Maximizing Flock Potential: The Power of Data, Genetics and Wyoming’s Premier Programs
By Dr. Whit Stewart
As lambs are being weaned and sold – and with upcoming ram sales on the horizon – it’s the perfect time to reflect on our flock’s productivity. Depending on how this year’s flock performed and current market prices, the urgency we feel to make improvements can vary.
The challenge for many of us, however, is clearly defining where we need to improve – whether it’s increasing pounds of lamb weaned per ewe, enhancing maternal traits and milk production to better support twins or improving post-weaning growth performance.
It’s easy to let personal biases, eye appeal or even our neighbors’ opinions cloud our judgment when it comes to making these decisions.
What matters to a producer marketing hair sheep on the ethnic calendar might be vastly different from the priorities of a lamb feeder focused on maximizing gains with large-framed, traditional Western lambs.
To make sound decisions, recordkeeping is essential – though we all know gathering accurate, reliable data can be easier said than done. Whether it’s tracking financials or recording how many ewes were exposed versus how many lambs were actually weaned, staying on top of these details in the midst of a busy production season is a real challenge.
So, where do we start?
Wyoming Ram Sale
One excellent opportunity to refine your approach is by attending the Wyoming Ram Sale events on Sept. 9-10. These events not only offer a chance to purchase top-tier rams, but also to deepen one’s understanding of genetic selection and recordkeeping while networking with fellow producers.
The Ram Sale Seminar on Sept. 9, scheduled for 3-5 p.m. at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds, will offer a commonsense blend of theory and practice. We will combine the art and science of sheep production to help producers elevate their genetic selection decision-making.
Individuals will learn how to assess their current production levels, identify key areas for improvement and select rams that align with their specific production goals.
This interactive workshop will provide practical insights into effective measurement techniques and selection strategies which can truly enhance a flock’s genetic potential.
If the seminar doesn’t provide all of the answers one is looking for, there’s always the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow sheep producers at the reception at the Moose Lodge in Douglas at 6 p.m. Enjoy a great meal and celebrate Wyoming’s sheep industry.
Then, on Sept. 10 starting at 11 a.m., individuals have the opportunity to choose from 322 rams to help move their flock in the right direction.
Wyoming Ram Test
For 96 years, a legacy has been on display at the Wyoming Ram Sale, which continues to improve as advancements in selection strategies evolve. Just as genetic variation is the raw material for improvement, good data and programs which help us evaluate and test our genetics are the vehicles to get us there.
One of those reliable vehicles has been the Wyoming Ram Test, hosted at the University of Wyoming (UW), now in its 62nd year.
Western white face breeds – Rambouillet, Targhee, Columbia and Merinos – have been tested in a standardized way, evaluating growth performance, feed efficiency, carcass merit and reproductive traits to eliminate the environmental effects on animal performance.
The top-performing rams are ranked on multi-trait indexes to identify superior individuals.
Delivery for this year’s test is Oct. 4-7 in Laramie, with a cost of $350 per ram.
Lamb-A-Year program
Lastly, many of us may not be in the ram selling business but instead market feeder lambs in the late summer or fall. Once lambs leave the ranch gate, we often receive little information on their growth performance, feed efficiency or detailed carcass merit, too often relying on the word of the next person down the value chain.
This is where UW’s Lamb-A-Year program comes in.
Producers can donate two to 10 feeder lambs, which are delivered to Laramie, where data on the lambs’ growth performance, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics are collected and shared with the rancher.
UW students utilize these donated lambs for hands-on curriculum and applied research, and producers receive a tax-deductible deed of gift receipt.
Top-performing lambs at the end of the test period provide the intangible gift of bragging rights, celebrated at the Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival.
The proceeds are reinvested in the UW Sheep Program to promote a vibrant sheep and wool industry in our state.
Individuals interested in donating can e-mail woolinitiative@uwyo.edu or visit uwyo.edu/anisci/outreach/uw-sheep-program/index.html.
These programs, including the Wyoming Ram Sale, the Wyoming Ram Test and the Lamb-A-Year program, are valuable resources for any sheep producer serious about improving their operation. By engaging in these opportunities, you’re not just investing in better genetics, you’re investing in the future productivity and profitability of your flock.
Producers can’t manage what they don’t measure or, in some cases, need to recalibrate their measuring sticks from time to time to stay on track in an ever-changing sheep industry. These programs and events are designed for Wyoming producers, and we hope you’ll take advantage of them this fall.
Eat lamb. Wear wool. Go Pokes!
Dr. Whit Stewart is an associate professor and the University of Wyoming Extension sheep specialist. He can be reached at whit.stewart@uwyo.edu or 307-766-5374.
