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Sheep Update
Livestock Update, June 2004
Scott Greiner, Extension Animal Scientist, Sheep, VA Tech
2004 Virginia-North Carolina Wool Pool
The Virginia-North Carolina Wool Pool will be marketing wool to Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative Association based in Canal Winchester, Ohio. Each pool will sell wool on either a cash or grade and yield basis. Producers are encouraged to package, handle and store their wool in an appropriate manner in order to maximize the value of their wool clip. Wool should be packaged by type/grade (ewe vs. lamb wool, long staple vs. short wools, fine vs. medium wools) in plastic bags, and be clean, dry, and have foreign material (straw, mud, manure) removed prior to packaging. Following is a list of local pool delivery dates, and locations where wool will be picked up by Mid-States:
| June 9 | Orange, VA |
| June 10 | Farmville, VA |
| June 14 | Highland Co., VA |
| June 14 | Rockbridge Co., VA |
| June 15 | Augusta Co., VA |
| June 22 | Christiansburg, VA |
| June 23 | Wytheville, VA |
| June 28 | Sparta, NC |
| June 28 | Williamston, NC |
| June 29 | Albemarle, NC |
| June 30 | Asheville, NC |
| July 6 | Lebanon, VA |
| July 7 | Tazewell, VA |
| July 12 | Winchester, VA |
To confirm the above dates, and for more information regarding specific times and locations, contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.
2004 Virginia Ram Lamb Performance Test
A total of 73 rams from 14 Virginia consignors were delivered May 4 to the Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station located at the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center near Steeles Tavern, VA. Consignment numbers and breeds of rams consigned include: 45 Suffolks, 19 Dorsets (both fall and winter-born), and 9 Hampshires. After a two-week adjustment period, performance will be measured over a 63-day gain test. At the completion of the test, rams will be evaluated for reproductive and structural soundness. The top 60 eligible rams will sell at the station on Saturday, August 28. Complete performance information will be available on all rams, including measures of growth performance, ultrasonic estimates of carcass merit, and scrapie resistance genotypes. For information please contact Scott Greiner, phone 540-231-9159.