Taking a moment to wish everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day! Check out this cool Sheepy Valentine’s craft you can make to tell your favorite shepherd, “I love ewe!”
The tutorial is in three segments, but check out the following videos on youtube under Valentine Sheep, part 1,2 & 3.
Part 1-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgqpCWC-u0k
Part 2-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCsZa9bEl6M
Part 3-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gjiBmVCIv0
The American Sheep Industry 2012 convention in Scottsdale, AZ had lots of energy, enthusiasm and sunshine! With the strong lamb, wool, and pelt markets attendees were optimistic about the future of the industry. The lamb market will need to correct itself somehow during the upcoming year. Retail prices are very high, the feeder has a backup of lambs and the packer has full freezers. There may be some finger-pointing about who is to blame so I hope this does not hurt the good relationships that have been established between producer, packer, and feeder over the past few years. One long time feeder reflected upon the 2011 closing of Iowa Lamb saying that “anytime you lose a plant it takes a year to adjust.” So this is also playing into the market.
The wool “super-wash” process is another bright spot creating more demand for wool in the U.S. textile industry. Super wash alters the wool fibers to allow wool to be washed and dried without shrinking. Domestic wool can now be processed entirely in the U.S. which allows products to be sold to the Department of Defense as all-American made.
The convention theme was “Grow your Flock” highlighting the industry move to increase production. This included the Emerging Entrepreneur program which attracted young producers from 11 states and the 2 Plus 2 program encouraging producers to add two more ewes for every 100 head they are currently raising.
Funding for Wildlife Services is always an issue for discussion as well as the Big Horn Sheep and Wolves. Producers are all encouraged to reach out to their Congressional delegates to educate them on the needs of the sheep industry.
Oregon was well represented as always. Don Gnos of Albany was elected to represent the National Lamb Feeders on the ASI Executive Board. He joins Clint Krebs of Ione who currently serves as ASI Vice President.
Keep up on industry activities at www.sheepusa.org and www.lambcheckoff.com. And check out the Oregon Sheep Growers Association at www.sheeporegon.com and see what you can do to help move the sheep industry forward.
Written especially for the Oregon Sheep Connection by Margaret Magruder. Thank you Margaret!
Come One, Come All!!!
If you are looking for your next fair winner check out the 8th Annual Silver Creek Farms Club Lamb Sale to be held on Saturday April 14th at 907 Cascade Hwy in Salem, Oregon. Join host Billy Wade and his family for a wonderful lunch and preview at 1 PM and then stay to purchase some of the best quality sheep in the nation at 5 PM.
Noted as one of the best social events to kick off the upcoming show season you won’t want to miss your chance to purchase your next champion. You can view lamb pictures in the near future at: chttp://www.silvercreekhampshires.com .
Noted as one of the top show flocks in the nation, the Wade and Feller families have been successful at the national level for years including showing both the Champion and Reserve Champion Slick Sheared Hampshire Rams at NAILE in Louisville, Kentucky this past fall as well as having the high selling Hampshire (Breeding) Ram at the Midwest Ram Sale in June of 2011. In addition oldest daughter Izzy swept most of the junior shows with her Hampshire ewe lamb that was also Champion Hampshire Ewe at the Cow Palace.
In addition to the family’s many successes both on the state level and nationally in the Hampshire breed ring this past year, a number of juniors buying sheep from the family sported wins this past summer including both the Champion and Reserve Champion Lambs at the Butte Valley Fair in Tulelake, California, the Champion Market Lamb at Marion County, the Champion Market Lamb at Josephine County Fair, the Reserve Champion 4-H Market Lamb at Yamhill County as well as both the Champion Wether Sire and Dam at the Oregon State Fair Open Class Show.
If you are interested in correct, high quality lambs that come from a tried and true breeding program you won’t want to miss the 2012 Silver Creek Farms Sale on April 14th. For more information, feel free to contact Billy and Michelle at (503) 931-6927 or at Wadewesthamps@yahoo.com. Simply amazing people producing amazing sheep!
As I wait for our first ewe to lamb, I am contimplating all of the things I need to make this year successful. There are the simple things like towels, tubing equipment, nutradrench, bottle and nipples, iodine, and vacines for the new babies. The list seems to go on forever and this year I am just a tad bit more stressed about questioning if I have everything in place and ready to go.
One might ask why, since I have been lambing sheep out going on more than 30 years, however I am missing one essential component-my Mom. Getting past the emotional fact this is my first lambing season without her there are still all of things she quietly did that I really did not pay mcuh attention to. Case in point, Mom was always our pharmicist and supply precurement person in addition to the record keeper. This has all become very apparent recently as I have had to make my own list of ewe due dates as well as wonder if I have all of the necessary supplies to pull off lambing out our handful of ewes this year.
So as I was pondering a subject for my post today, it hit me, why not ask my fellow sheep peeps on Oregon Sheep Connection to share their many years of combined knowledge about what they keep in their lambing season toolboxes. It makes perfect sense as I have been seeing this happen on and off for a couple years on Facebook when friends are having stressful barn moments and choose to share with their friends. It never fails there are a number of friends willing to pop up with solutions, hugs, and general moral support.
One of my favorite things in my tool box is a wonderful book given to me as a Crhistmas gift by fellow sheep peep and administrator Correy McAtee. Call it self preservation on her part as I had taken over posession of her copy of the book for a number of years. The book is called Managing Your Ewe and Her Newborn Lambs written by Laura Lawson. For me it is has been litterally a lifesaver bringing a number of lambs back from the brink of death.
As I look towards closing this post, I am curious to see responses about what the different shepherds think are their most valuable lambing season tools. Feel free to list two or three or even more, but just out of curiosity, what is in your lambing season toolbox?
Oregon Sheep Connection 