Training Texas County Extension Agents and Mentor Ranchers to Improve Small Ruminant Health and Productivity Through Natural Genetic Selection Strategies

View the project final report

Commodities

• Animals: goats, sheep

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health, genetics, livestock breeding, parasite control
• Education and Training: extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring, technical assistance, workshop

Texas is the largest sheep and goat producing state in the U.S., but parasite infestations and poor lamb crop percentages have plagued the state industry. Producers using estimated breeding values from the National Sheep Improvement Program have improved parasite resistance and fecundity in several other states, but the Texas seedstock industry has been slow to adopt the use of this genetic selection tool. To increase the utilization of this technology we  trained county agents and mentor sheep and goat ranchers to use EBV technology and be ambassadors for the widespread implementation of this technology in both traditional and nontraditional sheep and goat rearing areas of Texas. Initially, we hosted a workshop for county agents and mentor ranchers to demonstrate how the program works and provide hands-on experiential learning. Then, specialists, agents and ranchers toured farms and ranches in other states that have successfully used EBVs for 10 or more years. Thereafter, agents and ranchers implemented this technology on their ranches within their counties. Lastly, agents and ranchers served as hosts for field days, attended by over 100 regional sheep and goat producers. Quantitative genetic selection can rapidly advance the genetic resistance of sheep and goats to internal parasites, which will reduce or eliminate the need for pharmaceutical anthelmintics. It can also improve the reproductive efficiency of sheep and goats to allow producers to supply the growing demand for Texas grown lamb, wool, goat meat, and mohair. Neither of these goals can be met without continued use of this technology.

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent understanding of how EBVs are developed by sheep and goat seedstock suppliers and why it is important that commercial producers buy rams/bucks with EBVs;
• Development of mentor ranchers that will implement quantitative genetic selection strategies and serve as leaders within the seedstock community;
• Widespread awareness in sheep and goat industry of EBVs and why it is important that they are used in flock/herd replacement selection.