1 – Sheep Industry Flashcards
1
Q
What contributed to the shift from sheep to cattle meat?
A
- Railroad: to ship
- Cities: lots of people living together
- Rendering industry: 500lb of waste
- *Refrigeration
2
Q
Sheep are very versatile animals
A
- Meat
- Wool
- Skins
- Milk
3
Q
Why sheep not as big in Canada?
A
- Many served in the UK and had to eat a lot of mutton
4
Q
Why sheep?
A
- Size
- Cultural/religious
- Showing: easier
- Sheep dogs: ‘don’t do good as pets’
- *get rich quick!
- *NO zoonotic disease, NO foodborne diseases
5
Q
Why is sheep size beneficial?
A
- Ease of handling
- Ease of handling at slaughter and consumption
- Reduced start up costs
- Requires less land
- *5 sheep for 1 cow (grow about 1lb/day=can have a quick turnaround)
6
Q
Sheep for cultural/religion
A
- Acceptable to all MAJOR religions
- Traditional food of Europeans
o Middle east
o Far east - *premium meat
7
Q
Where are the sheep in Canada?
A
- About 1M
o Many are less than 1 year old - Most in Quebec and Ontario
- Then Alberta and SK
- Import meat from both US and New Zealand
8
Q
What do sheep cost?
A
- Breeding ewe: $125-200
- Ram: $400
9
Q
Cost of lamb and cull ewes per lb
A
- Lamb: 220 cents/lb
o 80lb is typical (fat lamb=110lb, can NOT be more than 115lb)
o Do NOT want uncastrated males (don’t separate males and females) - Cull ewes: 40-75 cents/lb
10
Q
What is considered small in the sheep industry?
A
- Anything less than 500
- *you need 150 to make a profit
11
Q
Purebred farms
A
- Produce replacement ewes and terminal sire rams
12
Q
Commercial farms
A
- Use a mixed breed ewe and terminal sire to produce a meat lamb
13
Q
What are the different management systems?
A
- Range
- Farm flocks: semi-confinement
- Feedlot
- Dairy: rare, specific for CHEESE PRODUCTION
- Rent out sheep for biological pasture control
14
Q
Range management system
A
- TRADITIONAL WAY
- Keep sheep out at pasture all year round (NEED guard dogs)
- Put out rams when required
- Lambing in spring
- Supplement feed in winter
o Minimal input costs
o Predation (coyotes, wolves, bears)
o Lack of shelter: NOT a problem
o Disease control (parasites) - *low input, low output (one lamb per ewe)
15
Q
‘ice cave’ in winter with big snow storm
A
- Have water
- Eventually need to get them out (lack of O2)
16
Q
Cost of guard dogs (150 sheep/dog)
A
- Mature dog: $1000 & works for 7 years
o Depreciated cost $143/year - Feed: $425/year
- Vet: $100/year
- *cost per year: $668
- *big white dogs (BWD): not pure breeds
- WANT IT IMPRINTED ON THE SHEEP (do not want them to have too much human interaction)
17
Q
Farm flocks: semi-confinement management system
A
- Summer at pasture
- Winter in corral/barn system
- MOST COMMON SYSTEM
