1. Profitable Sheep Production in the Biofuels Era
Dr. Dan Morrical Iowa State University
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2. Basic Economics Profit = Income - Expenses
Increase Income or
Decrease Expenses
DO BOTH
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3. 1. Critical Records Total Number Born Total Number Weaned
% Lamb Survival
% Open Ewes
% Ewe Death Loss
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4. Critical Records for Every Operation
Amount fed
Cost/unit
Total costs
Until one keeps track,
amount is hard to believe.
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5. Ewe Flock Cash Costs, Pipestone
Feed & Other Total
Pasture Oper. Cash a
aUtilities, Fuel, Vet, Trucking, Feed processing, Hired
labor, Shearing, Maintenance and repairs, Bedding.

6. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
1. Control feed waste
good bunks
feed what ewes need
not what ewes want
limit access to big packages

7. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
2. Use feed substitution/byproducts
purchase feeds on nutrient cost
examples: corn gluten feed
corn vs barley
hay qualities
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8. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
3. Separate management groups
ewe lambs vs mature ewes
singles vs twins
thin vs average vs fat
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9. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
4. Mineral cost and intake
Read label
know intake level
TM salt vs mineral
cooperative purchasing
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10. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
5. Sample hays
supplement as needed
example: protein blocks
“They might need it”
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11. Iowa Hay Quality Survey
Hay type Crude protein TDN
Grass Ave. Range Ave. Range
1st cut (6-20) 55.7 (47-67)
all others 15.2 ( ) 61.8 (57-70)
Mixed
1st (8-22) 56.1 (41-69)
2nd (10-22) 59.6 (47-70)
3rd (11-23) 62.4 (49-73)
Legumes
1st (10-22) 56.7 (48-69)
2nd (14-22) 57.7 (45-68)
3rd (13-23) 59.4 (47-70)

12. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
6. Pelleted protein vs. ddgs
protein >$600/ton
with
if protein is all you need
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13. 7. Improved grazing management
Year Pasture Drylot
Average
SERP DGM:ISU

14. Ewe Grazing Days Per Acre
Peter Woods, WI
3 Year High
Average Year a
BFT: KyBG
BFT: SBG
BFT: OG
Cost $40.00/year
2 of 3 years were drought DGM:ISU a

15. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
8. Grazing crop residues
Grazing Season Feed
Length Savings
1 extra month $6.00
Assumes $.10 on pasture
and $.30 in drylot
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16. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
9. Fetal Scanning
groups ewes by stage of production
group ewes by level of production
cull open ewes

17. 10 steps to reduce feed costs
10. Change production systems
Late lambing
Nutrient requirements and
forage quality match
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18. Dr. Charles Parker Challenge
Increasing Income
Dr. Charles Parker Challenge
365 pounds of lamb marketed/ewe/year
Industry is at 50% or less
HOW ???
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19. Increasing Production
Breeding season management when to breed flushing teasers ewe age groups

20. Increasing Production
Genetic improvement NSIP etc. accurate maternal selection Lifetime production not S vs Tw vs Tr Pounds weaned is the trait

21. Increasing Production
Crossbreeding Simple to complex increase production % over purebreds
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22. Prolific genetics Choose the lambing rate you want 1.5 to 4.0 possible
Increasing Production
Prolific genetics Choose the lambing rate you want 1.5 to 4.0 possible
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23. DGM:ISU

24. Increasing Production
Death loss from birth to weaning is the greatest inefficiency in the sheep industry.

25. Increasing Production
Increased growth use terminal sires Heavier market weights use terminal sires feed them longer do not sell feeder lambs

26. Lamb Cost of Gain
Lambs feed conversion 6 to 1 Lamb feed costs $320 per ton 6 pounds of feed X $.16= $.96 Value of gain $1.30 Profit over feed cost $ pounds gain X $.34= $23.80/lamb

27. Management Inputs Do not have a Cash Cost
Never substitute cash inputs for management

28. Poor Management Inputs
Flushing fat ewes
Vaccinating for a disease because your
neighbor does it.
Monthly deworming vs a strategic approach
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29. Poor Management Examples
Offering protein tubs with alfalfa hay
Feeding dairy quality hay to minimize waste
Giving up lambs/ewe/year due to
breeding season and death loss
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30. Getting/Being Profitable
Increase output without increasing inputs
Increase production via: Management
Genetics
Nutrition
Reproduction
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31. Getting/Being Profitable
Decrease Production Costs
Step 1: Know where your at
Step 2: Develop plan to get
where you want to be

32. Profitable Sheep Production
Must be “the” goal
Sound Management
Cost control
Use technology
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