Sheep Industry News August 2022

ficie cy, health and carcass characteristics, but what is the economic value of fl cking ability? True fl cking ability enables a single shepherd to move hun dreds of ewes and lambs on fenceless rangeland and graze them in a relatively dense area. Flocking requires sheep to be responsive to the herder (and his/her dogs) and function as a single unit with no independent or small groups wandering off . A range-y ewe has got to be tough as a boot and an attentive mother in a climatically variable environment lousy with predators. Are Katahdins up for this chal lenge? Flocking ability likely has a genetic component but might be partly “taught” by seasoned ewes to younger animals and both are being investigated at the USSES. Over three years, 2- and 3-year-old USMARC-born Katahdin ewes will be mated to Katahdin sires at the USSES. Katahdin ewe lambs will be removed from their birth mother, gra ft ed to range-type ewes at birth, and herded in an open range production system therea ft er. So far – 2021 and 2022 – Katahdin ewe lambs have readily been accepted by their gr aft mother and weaned at the same success rate as range-type lambs reared by their birth mothers. Th Katahdin’s fl cking instinct – as mature ewes – will be monitored and compared with that of range-type ewes. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS Concurrent genotyping eff orts in ARS fl cks expand the scope of our projects. We have used genotyping tools to assist mating and selection decisions for many years. Multiple options of genotype plat

forms currently exist for sheep that achieve diff erent objectives, and it is important to know what each platform can or cannot do. Th primary objectives of genotyping tools fi three kinds of general uses: genetic condition tests, parentage identifi ation and/ or genomic-enhanced Estimate Breeding Values. However, a gap in current knowledge is how information from some of the genetic conditions can be combined. Interactions or antagonisms are not well understood even for markers impacting the same phenotype, but part of our current eff orts. Several other standard and novel traits are being evaluated in the GRF as part of Sheep GEMS and other projects. Routine body weight, body condition and health/treatment records collected on ewes and lambs will be useful in understanding relationships among traits. Together with researchers at the University of Wyoming, US MARC has begun evaluating lamb growth and carcass character istics. Recent investment in six electronic feeders will enable us to collect feed intake on 450 lambs per year, a subset of which are followed through commercial harvest to evaluate in-depth carcass characteristics. Other traits collected on ARS fl cks include grazing behaviors, neonatal lamb and ewe behaviors, indicators of parasitol ogy, rumen and respiratory microbiome samples, blood cell counts, out-of-season mating success and ram breeding capacity. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Th mention of trade names of commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specifi information and does not imply recom mendation or endorsement by the USDA.

A yearling Katahdin ewe and her lamb at the USSES in 2022. The Katahdin ewe was herself reared by a foster Targhee ewe in 2021.

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