Sheep Industry News April 2022

Around the States WYOMING UNIVERSITY FLOCK REACHES AWA LEVEL III

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previously worked for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a consumer safety officer in the Office of Meat and Poultry Inspection, after a retail career that included owning and operating a slaughter and processing facility in Maine. Those seeking to lease the unit – and their helpers – must complete a five-module certification program. Modules will include unit design and usage, animal harvesting and carcass fabrication, regulations (state and federal), marketing and hands-on training on operating the MPU. More about the online certification program is available at Ext.VSU. edu/mobile-processing-unit. The cost to lease the unit for four days – you can slaughter and pro cess up to 30 animals during this time – is $100, plus a $15/head unit maintenance fee. The unit comes with everything you need to slaugh ter and process, including packaging material. When a certified pro ducer leases the unit, Brousseau will drive the unit to the farm/location and be there to assist set-up and breakdown and take it away once the leasing period is finished. He will also be there during all slaughter and processing for any guidance and to complete all paperwork/logs. The processed meat on the mobile unit can either be done cus tom – not for sale/home consumption only – or under state or federal inspection, which allows it to be sold at farmers’ markets, retail, across state lines, etc.. Brousseau will also arrange to have an inspector on site if inspected meat is desired. The unit coordinator also will advise clients on site inspection and permitting requirements to ensure proper disposal of offal. Source: Maryland Sheep News The California Wool Growers Association is hosting the 102nd Annual California Ram Sale on Saturday, April 9, at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, Calif. More than 500 rams, including crossbred, composite, Hampshire, Oxford, Suffolk and white-faced rams will be offered from California, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho and Utah. Ultrasound carcass measurements – i.e. loin eye area – and a Range Ram Index will be provided on all sale rams. The Range Ram Index utilizes ultrasound carcass data collected at the sale and will help to identify the potential genetic merit of those rams in passing superior genetic traits – such as larger loin eye area or heavier carcass weights – into producer flocks. The ram sale trade show will feature a variety of sheep health and equipment companies showcasing products developed to address sheep production, nutritional and health needs. Ram Sale information including the sale catalog, schedule, lodging information, directions, etc., is available on the CWGA website at Cali forniaWoolGrowers.org. To request a sale catalog, contact the CWGA office at 916-444-8122 or info@woolgrowers.org. Source: CWGA CALIFORNIA RAM SALE SET FOR THIS MONTH

The University of Wyoming Sheep Program recently became the first operation to reach Level III (Certified) status in ASI's American Wool Assurance Program. “We have a 400 head commercial Rambouillet flock and we felt like the AWA Program really aligned with our operation from a teach ing and research perspective,” said University of Wyoming Assistant Professor and Extension Sheep Specialist Whit Stewart. “I think that people have a tendency to say, ‘I don’t want someone to tell me what to do,’ but this program allowed us to take a critical look at our enterprise and find ways to improve.” It also made sense for the university to lead the way for the state’s sheep producers in becoming certified in this voluntary, producer driven program. “From the extension side, we’re always trying to educate our pro ducers, and we couldn’t do that as well as we need to if we didn’t go through the process ourselves,” Stewart said. “Helping our producers is a priority of our program.” The university allowed ASI to test the AWA Program audit in strument at the UW Sheep Unit in late 2021. That audit process was completed recently, and now the university’s wool can be stamped AWA Certified and with the AWA logo. Wool from the university flock is being used to develop value-added product – such as university branded blankets – and the proceeds from the sale of those products is being invested into the development of other regionally manufactured products. Graduate student Courtney Newman was instrumental in the certification process and plans to use blockchain technology to source verify not only the university’s wool clip, but also that of other produc ers across the state. “ASI would like to congratulate the University of Wyoming for reaching Level III certification,” said ASI Deputy Director Rita Samu elson. “The association also owes the university a debt of gratitude for its assistance in finalizing the audit process that will lead to producers throughout the United States having the opportunity to reach Level II (Process Verified) and Level III (Certified).” Virginia State University’s small ruminant mobile processing unit soon will be operational, and shepherds had an opportunity to tour the unit and watch a fabrication demonstration earlier this year at the Virginia Tech Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Middle burg, Va. After the demonstration, VSU Cooperative Extension Small Rumi nant Specialist Dahlia O’Brien and Wally Brousseau answered ques tions. Brousseau has joined VSU’s Small Ruminant Extension team as an extension associate and the mobile unit coordinator. Brousseau VIRGINIA MOBILE PROCESSING UNIT AVAILABLE

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