Sheep and Swine Exam

• Enterprise competitive • Dual purpose (lamb and wool) • increasing demand for lamb • Multiple Birth Potential • Landscape and Forage Utilization/Optimization • Synergy with Wyoming’s landscapes

• WY- $92 • TX- $118 • ND- $127 • KY- $140 • US Ave.- $110

• Average for: • Cattle $184 • Sheep $37.40 • Sheep AUM adjusted $187

• +13% Food service • +7.0% Retail • Regional Growth • CA +13% • TX +13% • Southeast +16% • Millenial Growth

• (+) gross wool revenue/ewe • (-) shearing cost • (-) wool labor ($0.05/lb) • (-) warehouse fee ($0.15/lb; core, freight)

252 lbs of lamb weaned per ewe or 168% of the ewes body weight

Sheep eat more forbs and shrubs than cattle do, and consume less grass. They also tend to graze upland, while cattle prefer bottoms. • Cattle- • grass 74% • forb 12% • shrub 14% • Sheep • grass 42% • forb 38% • shrub 20%

52% increase in grazing days when sheep followed cattle in grazing system. For every cow-calf pair you can add a ewe without decreasing the stocking rate

Invasive species

Targeted grazing business • can use a temporary electro-net fence • cash flow • 1100 yearling ewes • $0.16/day–> producers pay • $5.00/head month–> landowners pay

• larger sheep/goat population in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and The World overall • America’s have a larger cattle/buffalo population

• Texas (700,0000 • California (585,000) • Colorado (395,000) • Wyoming (360,000) • Utah (285,000) • Idaho • South Dakota • Montana • Iowa • Oregan

• Texas (435,000) • California (270,000) • Wyoming (225,000) • Utah (205,000) • Colorado (160,000) • Montana (159,000) • South Dakota (155,00) • Idaho (138,000) • Oregon (101,000) • Iowa (95,000)

• Sheep inventory (rank) –> 360,000 (4th) • Breeding sheep (rank) –> 275,000 (3rd) • Wool production (rank) –> 2,300,000 (2nd) • Wool Value $/lb (rank) –> $1.80 (2nd) • Sheep operations (#) –> 771 • 1-99 hd% –> 72% • 100-299 hd% –> 10% • 300-999 hd% –> 7.5% • 1000-10,000 hd% –> 9.4%

1945: 54 million sheep in US 2016: 5.2 million sheep in US

Consumption has decreased, minor increase Production has decreased Imports are increasing Imports and production mirrors consumption

• +13% food service • +7.0% retail • regional growth • CA +13% • TX +13% • Southeast +16% • Millenial growth

• an imperfect estimate • per capita consumption= (cold storage inventory + imports) - (year end stocks +exports) / US population= about .5-1 lb • so whats the problem? • ​immigrants

Ethnic markets have a higher demand for lamb. • pay more for the same lamb in Pennsylvania than in South Dakota • price in cull ewes has risen, destined for ethnic market

Commodity Ethnic_____________\_ 65-85lb carcass 40-55lb carcasses grain finished grass finished castrated wethers intact males predetermined price bartering and negotiation federally inspected halal slaughter wool breeds variety of breeds including hair sheep

• Direct Marketing • Commodity Marketing

Direct Marketing • all facets of production tied into one • lambing, finishing, marketing, distribution • price premium received due to proximity to specific consumers • Quality control feedback more efficient • lack of economy on scale can be costly • scarcity of USDA slaughter facilities

• large production systems • feedlot finished lambs • lambs harvested through traditional USDA inspection channels • Traditional Dristribution, Food Service, and Grocers

• Superior Farms, Dixon, CA • Superior Farms Denver, CO • Mountain State Rosen, Greeley, CO