sheep

Results of CT Sheep Producers Survey

lambs looking through fence in barn
Photo: UConn

CT Sheep Survey Report Factsheet August 2022

Limitations associated with characterizing and quantifying sheep operations in the state of Connecticut present obstacles to communication, community development, and growth opportunities for producers. A survey was conducted from October 2021 to February 2022 in order to gain insight into the status and health of the Connecticut sheep industry and to identify areas of profitability in the state. The survey was distributed virtually and at the annual Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association meeting in December 2021. Sixty-six viable responses were collected and analyzed. The results of this survey will be used by the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association to establish baselines with regard to producers and sheep and will be valuable in designing and implementing timely programming and resources for Connecticut sheep producers.

Sara Tomis and (Dr.) Amy Safran, Department of Animal Science, UConn

(Dr.) Joe Emenheiser, Department of Extension, UConn

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Joe Emenheiser Joins UConn Extension as Diversified Livestock Educator

Joe EmenheiserUConn Extension is pleased to welcome Dr. Joe Emenheiser as our new statewide Livestock Extension Educator. Joe was raised in PA on a small family farm and got his start in the livestock industry with market lambs in 4-H. He built his own flock by shearing sheep and went on to attend Oklahoma State University and graduate with a degree in animal science. He was on the Reserve National Champion Meats and Livestock Judging teams at OSU, and then went to Virginia Tech where he received his MS in quantitative genetics and PhD in beef production systems.
Joe’s interest in meat quality improvement and carcass evaluation led him to work in both the livestock industry and in academia. He comes to us from the University of Vermont where he taught in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and was formerly the state Extension Livestock Specialist. He has also taught at the Vermont Technical College. Joe has developed his own flock of Suffolk and he serves on the Breed Improvement Committee of the United Suffolk Sheep Association. He will be working with diversified livestock producers statewide focusing on livestock and meat production systems and economic development.
Joe will be based in Brooklyn at the Windham Extension office. He will also be teaching one course a semester in the Department of Animal Science, including Livestock Management and Livestock and Carcass Evaluation.

Sheep Shearing School

sheepThe Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association Inc. in conjunction with the UConn Extension are again offering a one-day shearing school.
 
Saturday, October 26, 2019
UConn Beef Barn (Livestock Unit 1)
Horsebarn Hill Road
8am-4:30pm
 
This program is offered for those individuals who have a strong interest in learning how to shear sheep and have a basic understanding of sheep husbandry and handling. As sheep shearing is a physically demanding skill, it is highly recommended that you be able to perform a squat and touch your toes without discomfort and hold for an extended amount of time.
 
Class is limited to 12 students
Preregistration is required: Deadline for registration is October 7
 
CSBA members and UConn student: $20.00
All others: $40.00
Audit course: $10.00
Send: Name, address, email and phone # along with registration fee payable to CSBA to:
Natalie Cohen, Secretary
36 Broad Brook Road
Ellington, CT 06029
 
Instructor: Matt Best
Equipment: provided
Outline:
8am-classroom, introductions, registration, waivers, brief overview of the day.
8:30am-classroom, first principal of shearing, know the equipment. Shears, combs and cutters, shearing area, etc, Q and A.
10:30am- Laboratory, Handling sheep. Catching, proper position, leg work, shearing pattern. Second principal, know the pattern.
Lunch (plenty of places to choose from!)
Shearing, Third principal, know the contour of the animal.
Close: 4:30pm
Questions?  hillviewdorpers@gmail.com or 860-819-8339

Ewe Nutrition Leads to Lamb Health

lambs in the barn at UConn
Photo: UConn

Lambing season rolls around every spring, and with it comes night lamb checks, fuzzy little faces bleating for mama, and hopefully, healthy ewes and lambs. But ensuring that those lambs and ewes are healthy at birth starts long before lambing occurs.

Our research group focuses on how the ewe’s diet while she is pregnant affects the growth and development of her lambs. When a ewe is provided excess or restricted nutrition during pregnancy, it affects her ability to support the proper development of her lambs. This is compounded when ewes carry larger litter sizes (2 or more lambs). Development of the lambs during gestation prepares those animals for growth after lambing. Ewes that are over- or under-fed during pregnancy produce lambs that ultimately end up with more fat and less muscle. This is undesirable because there is less meat produced and the animals are less healthy due to increased body fat. Further, lambs from poorly nourished ewes tend to have more connective tissue, resulting in tougher cuts of meat. But there are strategies that producers can easily employ to improve the health and productivity of their flocks.

Transabdominal ultrasound during early pregnancy (around day 30) can be performed with the ewe in the standing position, with little stress to the animal, and in less than 5 minutes per animal by a skilled technician. Ultrasound can provide critical information, such as how many lambs a ewe is carrying and, when appropriate fetal measurements (such as the length from the crown to the rump) are taken, an estimated due date can be calculated. Ewes with larger litter sizes require additional feed, but are also at greater risk for ketosis in late gestation. Identifying the number of offspring early will allow farmers to prevent complications during and after pregnancy.

Once litter size and estimated lambing date are known, flock managers can appropriately feed their ewes according to litter size and stage of gestation. Best practice suggests that ewes should be separated by litter size so that those carrying larger litters can be fed greater quantities of food. This prevents over-feeding ewes that are pregnant with singletons and under-feeding ewes that are pregnant with multiples. Ewes should be fed based on their stage of gestation (early-, mid-, late-), and the number of lambs they are carrying. Importantly, body condition should be monitored throughout gestation to ensure that ewes are carrying sufficient condition into lactation, so that they will be able to support their lambs after parturition. To ensure that the feed provided is appropriate, hay and grain analyses can provide flock managers with the nutrient content of their feedstuffs. Nutritional value can vary widely so it is recommended that each load of feed is analyzed. Feed analysis can be easily completed at several labs at relatively low cost. Determining how much feed to provide is based on nutrient requirements published by the National Research Council (https://www.nap.edu/read/11654/). There are also many online feed calculators available for sheep (https://www.sheepandgoat.com/rationsoftware).

Separating ewes by litter size also allows for closer monitoring of ewes with larger litter sizes that are predisposed to ketosis in late gestation. Ketosis is a common metabolic disorder that occurs during periods of extreme energy demands coupled with an inability to meet those demands. In ewes, this occurs most frequently during late gestation when lamb growth is the greatest. At-risk ewes can be monitored during the last four weeks of gestation for ketosis using a hand-held beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) meter. Concentrations between 0.8 to 1.5 mmol/L are considered subclinical and indicate the need for close monitoring until parturition. Blood concentrations of BHBA greater than 1.6 mmol/L are considered indicative of clinical ketosis and would require veterinary attention.

Beyond understanding the effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on lambs, our research helps us understand how human babies who are born to over- or under-nourished mothers may be affected. Sheep are excellent models for human health research, as they have similar numbers of offspring and lambs are approximately the same weight at birth as babies. While there are certainly differences in human and sheep physiology, understanding how a mother’s diet influences her offspring’s growth and metabolism benefits both species. By improving ewe health and nutrition during pregnancy, producers will have better growing lambs with improved carcass characteristics. Improving mom’s health and nutrition during pregnancy will decrease the risk of her baby developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes later in life.

For more information on our research, please visit the Fetal Programming Research Group’s website: https://fprg.research.uconn.edu/.

Article by Sarah Reed, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science

Sheep Shearing School

sheepThe Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association Inc. in conjunction with the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service are again offering a one-day shearing school.
 
Saturday, October 14, 2017
UConn Beef Barn (Livestock Unit 1)
Horsebarn Hill Road
8am-4:30pm
 
This program is offered for those individuals who have a strong interest in learning how to shear sheep and have a basic understanding of sheep husbandry and handling. As sheep shearing is a physically demanding skill, it is highly recommended that you be able to perform a squat and touch your toes without discomfort and hold for an extended amount of time.
 
Class is limited to 12 students
Preregistration is required: Deadline for registration is October 7
 
CSBA members and UConn student: $20.00
All others: $40.00
Audit course: $10.00
Send: Name, address, email and phone # along with registration fee payable to CSBA to:
Kathy Robinson
743 Murdock Ave.
Meriden, CT 06450
 
Instructor: Matt Best
Equipment: provided
Outline:
8am-classroom, introductions, registration, waivers, brief overview of the day.
8:30am-classroom, first principal of shearing, know the equipment. Shears, combs and cutters, shearing area, etc, Q and A.
10:30am- Laboratory, Handling sheep. Catching, proper position, leg work, shearing pattern. Second principal, know the pattern.
Lunch (plenty of places to choose from!)
Shearing, Third principal, know the contour of the animal.
Close: 4:30pm
Questions?  ctsheepshearer@gmail.com or 860-966-9264