An introduction to small ruminant enterprise$ SUSAN SCHOENIAN Sheep & Goat Specialist Western Maryland Research & Education Center [email protected] – www.sheepandgoat.com
Dec 02, 2014
An introduction to small ruminant enterprise$
SUSAN SCHOENIANSheep & Goat Specialist
Western Maryland Research & Education [email protected] – www.sheepandgoat.com
Introduction
Sheep and goat enterprises
What you need to raise sheep/goats
Breed resources
Getting started
Economics
Presentation topics
Monogastric◦ Simple stomach◦ Pigs and poultry (and people)
Ruminant◦ Cud-chewing ◦ 4 compartment stomach.
- Cows, sheep, and goats◦ Pseudo-ruminant
(3 compartment stomach)- Alpacas and llamas
Hind-gut fermenter◦ Fermentation occurs in the caecum
and/or large intestine◦ Horses and rabbits
Classification of farm livestockBy their digestive systems
Economic◦ Profit◦ Tax advantages
Lifestyle
Self-sufficiency produce own food, fiber
Landscape management
Why raise sheep and/or goats?
Less acreage required Less investment Ease of handling Multi-purpose Reproductive efficiency Grazing behavior Niche demand for
products Complement other
farm enterprises
Pros and cons: PROS
Small industry. Lack of
infrastructure. Lack of mainstream
demand for products. Fencing
requirements. Labor requirements. Predator risk.
Pros and cons: CONS
Similar production practices and inputs.
Same diseases.
Similar niche and ethnic demand for products.
Similar constraints to production: the 3 P’s.◦ Prices◦ Predators◦ Parasites
Sheep vs. goatsMore similarities than differences
Differences
SHEEP GOATS
Grazer Prefer forbs Graze close to ground Grow faster Produce better milk More genetic diversity Strong flocking instinct
and group mentality Traditional enterprise
Browser Prefer shrubs Top-down grazer Grow slow Produce more milk Less genetic diversity Curious and
independent New and growing
industry
Meat Dairy Fiber Landscape
management Agri-tourism
Sheep and goat enterprises
Primary income is from the sale of live animals for meat and/or the sale of meat.
Most popular sheep and goat enterprise.
There is a demand for many different kinds of lambs and goats.
Marketing infrastructure is already in place.
Meat production
Dairy production Primary income is from
the sale of milk, cheese, and/or other dairy products.
In most states, operation must be certified grade A or B to sell food products.
Usually requires own product development and marketing.
Fiber sales comprise a significant portion of the income from the enterprise.
◦ Wool◦ Mohair ◦ Cashmere◦ Alpaca
Must direct market to make a profit.
Fiber production
Land improvement on your own farm.
Fee-based grazing
“Turn-key” operation Animals Transportation Fencing Care
Greatest economic potential ! ?
Landscape management
Agri-tourism : trophy hunting
Sell stock for trophy hunting or operate your own hunting reserve. Usually hair sheep rams.
Agri-entertainment
Feed Fencing Housing and shelter
Feeders Watering system Labor
What do you need to raise sheep and goats?
Pasture and browse Hay Grain Alternative feedstuffs
Feed resourceThe largest cost associated with raising livestock is feed.
Purpose◦ To keep livestock
contained◦ To keep predators out◦ To control grazing and
manage livestock
Three kinds1. Perimeter or boundary2. Interior or cross3. Heavy use areas
Fencing
Possible cost share from NRCS (EQUIP program) for
rotational grazing.
Multi-strand, high-tensile, electric.
Woven wire with extra barbed and electric offset wires.
Barbed wire
Adapt existing fences.
Perimeter fencingYour first line of defense against predators.
Permanent
Semi-permanent
Temporary, electric◦ Smooth wire◦ Polywire, tape, or rope◦ Electric netting
Interior fencingFor rotational grazing and animal management.
Outdoor lots Holding areas Working corrals
Net wire Metal gates Solid panels Livestock panels Non-electric
Heavy use areas
Purpose◦ Animal management◦ Isolation area◦ Feed storage◦ Equipment storage◦ Human comfort
Needs vary by◦ Climate ◦ Production system◦ Timing of lambing and
kidding◦ Availability of natural shelter.◦ Personal preference
Housing and shelter
Space requirements
Maybe not, but if they have access to it, they will usually use it.
They “appreciate” protection from bad weather.
Do grazing animals require shelter?
FeedersFor supplemental feeding
Ample feed storage protects your investment in feed and allows you to make bulk purchases.
Annual hay requirements◦ ¼ to ⅓ ton per animal
Hay storage◦ 180 to 240 ft3 per ton
Uncovered hay deteriorates rapidly in quality.
StorageFeed and equipment
Hand◦ Buckets◦ Troughs◦ Tanks◦ Tubs
Automatic waterers
Possible cost share from NRCS (EQUIP program) for pasture watering systems.
Water
Daily care of animals Twice daily milking Annual shearing Pasture management Lambing and kidding Parasite control Hoof trimming
Labor
1) Purposemeat, milk, or wool
2) Usesire or dam
3) Wool or coat typefine, medium, long, carpet, or hair (shedding)
4) Othertail, prolificy, minor, rare, heritage
Sheep breeds (~50 in U.S.)
Classification of U.S. sheep breeds
Grow wool with the smallest fiber diameter.
Their wool is the most valuable in the commodity wool market.
They are best adapted to hot, dry climates.
They are hardy and long-lived, gregarious, and less seasonal in their breeding habits.
50 percent of the world’s sheep population are fine wool based.
Fine wool Rambouillet, Delaine Merino, Debouillet, Booroola Merino, American Cormo
Rambouillet
Merino
Crosses between fine and medium wool.
Whiteface sheep raised for meat, but have better quality wool than the medium meat-type wool breeds.
A few specialty breeds1. East Friesian – dairy2. Finnsheep – prolific3. Polypay – 4 way cross
Medium wool dual-purposeColumbia, Corriedale, East Friesian, Finnsheep, Panama, Polypay, Targhee
Columbia Finnsheep
East Friesian
Polypay
Grow wool that is intermediate in fiber diameter and staple length.
Excel in meat production (growth and carcass).
Mostly of British origin.
Most popular : Suffolk, Dorset, Hampshire, and Southdown.
Comprise 15 percent of the world’s sheep population.
Medium wool (meat)Cheviot, Dorset (polled and horned) North Country Cheviot, Hampshire,Oxford, Shropshire, Southdown, Suffolk, Texel, Tunis
Suffolk
Polled Dorset
Grow wool that has the largest fiber diameter, staple length, and yield.
Their wool is popular among hand spinners.
Best-adapted to high rainfall areas with abundant forage.
Long woolBorder Leicester, Coopworth, Cotswold, Lincoln, Perendale, Romney, Wensleydale
Romney
Lincoln
Romney
Their bodies are covered by hair or a mixture of hair and wool that is naturally shed.
Do not require shearing or tail docking.
Possess some unique characteristics:◦ Caribbean-type
Resistant to parasites (worms)◦ Romanov - very prolific
10 percent of the world’s sheep population.
Growing in popularity in the U.S. and other western countries.
Katahdin and Dorper most popular.
Hair (or shedding) sheepAmerican Blackbelly, Barbados Blackbelly, California Red, Dorper, Katahdin, Romanov, Royal White, St. Croix
Katahdin
Romanov
Vary in the type and quantify of wool they produce.
Vary in characteristics.
Possess some unique characteristics
◦ Double-coated◦ Carpet wool◦ Four horns◦ Rat tails◦ Solid black color◦ Persian lamb skin
Many are heritage breeds.
Minor breedsBlack Welsh Mountain, Blueface Leicester, California Varietated Mutant, Clun Forest, Gulf Coast, Icelandic, Jacob, Karakaul, Navajo-Churro, Scottish Blackface, Shetland, Wiltshire Horn
Karakul
Blueface Leicester
Classify according to purpose . . . ◦ Dairy◦ Meat◦ Fiber
◦ Miniature (small)
Goat breeds (~20 in U.S.)
Boer
Boer Kiko Myotonic
Tennessee fainting goat Spanish (brush) Pygmy Savannah
Meat goat breedsBoer
SavannahPygmy
SpanishMyotonic
Kiko
ADGA recognized◦ Swiss
Saanen Alpine Toggenburg Oberhasli
◦ Nubian◦ La Mancha◦ Nigerian Dwarf
Other◦ Sable
(colored Saanens)◦ Golden Guernsey◦ Mini dairy goats
Dairy goat breeds
Saanen
La Mancha
Oberhasli
Nubian
Toggenburg
Alpine
Angora Cashmere
More of a fiber type than a breed
PygoraPygma x Angora
CashgoraCashmere x Angora
Fiber goat breeds
Angora
CashgoraPygora
Cashmere
Pygmy (meat) Nigerian Dwarf (dairy)
KinderPygmy x Nubian
Mini SilkyMyotonic x Nigerian Dwarf ?
Mini dairy goats Nigerian Dwarf x standard dairy
Mini goat breeds
Pygmy
Nigerian Dwarf
There is a great deal of variation among sheep breeds; less among goat breeds, especially meat.
There are no “perfect” breeds.
All breeds have strengths and weaknesses.
There is usually as much difference within a breed as between breeds.
Sheep and goat breeds
Saanen
Mating animals from different breeds or breed types.
Maximizes performance and profitability◦ Hybrid vigor
Crossbred offspring are superior to their purebred parents
◦ Breed complementarityUse breeds in their appropriate roles
Crossbreeding Systematic, not random
Boer x Kiko x Alpine
If you want to show breeding stock
If you want to sell purebred and/or registered breeding stock
To produce a specific type of fiber.
To produce a consistent type and quality of fiber.
To preserve a rare or heritage breed.
When to raise purebreds
Southdown
Get pastures and facilities ready before buying your first sheep or goats.
Start small and gradually increase size of herd.
Start with healthy animals.◦ Ewe lambs/doelings vs.
mature females. Spend more money on
ram and buck.
Getting started
Reputable breeders Dispersal sales Performance and production sales Consignment sales Local salebarn Free
Sources of breeding stock
Web-based directorieswww.sheepgoatmarketing.info
Breed associationshttp://www.sheepandgoat.com/goatbreedassoc.htmlhttp://www.sheepandgoat.com/sheepbreedassoc.html
West Virginia Shepherd’s Federation http://www.sheepwv.org/
MPWV Meat Goat Producers Associationhttp://www.meatgoat.biz
West Virginia Market Bulletinhttp://www.wvagriculture.org/market_bulletin/market_bulletin.html
Virginia sheep and goat clearinghouse listshttp://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/livestock/
Lancaster Farminghttp://lancasterfarming.com
Where to find breeding stock
EconomicsCan you make any money raising sheep and/or goats?
Yes or No
Business planning
Enterprise budgeting
File a schedule F
Record keeping
Make decisions based on science and economics.
Control costs
Production efficiency
Smart marketing
How to make a profit
Know your costs!
Feed least-cost rations.
◦ Shop around for feed ingredients.
◦ Balance your own rations.◦ Maximize forage
resource.
Do you own vet work.
Cull non-productive and problematic animals.
Control costs
Feed balanced rations.
Aim for a 200% (or more) lamb/kid crop.
Select for lbs. of quality lamb or goat weaned.
Cull animals that fail to raise a lamb or kid.
Manage to breed ewe lambs and doe kids to lamb or kid by the time they are 12 to 15 months of age.
Use performance tested rams and bucks.
Production efficiency (meat)
Aim for the highest “net” price, not necessarily the highest price.
Evaluate direct marketing as a means to increase profitability.
Consider marketing alliances with other like-minded producers and/or entities.
Choose one or two target markets.
Don’t let higher market prices compensate for poor production efficiency.
Smart marketing
Thank you for your attention. Any questions?