ASCI 223 Midterm 1

Sheep Industry benefits

More sustainable, land management, most lambs in market are pasture raised, aligns with consumer preferences

Family, Subfamily, genus and species

Bovidae Caprinae Ovis Ovis aries

Sheep First Domesticated When/Where? Wooly Sheep developed where and when? When was wool spinned?

Domesticated 10,500 years ago

Mesopotamia for wool, meat and milk

6000 BC the first wooly sheep developed in Iran

3500 BC men spin wool for clothing

Merino, micron meaning

Merino species of sheep developed in Spain that had super fine wool, small micron

Sheep in England: breeds, products, wool quality, revenue

Local groups inbred to form several breed with wide variety for purpose related to region of origin. Produces meat, milk, wool and compete with Spain super fine wool, Elizabeth I’s primary source of tax revenue was sheep/wool

Sheep in America: date, breed, location of first sheep, dates sheep arrive to Mexico and Virginia, when/where first wool mill

1493- Churra domestic sheep brought with Columbus 2nd voyages

1519- Hernan Cortes brought sheep to Mexico spread with Spanish colonization

Natives developed own Navajo-Churra breed

1607- sheep arrived to Virginia,

1662-Watertown Massachusetts 1st wool mill, now can produce own wool, separation from mother England

19th century sheep in America: competition with cattle, Names called, range wars date and sheep causalities

Sheep move westward and Competition for cattle operations for grazing and water rights. Sheep had foot gland secretions that cattle didnt want to eat called range maggots

Range Wars: 1870-1920: over 120 wars between 8 states, 50,000 to 100,000 sheep slaughtered

Basque Sheepherders, job, dogs

Basque people that are paid to look over sheep and now are owners of most sheep operations, dominated sheep industry from 1873-1973, brought Australian Shepard dogs

Sheep in America: 1940-1950s

1940-1950s: sheep production peaked at 55 M head

World War I: Woodrow Wilson brought sheep to cut landscape cost

Current Markets Order of 5 Products, causes of wool decline

1. Meat (retail cuts, holiday)

2. Dairy

3. Wool (mainly Merino, high cost to shear and wool prices low since New Zealand and Australia can sell wool for cheap)

4. Youth Programs (4-H and FFA)

5. Industrial (weed control, solar farms)

Order of 5 Biggest Producers in Sheep Industry

1. Commercial

2. Seedstock (pure bred breeders, support commercial)

3. Club lamb (produce animal to win in show ring, for meat)

4. Lamb feeder (feedlots, for meat)

5. Dairy

Where are most sheep located

Western U.S. lots of government leases to graze lots of land, 45% of ewe (female sheep) population

Are most lambs used for market or breedings

Breeding, Market

Causes for sheep population decline?

1. Regulations/permits on grazing public lands

2. Endangered species regulations

3. Competition from other meats/fibers

4. Predation losses (release of wolves)

5. Competition from imports (value of US$)

6. Packing and feeding industry locations

7. Consumer preference

Hope for the Future of Sheep Industry?

Very ethnic market (holidays) demand, grazing helps ecosystem, new and niche markets, regenerative ag & carbon credits (get money for bringing carbon back to environment), service grazing

Boer Goats Traits?

Most popular meat goat

Red head with white body

Scientific Name of Goat (Family, Subfamily, genus and species)

Family: Bovidae

Subfamily: Caprinae

Genus: Capra

Species: aegagrus hircus

Domesticated of Goat

Time, location, produce?

11,000 years ago in Euphrates River Valley of Turkey

Used orginally for meat dung and hide pliable so used for water and wine bottles

What was the 1st animal to be used for milk production?

The goat

When did goat first arrive in US? When did dairy goats breeds brought to US?

1500s Spanish Explorers bought goat to US

1900s European Dairy Goat Breeds imported to US

Current Goat Markets

Meat (show, started ), Dairy (show,Pygmy, Nigerian dwarf), Fiber or Hair (Mohair goats have angora, cashmere), 4-H, Industrial (weed control, hiking/pack), emerging: packaging (find own foods, carry 40 pounds)

Goat red meat consumption and primary source of protein in which regions?

63% of red meat consumption is goat

Consumption of meat and milk most widespread

Primary source of protein in N Africa and Middle East

How many goats are there worldwide? In US?

Worldwide: 800 M

US: 2.5M

7 Benefits of Goats

1. Rich milk

2. Lean Meat

3. Pliable Hide

4. Fiber

5. Small

6. Easy to herd

7. Good Feed Conversion and Forage

Which 3 States has the most Goats

1. Texas

2. Tennessee

3. CA

Issues with Managing Goats

1. Droughts

2. Fussy, hard to contain

3. Internal parasites kill them

What country is the largest importer of goat? US suppplies how much of consumer demand

US, only supplies 50% of consumer demand

Where does US import goats from?

Australia

Goat vs Sheep Industry timeline and organization

1993 when Boer goat came to US, and its very divided the sheep industry is very traditional and very structured people work together and have been for years

Regisered Seedstock what does it mean for one to be registered purebred, Parturtion? Replacement Dam? Market? Cost?

They have records of pedigree (records of parents) and match breed look and production, worth more money, includes all prebred

Parturition: dependent on show and sale dates, choose to have a goat for each age show

Replacement dam: culled animals, replaced with own or other breeders

Market: top genetics kept, but second rate sold for meat

Cost: high input: records, facilities, health care, show equipement, AI, embroy transfer

Club Lambs and Goat: breeds? location? Products? Age? Pros? Cons?

Location: all throughout US, mostly in Mid West

Breeds: Sheep: Suffolk, Hampshires, Dorsets, Southdowns,

Goats: AMerican Boer Goat, Boer Cross

Products: FFA, 4-H raise, show and sell animals

Age: best if born in Jan 1st

Advantage: high youth, lots of money, public view with sheep

Disadvantage: production of lambs doesnt match industry needs, ethical issues (tail dock, illegal drug use)