You've reached the Virginia Cooperative Extension Newsletter Archive. These files cover more than ten years of newsletters posted on our old website (through April/May 2009), and are provided for historical purposes only. As such, they may contain out-of-date references and broken links.
To see our latest newsletters and current information, visit our website at http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/.
Newsletter Archive index: http://sites.ext.vt.edu/newsletter-archive/
2004-05 Virginia Commercial Ewe Lamb Development Program
Livestock Update, July 2004
Scott Greiner, Extension Animal Scientist, Sheep, VA Tech
Rules and regulations and consignment information for the 2004-05 Virginia Commercial Ewe Lamb Development Program are now available. The Virginia Commercial Ewe Lamb Development Program was initiated in 2000 with three primary objectives: 1) to provide commercial producers a source of quality replacement ewes, with documented genetics, management, and health status, 2) to provide an opportunity for producers to market commercial breeding stock, and 3) to serve as an educational tool in sheep production and management. The program is sponsored by the Virginia Sheep Producer's Association and is conducted at the Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station, located at the Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agriculture Research and Extension Center near Steeles Tavern. Fall and spring-born commercial crossbred ewe lambs will be delivered to the station on September 14. Ewe lambs will be developed on grass with supplemental grain mix provided to optimize growth and reproductive performance during the development program. Ewes will be co-mingled and allocated to breeding groups based on age, weight, and breed. Ewes will be mated to purebred rams, which have all been evaluated on the 2004 Virginia Performance Ram Lamb Test. Rams will be placed with the ewes October through mid-December. Breeding dates will be recorded on all ewes, and pregnancy status will be determined on all ewes in late December via ultrasound. Pregnant ewes will be sold in early January in conjunction with the Shepherd's Symposium to be held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Ewes will be sold in consignor groups of 2-5 ewes based on projected lambing date and genetics. The following table contains a detailed historical summary of the program. During the first four years of the program, 339 bred ewe lambs have been sold for an average price of $170 per head. Total development and sale costs have averaged $49 per ewe (feed, yardage, breeding fees, vet/health, advertising, auctioneer, etc.). Of the 403 ewe lambs that have been developed, 351 (87.1%) have been confirmed pregnant (~50 day breeding season). The consignment deadline for this year's program is August 15. For further information, contact Scott Greiner at 540-231-9163.
| Virginia Ewe Lamb Development Program & Sale Summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-04 | ||||
| 2003-04 | 2002-03 | 2001-02 | 2000-01 | |
| Total Number of Ewes Developed Pregnancy Rate (50 day breeding season) | 78 82.1% | 116 84.5% | 114 88.6% | 95 92.6% |
| Development Costs | ||||
| Feed (grain, hay, mineral) | $28.77 | $31.73 | $21.73 | $15.13 |
| Vet/Medical (vaccines, ultrasound, treatments) | $4.69 | $5.47 | $6.28 | $4.72 |
| Yardage/Facility Fee | $5.00 | $5.00 | ||
| Ram Fees | $2.80 | $2.21 | $2.65 | $2.48 |
| Shearing | $4.15 | $4.14 | $4.14 | $4.26 |
| Supplies & Misc. (bedding, eartags, supplies) | $3.35 | $2.40 | $1.47 | $2.70 |
| Total Development Costs | $48.76 | $50.95 | $36.26 | $29.18 |
| Sale Costs | ||||
| Advertising | $2.90 | $3.05 | $3.06 | |
| Sale Catalogs (printing and postage) | $4.19 | $2.63 | $2.04 | $1.28 |
| Auctioneer | $2.38 | $1.53 | $1.33 | $1.14 |
| Hauling | $1.59 | $0.77 | $1.33 | $0.57 |
| Sale Facility | $1.59 | $1.02 | $1.06 | $1.17 |
| VA Check-off | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Total Sale Expenses | $10.25 | $9.35 | $9.31 | $7.72 |
| Average Sale Price (No. Sold) | $185.24 (63) | $141.44 (94) | $168.14 (94) | $193.30 (88) |
| Total Development & Sale Expenses | $59.01 | $60.30 | $45.57 | $36.90 |
| Average Net to Consignor | $126.23 | $81.14 | $122.57 | $156.40 |