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University Research & Extension Programs
Collectively sheep are an important livestock enterprise in the
intermountain and south west.
Most universities in the west have
substantially reduced or eliminated their
sheep program
Many of the Universities in the west
are doing research with sheep but is
that research focused on issues
relevant to the industry
Although the relative importance
of the sheep industry within many
states have warranted reductions
in University support, regionally
sheep is a more substantial
industry than research and
extension efforts suggest
Impact of University and ARS
Research and Education on
the Sheep Industry
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?
University Research & Extension Programs
Collectively sheep are an important livestock enterprise in the
intermountain and south west.
Most universities in the west have
substantially reduced or eliminated their
sheep program
Many of the Universities in the west
are doing research with sheep but is
that research focused on issues
relevant to the industry
Although the relative importance
of the sheep industry within many
states have warranted reductions
in University support, regionally
sheep is a more substantial
industry than research and
extension efforts suggest
Producers are actively engaged from the
beginning.
There is a significant extension
component
Part of a sheep program not just a project
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Bob Burns
Alex Johnson
(UW)
McFadden (NM)
Swanson (CO)
Drummond (MT)
Coleman (MT)
Bassett (TX)
Keese (TX)
Barker (WY)
Powers (SC)
Craddock (TX)
Kott (MT)
Stobart (WY)Pohle; USDA (CO)
McColl (CO)
Campbell (TX)
Corn (NM)
Neale (NM)
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Core Testing
In the late 1930’s and 1940’s
USDA, in cooperation with State
Colleges, began a multi-year
project to develop a method to
estimate clean content in greasy
wool.
USDA, IDUT
MT
USDA, CO
NM
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1 % Difference = 1 to 5 cents greasy
Up until the 1940’s the standard
figure used for most intermountain
wools was 65% shrinkage.
Shrinkage / Yield
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Super Wash
In 1939, wool from MSU and
20 additional Montana clips
was sent to a scouring plant
and individually scoured.
Core
Testing
Only one clip
had a shrinkage
of over 65% .
Range in Yield:
33% to 52%
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Montana Wool Laboratory
established in 1945
In one year, this lab core tested 1.4
million pounds of Montana Wool
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Clips below line have average yields of
>50%(0 clips of 45)
Clips below line have average yields of
>50%(6 clips of 45)
Core Testing1939-1952
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Core Testing
Today most greasy wool
produced in the world is
tested using this basic
technology.
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UT
TX
OR
NM
NV
MT
ID
CO
CA
AZ
WY
WA
US Sheep
Experiment
Station
Dubois ID
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Columbia Breed
Established in 1941
W. A. Denecke, MT
Deschamps Livestock, MT
Thomas Watson, MT
Rambouillet Sheep Company, MT
R.B. “Ted” Marquiss, WY
(Little Buffalo Ranch)
D.N. Hitch, MT
WM. R. Wright, WY
Montana State College, MT
Ernest White, MT
Howard Lord, MT
Glen Daley, MT
A. Deschamps, MT
Targhee Breed
Established in 1951
MSU began its Targhee breeding
program in 1942 under the direction
of R. T. Clark, J. L. Van Horn and J.
Drummond.
34 Targhees from Montana State
University became the first
registered Targhees on February
21,1952.
Montana State University
received membership number T-1.
Polypay
Breed
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1. Based on
visual
appraisal
2. Measure
important
traits
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1955
2005
But that’s just cows
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History of Performance Testing (US)
Began in 1948 at the Texas A & M Sonora
Substation
1950 U of Wisconsin—production recording for on-
farm-selection
1965—Ohio Sheep Production Testing Plan was the
first completely computerized record keeping program
for sheep
By 1980 there were 23 on-farm-testing-programs and
14 Central Ram Tests
http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/wyoming.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/wyoming.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/southdakota.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/southdakota.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/northdakota.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/northdakota.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/montana.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/montana.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/texas.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/texas.html
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1948 F 100 was
developed the same
year Ram
Performance Testing
began
Is there a
better way
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Genetic
Testing
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TARGETED GRAZING?
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Bridge from research
to application
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Where are we
getting our
information
INTERNET
Mis-
information
highway
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Many states in the intermountain
west and southwest US have
reduced or eliminated their
university sheep “programs”.
Much of the university related
sheep research is beneficial but
often not directed at areas that
relate to the industries most
important needs.
Although in many western states
the sheep industry may be of minor
importance, collectively it warrants
an significant research and
extension effort.
?
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Long-term or established
partnerships between
University / ARS and
Sheep Industry is a
critical part of the
support infrastructure of
the sheep industry