Increasing Adoption of Out-of-Season Breeding to Enhance Profitability of Sheep Producers in West Virginia

Increasing Adoption of Out-of-Season Breeding to Enhance Profitability of Sheep Producers in West Virginia

Summary

The main goal of this project is to reverse the decline in the sheep industry in West Virginia (WV). Briefly, the technical and economic feasibility of three breeding programs will be compared. They are traditional breeding, out-of-season breeding (OSB), and an accelerated breeding program, in which the ewes will be bred out-of-season and then again in the winter. By utilizing OSB, not only would there be a more consistent supply of lamb for consumers, but also the profitability of sheep producers would likely be increased. It is necessary to enhance profitability of sheep producers so that they are not forced to exit the increasingly competitive industry. To enhance profitability, some producers must be willing to shift from traditional breeding of sheep to OSB. By switching, they are able to take advantage of the benefits of OSB, which include higher lamb prices at market, lower mortality rates due to parasites and predation, and increased ewe productivity. Despite the benefits of OSB, adoption of this system remains low among producers in WV. To target why adoption remains low, surveys will be mailed to all sheep producers in WV to identify which factors influence the decision to shift to this type of breeding system. The results of this project will be presented and discussed with producers and stakeholders at annual meetings and workshops, and will also be available online via the WV Small Ruminant Project’s (WVSRP) website.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Lambing records from fall 2011 traditional breeding were collected and entered in an online database for analysis. Upon lambing in the spring, a portion of the lactating ewes was weaned in April and rebred in May of 2012 (OUTS group). Upon lambing in the fall, the records were collected and entered in an online database for analysis. This group will be rebred in the spring of 2013.

A second group of ewes that had lambed in spring 2012 were rebred in fall of 2012 (TRAD group). The lambing records from this group will be collected in spring 2013.

A third group of ewes that had lambed in the spring of 2012 were rebred in May of 2012. These ewes lambed in October of 2012 and were rebred at least 45 days postpartum in December of 2012 (OUTSPLUS group). Lambing records from the May 2012 breeding were collected and entered in an online database for analysis. Lambing records from the fall 2012 breeding will be collected upon lambing in spring 2013.

The data on breeding and management costs of each of the 3 groups will be collected and analyzed to determine the economic feasibility of each breeding system. Comparative production budgets and related financial analyses will be developed and made available to producers via the WVSRP’s website.

A survey was developed in order to identify the socio-economic factors which influence the adoption of OSB among sheep producers in WV. The survey included farmer-specific attributes, farm-specific attributes, and perceived characteristics of OSB. About 1,500 surveys were sent out via postal mail and email. In total, 150 responses were collected and will be analyzed.

The results of the technical and economic analysis of OSB and the results of the sheep producers’ survey will be summarized and published on the WVSRP website. In addition, the results of the project will be submitted for publication in a scholarly journal.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Accomplishments include implementing breeding programs in all 3 experimental groups: the OUTS group, the TRAD group, and the OUTSPLUS group; collecting and recording lambing data; completing and sending out the sheep producers’ survey; and collecting and recording survey responses.

The work that still needs to be done includes collecting and analyzing the data on breeding and management costs of the 3 groups, analyzing the data collected from the sheep producers’ survey, and collecting lambing records from the fall 2012 breeding. Otherwise, the project has progressed as expected, and there have been no changes in the plan of work thus far.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The short-term goals of this project are to encourage producers to strategically shift the breeding season of their ewes, and, in doing so, increase profitability of their enterprises. The long-term impacts of the project include improvements in the quality, quantity, and consistency of lamb supply; increased employment; increased productivity of existing agricultural lands; and maintenance of more environmentally sustainable productions systems. The knowledge gained from this project by the sheep producers in WV can potentially lead to more efficient farm practices, which, in turn, can increase productivity and eventually profitability of sheep enterprises. Increased profitability will allow producers to stay in business, thus causing an increase in sheep inventory in WV.

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