NCERA190: Increased Efficiency of Sheep Production
Statement of Issues and Justification
The U. S. sheep industry has more than 70,000 producers who market approximately $700 million worth of raw products annually from 6.4 million animals. The value-added services associated with processing, distributing, and marketing meat, milk, and fiber from sheep amount to a combined contribution of several billion dollars annually to American agriculture and the overall economy. However, costs of production in the U.S. are greater than other major sheep producing countries and imported lamb now represents over 40% of the U.S. market. Per capita consumption of lamb continues to decline. These issues are far greater in scope than can be addressed by individual research stations; collaborative efforts are needed to generate new knowledge. New technology can be applied to improve efficiency and to compete more effectively in a world-wide market. Research results benefit the sheep industry and consumers by increasing profitability and improving product quality. A viable sheep industry can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and provide economic stability to rural communities.The NCR190 committee is uniquely suited to address these issues. The committee is national in scope, with members representing the U. S. from Virginia to Oregon and North Dakota to Texas. NCR190 continues to grow, with three additional institutions (Cornell University, Virginia State University, and West Virginia University) becoming members in 2002. Over 80% of sheep researchers located at land-grant universities and federal institutions are members of this committee. Members are trained in genetics, reproduction, nutrition, meats, and management. The diversity of training is a strength of the committee and brings depth and perspective to investigations of complex issues. NCR190 is one of two multi-state research committees in the U.S. that focuses on sheep, and is unique due to its emphasis on reproduction, carcass leanness, meat quality, and milk production, and its recent notable shift from wool to hair breeds of sheep. The other committee is WCC039 whose complementary emphases are on wool production and the use of sheep to manage and sustain native plants in range and pasture ecosystems.
Objectives of NCR190 are well aligned with research priorities of the sheep industry and ARS. The Lamb Meat Industry Adjustment Plan proposed initiatives to strengthen the international competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry. Areas identified as major opportunities included increased carcass weight and leanness, improved reproductive efficiency, evaluation and development of easy-care sheep breeds, and increased production of sheep dairy products. Planned research of NCR190 is consistent with several components of National Program 101 (Food Animal Production) of ARS, specifically, components 1 (Reproductive Efficiency), 3 (Product Quality), 4 (Genetic Improvement), and 7 (Nutrient Intake and Utilization).
The sheep industry is fortunate to have significant adaptability to market conditions, which is possible because of its wide array of breed resources. A common approach throughout all four objectives will be evaluation of breeds. In many experiments, two or more common breeds will be compared at different institutions. For example, researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) and the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) will each evaluate effects of Dorset, Suffolk, Rambouillet, Texel, and Composite (a composite population created at MARC) breeds on growth, carcass, and meat quality traits (objective 2). Composite rams from MARC will be provided to the USSES. Also, research to evaluate one or more hair breeds of sheep (Dorper, Katahdin, St. Croix, and Barbados Blackbelly) will be done at several institutions, including Kentucky, MARC, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, and Virginia State (objective 4). A breed with high milk production, the East Friesian, will be evaluated at Oregon, USSES, and Wisconsin (objective 3). Use of common breeds will create linkages across experiments, effectively allowing comparison of more breeds than evaluated in any single experiment. This information will help the industry systematically use the most appropriate breeds in crossbreeding programs that produce market lambs.
Back to Top