting firm and he has been heavily incorporating the use of Australian Sheep Breeding Values into his own flock planning and selection. In addition to the colored flock, Will also runs a group of ultrafine white Merinos, whose wool clip is sold to high-end fashion designers. He has been working toward growing enough high-quality, natural-colored Merino wool to sell commercially, but it’s been a challenge to scale up to the volume required by bigger contracts that will make the plan more viable.
There has been lots of interest though, so the future looks bright for natural-colored wool making an entry into the commercial clothing manufacturing world. Will also invited fashion designer Jane Shand to our visit. Jane has been working with Will for more than 15 years, buying as much as a ton of his colored wool at a time, to create 100 percent, New Zealand-made natural colored wool accessories.
After ogling his breeding rams and some beautiful Merino fleeces in the wool shed – some as fine as 12 microns – Will gave us a demonstration of how he uses RFID tags and his management software to track and enter data on sheep as they come through the yards. In addition to culling heavily for footrot and worm resistance, he also scores his flock on color and spots since for his line of black wool, he does not want the wool handlers having to spend time sorting fleeces by color at shearing time. As a Merino breeder myself, no amount of time spent at Bluestone could possibly have been enough, and they had to practically drag me back onto the bus to continue our trip.
That night we stayed in Oamaru, which is also the site of a blue penguin colony. After shopping at the local yarn store, the evening’s activity was to watch hundreds of these tiny penguins group up into “rafts” offshore then surf in and climb the steep rocky beach up to the safety of their nests overnight. There were so many penguins along the streets on our walk home to the hotel it was hardly believable. It really highlighted the lack of native predators that is so hard for a New Zealand outsider to comprehend. This absence of predators was also apparent in flock management. The only predators in New Zealand are domestic dogs and cats, so besides a stray dog there is nothing that would pose a threat to sheep. Livestock guardian dogs are not needed, nor is 24/7 shepherding. As we drove by pastures, I would frequently see sheep sleeping flat-out, apparently having lost the need for constant vigilance over generations of living without the threat of predation.
The last day of our bus tour, our first stop was Fine Fiber Farms. Stuart and Sue Albrey raise natural-colored Merinos, Polwarths, and English Leicesters on about 125 acres in the Canterbury district. They work with local mills to create combed top, worsted-spun yarn and handcrafted items out of their wool.
We continued north along the east coast of the island to Timaru, home of Phoenix mill. In a talk to the congress before the tour, Beverly Forrester had shared the story of the challenges of starting up a large-scale mill. Their business’ aim is to process New Zealand crossbred wool so that farmers get a better price for their non-Merino wool clip, and to replace petroleum-based products with a wool alternative. They are currently making felt landscape fabric and small balls of semi-felted wool called “knops” that are great for stuffing and bedding. They have plans for many more product types as their equipment arrives and processing lines are set up.
The town of Ashburton marked the last stop on our comprehensive and whirlwind tour at Ashford fiber equipment. Richard and Elizabeth Ashford were on hand to answer any of our questions as we perused their store, and then they took us on a personalized tour of the manufacturing facility. Ashford equipment is made from native beech wood that is sustainably harvested from the South Island. They also process 20 to 25 tons of New Zealand wool in their Milton mill annually. The scale and efficiency of the equipment factory was truly remarkable and their devotion to quality, reliability and durability was clearly seen.
This trip was easily some of the most impactful and meaningful times of my life. New Zealanders are so clearly passionate about sheep and wool. Even with the challenges of low wool prices, they are looking at ways to add value to their wool, including forward contracting, creating clothing lines and new products, working directly with local mills and diversifying into other natural fibers. A little ingenuity and passion are going a long way.
The World Congress on Colored Sheep will be held next in 2029 – with final dates and location pending – but I have tentatively taken on the role of organizing for it to be held in the United States.
Keep an eye out for an official announcement in the future.
Lambing efficiency is a useful performance indicator for commercial sheep producers. Defined by how many lambs a flock produces per breeding ewe, this metric is important to measure and track over time. More lambs born alive and kept alive to weaning directly translates to a more profitable flock.
Improving lambing efficiency depends on paying close attention to two areas: nutrition and health management. Both work hand-in-hand to support lambs that are born healthy, thrive post-birth and reach weaning without issues.
Here are four tips to help you improve the lambing efficiency of your operation.
PRE-BREEDING NUTRITION
Proper ewe nutrition begins well before lambing season, during the flushing period. Small ruminants are unique because they’re designed to have twins on average. To achieve this, we need to optimize ovulation, which is heavily influenced by nutrition.
The timing and balance of nutrients are critical in flushing. Boost nutrition at least 30 to 45 days before the breeding season for best results. While flushing is a common practice, not all ewes require the same protocol. Evaluate body condition scores and forage conditions to determine the amount of energy and/or protein needed for different groups of ewes.
By supporting ewes with supplemental nutrition during the flushing period, you can help support improved ovulation rates and the chances of multiple births.
LATE-GESTATION SUPPORT
Nutritional needs change in late gestation as ewes are nearing lambing. Ewes carrying multiple lambs require higher energy levels to sustain both themselves and their lambs. Under-nourished ewes commonly have an increased incidence of dystocia at lambing.
The two best investments for producers looking to improve lambing efficiency are forage testing to tailor supplementation needs and ultrasound to accurately determine how many lambs a ewe is carrying. By adjusting nutrition based on forage quality and ewe pregnancy status, producers can greatly improve lambing efficiency and profitability.
Late-gestation nutrition can also play a role in colostrum quality and milk production. Colostrum provides antibodies to protect lambs in their first few days and milk production supports their rapid growth. Failure to provide adequate nutrition at this point can lead to issues like ketosis and weak lambs that struggle to survive, which, in turn, reduces overall lambing efficiency.
The benefits of proper nutrition continue through lactation, where a well-balanced diet can sustain the lambs through their early weeks. Producers should ensure that ewes are receiving enough energy and nutrients to support lactation – particularly those with multiple lambs.
YEAR-ROUND MINERALS
Minerals and vitamins are crucial not just during flushing and late gestation, but throughout the entire year. Areas experiencing drought or stress need special attention, as the lack of green forage can deplete essential vitamins like A and E.
In some cases, deficiency in these vitamins can lead to issues such as white muscle disease, affecting lamb survivability. Proper mineral supplementation – especially in challenging conditions – can have a significant impact on lamb health and weaning success.
VETERINARY CARE
While nutrition is an essential piece of the puzzle in supporting lambing efficiency, flock health is another important piece. There are many health challenges that can occur during gestation and around parturition that can impact a ewe’s ability to birth healthy, thrifty lambs. Less-than-ideal health protocols can quickly result in a loss of lambing efficiency.
Work with your local veterinarian to discuss preventative health protocols and create a plan for emergency care, especially at lambing time. In cases where a veterinarian with small ruminant experience isn’t easily accessible, state or local extension services or university veterinary schools with small ruminant specialists can be invaluable resources.
Lambing efficiency requires a comprehensive approach involving nutrition, health management and veterinary care. Attending to these details can help you improve lambing rates, reduce mortality and increase the efficiency of your operation.
Visit PurinaMills.com/sheep-feed to learn more.