Dennis
L. DeWitt, livestock field specialist
Situation
Many sheep and goat producers have off-farm employment, but still want to add
value to their operation so they can have a profitable enterprise. Portable
fencing, new energizers, proper grounding, improved grazing management, using
non-traditional lambing system, and reduced lambing time death loss will increase
profits from the sheep and goat operation. Boer goat production is increasing
due to increased demand for lean meat and changing consumer preferences in the
U.S. and the world. The addition of the Boer goat herd to the traditional operation
is adding value to agriculture.
Response
A formal program planning process with the Northwest Iowa Sheep Producers Association
identified the program. Educational grant applications totaling $1750 was secured
from the Iowa Lamb and Wool Promotion Board and $150 from the Northwest Iowa
Sheep Producers to hold three lambing time management workshops, four Iowa Communications
Network (ICN) programs at four locations and one sheep & goat for profit
field day. The Internet has proven successful for providing education also.
Impact
One hundred ninety one men and women from Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska
and Iowa attended at least one of these educational opportunities. Twenty-two
operations have responded back from e-mail educational information sent to them
about USDA mandatory identification, USDA ewe-lamb retention program payments
and impact from short tail docking of lambs.
Seventeen of 24 producers completed the lambing time workshop evaluation. There
were 14 different responses to the most important idea learned or reinforced.
That is almost one per producer! The 17 producers indicated 12 new or different
ideas that will be put into immediate practice. Six producers rated the workshop
as excellent. The producers represented 1571 lambing ewes this year and 1793
lambs marketed last year. Twelve out of 17 operations plan to increase in numbers
over the next three years. The actual cost of these workshops per producer was
$48 and according to the producers, if they apply the knowledge gained they
would expect to increase income by $165 or as a group $2625.
The Northwest Iowa Sheep and Goat field day had 66 out of 77 persons registered
and only 19 evaluations were returned for the July 1 meeting. In response to
knowledge before and after the field day, 17 indicated an increase in numerical
score. Sixteen different ideas were reported as being learned from this field
day. Surprisingly 15 out of 19 reported using temporary fences or electrifiable
netting in their operation. They also indicated that the grounding and fencing
was the most valuable to them. The 17 operations indicated that the knowledge
gained from this field day would be $4400.
The program planning questions were very well answered with lots of producers
wanting more educational opportunities and a broad set of topics.
Page maintained by Linda Schultz, lschultz@iastate.edu
