Characterizing husbandry practices on dairy sheep farms in the North Central Region

Commodities

Practices

Title: Characterizing husbandry practices on dairy sheep farms in the North Central Region

Though sheep are primarily raised for lamb and wool, dairy breeds offer added value for the industry, with the United States being the world’s largest importer of sheep milk products (Pulina et al., 2018). Dairy sheep farmers in the North Central Region have recently gained traction in the U.S. artisan cheese industry as consumer demand for specialty cheeses continues to grow. However, research is lacking for producers to make informed management decisions that are needed to support the industry’s growth. To address these knowledge gaps and provide a crucial first step in furthering dairy sheep research to support producers, we will conduct a mixed-methods survey comprising 120 quantitative and qualitative questions. The objective of this survey is to describe current husbandry practices and concerns on dairy sheep farms in the North Central Region, enabling further research to target areas where most impact can be made. Before distribution, our survey will be reviewed by dairy sheep farmers and qualified and experienced individuals in the sheep dairy industry. The survey will be distributed to 40 dairies, including all licensed sheep dairies in the North Central Region (n = 17), as well as 23 unlicensed dairies. We will recruit participants through personal connections with farmers, as well as social media pages, listservs, and events hosted by the Sheep Dairy Association of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Sheep Breeder’s Cooperative, and the Dairy Sheep Association of North America. Our learning outcomes include providing producers, researchers, veterinarians, and policymakers with knowledge and awareness of common husbandry, milking, and management practices and the common health and welfare concerns held by farmers in the North Central Region. Information on current farming practices will facilitate targeted research and extension programming to inform producer decision making and support dairy sheep farmers’ needs in the North Central Region.

The objective of this survey is to describe current husbandry practices and concerns on dairy sheep farms in the North Central Region, enabling further research to target areas where most impact can be made. This research is urgently needed as there is little evidence available to support farmers in improving dairy sheep health, welfare, and production. We expect the following outcomes to arise from this survey:

Learning Outcomes

1. Farmers will gain knowledge and awareness of common husbandry, milking, and management practices used and the common health and welfare concerns held by farmers in the North Central Region.
2. Researchers will gain knowledge and awareness of common practices and prioritized areas of research needed to support farmers in the sheep dairy industry.
3. Veterinarians will gain knowledge and awareness of current health and welfare practices and concerns, informing veterinary care of dairy sheep in the North Central region.
4. Policymakers in the North Central Region will gain insight into priority research areas in the sheep dairy industry, promoting relevant state program development to support local producers.

Action Outcomes

1. Researchers and extensionists will produce more targeted programs to support dairy sheep farmers in flock management and industry growth.
2. Farmers will use results of subsequent research and extension programming to inform management decisions, potentially improving dairy sheep welfare, health, and production.