Sheep Industry News August 2021

technology can be used to capture pedigree and production data from extensively managed flocks. These flocks are also creating genetic linkages with other NSIP breeders to im prove the accuracy of across flock comparisons. In addition, we have opened a laboratory to provide fecal egg counting services and hosted several schools to train technicians to collect carcass and pregnancy ultrasound data. In 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension received grants from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Foundation and the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. In short, we hoped to confront these issues by using modern tools on private sheep operations. Realizing that convincing all of Texas to adopt such prac tices was not going to happen overnight, our plan from the outset was to work with some of the leading Rambouil let and Dorper seedstock producers in Texas in hopes of creating a trickle down effect. In the ranching community, watching your neighbor succeed with something new is often more powerful than the spoken word. We initiated these projects with a dozen key producers who collectively run several thousand sheep. The plan has been to utilize the Flock54 genomic panel for parentage determination and disease marker status, and additionally collect data on num ber of lambs born and weaned, weaning and post-weaning weights, and fecal egg counts for parasite resistance. While our projects are still ongoing, they have undeni ably succeeded in one area: word of mouth about the use of technology to more easily capture production data is definitely spreading. Ultrasound, fecal egg counting and RFID tags are now topics we discuss almost daily with producers. In full transparency, some of the producers on these projects have gone on to enroll in NSIP and some have not. Perhaps the greatest challenge to widespread utilization of the genetic tech nology is the lack of immediate improvement in their flocks, and for some the price to pay (both literally and metaphori cally) is too great. Many of these producers also “dove in” head first with data

collection for a multitude of traits on their entire flock and might have burned themselves out, for lack of a better term. The producers on this project who have stuck with it under stand that genetic improvement requires a long-term invest ment. Those that are starting to see realized benefit also made the increased work manageable on themselves by prioritizing the collection of data for only key traits important to their operation and customer base, and only doing so on their best subset of breeding animals. Ultimately, there are tremendous opportunities for the sheep industry in Texas and the entirety of the United States. Society has rediscovered wool and lamb. Now, the challenge is on our industry to deliver the quality of product they are learning to love. Improving the genetic potential of the Above: Sheep production predominantly occurs in the Edwards Plateau – a region characterized by a semi-arid landscape. Predation remains a limiting factor in sev eral areas. Image provided by the USDA NASS 2017 census report. Below: Managing contemporary groups of rams on pasture means fitness of environment is reflected in their performance data. These young rams will be measured for growth, fleece quality, carcass traits, and if timely rains occur, parasite resistance.

Texas and American sheep flocks will help the industry reach this goal. Sticking to visual appraisal and traditional methods of sheep improvement alone will let the op portunity for industry growth slip away as we’ll once again be held down by the same old limitations. Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing hap pens until something moves” and the ge netics movement in Texas has been steadily picking up steam.

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