NCERA_OLD214: Increased Efficiency of Sheep Production
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCERA_OLD214: Increased Efficiency of Sheep Production
Duration: 10/01/2009 to 09/30/2014
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The U.S. sheep industry has more than 70,000 producers who market approximately $600 million worth of raw products annually from 6.1 million animals (USDA, NASS, 2008). There was approximately 188 million pounds of lamb and mutton produced in the U.S. in 2007 (USDA, NASS, 2008) and more than 200 million pounds was imported, while just over 9 million pounds was exported (USDA, ERS, 2008). Per capita consumption is low relative to beef and pork, but niche markets are promising. The sheep industry is an important part of American agriculture struggling with economic issues, global competitiveness and consumer trends. These issues are far greater in scope than can be addressed by individual research stations; collaborative efforts are needed to generate new knowledge for a more sustainable industry. New technology can be applied to improve efficiency and to compete more effectively in a world-wide market. Research results benefit the sheep industry and consumers by increasing profitability and improving product quality. A viable sheep industry can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and provide economic stability to rural communities.
The NCERA-190 committee is uniquely suited to address these issues. The committee is national in scope, with members representing the U. S. from New York to Utah and North Dakota to Texas and the Virgin Islands. NCERA-190 continues to grow, with the most recent members from Louisiana State University and Oklahoma State University. Members are trained in genetics, reproduction, nutrition, meats, and management. The diversity of training is a strength of the committee and brings depth and perspective to investigations of complex issues. NCERA-190 is one of three multi-state research committees in the U.S. that focuses on sheep, and is unique due to its emphasis on reproduction, carcass leanness, meat quality, and milk production in wool and hair sheep. The other committees are WERA039 whose complementary emphases are on wool production and the use of sheep to manage and sustain native plants in range and pasture ecosystems and SCC81 whose focus is on sheep and goat production issues of the southeastern U.S.
Objectives of NCERA-190 are well aligned with research priorities identified by the American Sheep Industry Association and the Agricultural Research Service of USDA. A research goal is to develop integrated food-animal management and animal health systems that support efficient, competitive, and sustainable production of safe and wholesome food consistent with animal and environmental well being. This includes improving reproduction efficiency; quantifying basic nutritional requirements and interactions in sheep including nutrient composition effects on product quality; breed evaluation; and controlling disease and parasitism. Planned research of NCERA-190 is consistent with the components of National Program 101 (Food Animal Production) of ARS (Understanding, improving and effectively using animal genetic and genomic resources; Enhancing animal adaptation, well-being and efficiency in diverse production systems; Measuring and enhancing product quality) and National Program 103 (Animal Health; Component 7, Prevent and control parasitic diseases).
The sheep industry is fortunate to have significant adaptability to market conditions, which is possible because of a wide array of breed resources. A common approach will be evaluation of breeds. In many experiments, two or more common breeds will be compared at different institutions. For example, researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) and the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) will each evaluate effects of Dorset, Suffolk, Rambouillet, Texel, and Composite (a composite population created at MARC) breeds on growth, carcass, and meat quality traits (objective 2). Composite rams from MARC will be provided to the USSES. Also, research to evaluate one or more hair breeds of sheep (Dorper, Katahdin, St. Croix, and Barbados Blackbelly) will be done at several institutions, including Kentucky, MARC, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Virginia State (objective 4). A breed with high milk production, the East Friesian, will be evaluated at Wisconsin (objective 3). Use of common breeds will create linkages across experiments, effectively allowing comparison of more breeds than evaluated in any single experiment. This information will help the industry systematically use the most appropriate breeds in crossbreeding programs that produce market lambs. Overall impact is expected to improve competitiveness of the US Sheep Industry with other major sheep producing countries.
Objectives
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Develop and evaluate methods to improve reproductive efficiency
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Develop strategies to improve and predict efficiency of lean growth, carcass quality, and meat palatability
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Evaluate genetic resources, nutrient requirements, and production systems for milk production
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Develop profitable and sustainable production systems, including parasite control and other health issues
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Wide dissemination of research results and information to universities, regulatory agencies and producers
Procedures and Activities
The Committee meets annually in June at alternating locations to discuss station reports and collaborative efforts, and hold business meeting. Collaborative efforts include exchange of animals or germplasm and interactive research ideas. The needs for regulatory issues are acted upon.
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- An outcome of the coordinating committee will be sharing of experience, information, and experimental results. Such interactions help researchers identify relevant questions and develop appropriate experimental plans.
- Another expected outcome is the coordination of collaborative efforts between researchers. The impact of coordinated research is more efficient use of limited sheep resources to address relevant industry constraints.
- It is expected that sheep producers will use breed resources more effectively to improve reproductive efficiency and produce nutritious, lean lamb. Experimental results from this committee will provide guidelines for the appropriate use of breeds.
- Experimental results will provide information that will be disseminated through scientific publications and extension activities.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Several committee members have appointments as extension sheep specialists and many members work directly with stakeholders to transfer technology. Members regularly plan and participate in industry meetings and often serve on industry committees. Several members contribute articles to industry publications. Several stations hold field days or other educational activities (listed below) where information on current research projects is provided to producers.
" Field days, symposiums, or workshops: Cornell University (Annual Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium in October; lambing time field days associated with each of the 5 STAR lambing periods); Louisiana State University (Annual Integrated Parasite Control/FAMACHA workshop at LSU or Southern University small ruminant field days, alternating years; Annual Integrated Parasite Control/FAMACHA workshop at GoatCamp (Lohn, TX); Ohio State University (Ohio Sheep Day held annually, attended by nearly 900 sheep producers; Buckeye Shepherds Symposium held annually); Oregon State University (Lambing schools); South Dakota State University (Dakota Fest, Sheep Shearing Training Program, Lamb Bonanza, Mountain States-Plains Sheep and Goat Conference); Texas (Annual Sheep & Goat Field Day, San Angelo, first Thursday in September); University of Wisconsin (biennial Spooner Dairy Sheep Day, biennial Spooner Sheep Day, assists with the annual Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium); USDA, ARS, Arkansas (USDA, ARS biennial Sheep and Goat Field Day, Booneville, Arkansas held in October of odd-numbered years); USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (Annual Utah Sheep and Goat Education Day; Brigham Young University field day; field days for Clark County Idaho public schools).
" Extension Activities: Cornell University (Regional NY state extension sheep extension programs several times a year); Iowa State University (organizes an annual sheep extension program in NW Iowa for advanced producers highlighting research results from this committee, attendance of 40 persons that represent 5,000 to 15,000 ewes; Additional meetings conducted throughout the year in Iowa; 2 3 additional state sheep symposiums held per year with 200 to 500 people in attendance; newsletters - research results from this committee presented in the Iowa State Sheep Association monthly newsletter 3-4 times per year, mailed 11 times/year to more than 400 producers, educators and allied industry people); Ohio State University (Lamb 509 and other educational activities for producers to learn about improving lamb carcasses and forage systems; Sheep Team Newsletter); South Dakota State University (SD Master Lamb Producers Recognition Program, Dakota Performance Ram Test, Replacement Sale and Education Program, Scrapie Eradication Program, National Lamb Performance Classic Program, Regional Sheep Forum Education Program in Brookings); USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (Annual Idaho Wool Growers Association meeting; Annual American Sheep Industry Association meeting).
" Teaching/curriculum: Cornell University (undergraduate course: Animal Science 3800 with 40 to 50 students taught spring of odd-numbered years: http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/courses/as380/); Louisiana State University (Teach undergraduate course Parasite Effects on Animal Performance in Animal Science curriculum every year; Teach undergraduate course Small Ruminant Production in Animal Science curriculum every other year); South Dakota State University (AS 477 Sheep and Wool Production); Oregon State University (ANS 216 Sheep Industries; ANS 436 Sheep Production Systems; ANS 312 Feedstuffs and Ration Formulation); USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (host veterinary extern students during lambing).
" Web pages with information on sheep research: South Dakota State University: http://www3.sdstate.edu/Academics/CollegeOfAgricultureAndBiologicalSciences/AnimalandRangeScience/; Texas Ram test web page: sanangelo.tamu.edu/genetics/ramtest.htm; USDA, ARS, MARC: www.usmarc.usda.gov; University of Wisconsin: http://www.ansci.wisc.edu/Extension-New%20copy/sheep/index.html; Oregon State Unviversity: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sheep; Cornell University: http://www.sheep.cornell.edu/; Ohio State University: http://sheep.osu.edu.
" Software: Cornell University (free software, examples from the 550-ewe Cornell Sheep Farm); Iowa State University (developing a Sheep Nutrition Analysis and Decision Software that will assist producers in correctly feeding their sheep flocks).
Organization/Governance
A nominating committee proposes a slate of officers consisting of chair, vice-chair, and secretary. Traditionally, the vice-chair becomes the chair the following year and the secretary becomes the vice-chair. Officers are elected from official representatives of participating stations. The committee then votes to accept or reject the proposed slate of officers.
Literature Cited
Economic Research Service, 2008. Livestock and meat trade data. The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2008. Sheep and goats. Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.