AMES, Iowa -- A meeting to help sheep producers with feeding cost control will be conducted Dec. 13 in 28 Iowa locations. As the cost of corn has increased recently, so have other feedstuffs. Ewe flock feed costs have increased 20 to 30 percent above a year ago and 50 percent above two years ago. This is the second program in the Winter Sheep Program series offered by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension.

Dan Morrical, ISU Extension sheep specialist, will be the featured speaker at the Dec. 13 meeting. Evaluating feeding options will be the primary focus of the presentation. Comparison of ethanol coproducts versus traditional feeds will be part of the discussion along with precautions when incorporating alternative feeds into various sheep rations. Major changes in the National Research Council Nutrient Requirements of Sheep will round off the program. This information will improve the nutrition status of sheep flocks.

The winter sheep programs are offered through the ISU Extension county offices listed below. Program fee is $10 per person and it starts at 7 p.m. The final program offered in the series will be on Jan. 10.

The following counties will offer this program series:

Allamakee, Appanoose,
Butler,
Chickasaw,
Clay,
Clayton, Dallas, Davis,
Hamilton,
Hancock,
Humboldt,
Jasper,
Keokuk, Kossuth, Linn,
Lyon,
Mahaska,
Mitchell,
Plymouth,
Story,
Tama, Van Buren,
Wapello,
Warren,
Washington,
Wayne,
Winneshiek
 and Wright.

-30-