Sheep Industry News August 2022

Communication Is Key To Seedstock/Grower Relationship S eedstock producer John Anderson of Eastern Ohio and lamb producer Matt Kyle of New York off er a look at how they work together to keep one of the largest lamb operations in the East running effici tly.

MATT: As we look into the future genetically, my greatest concern is where John might fi nd the next stud ram to maintain our current values. It’s very simple what we are looking for: A ewe to lamb ev ery eight months, have twins, be 165 to 175 lbs., good milk, doesn’t get mastistis, weans two consistent lambs and does it all over again. I understand there are plenty of rams out there, but what will we have to give up to gain? Basically, I’m scared to death of failing to get ewes to lamb out of season. In the last fi ve years, we have made signifi ant progress getting our ewes to breed naturally out of sea son and we can’t aff rd a negative genetic component that might infl uence the future. We can’t forget about the past. We have built a very strong ewe fl ock that continues to exceed our expectations. Th importance of John in our business is priceless. He is the one taking on all the risk by bringing diff erent genetics into his fl ck. Essentially, he is our screening tool before they come here. We need his rams to hit the ground running. With that said, we must be willing to pay, not only for the rams but any genetic testing that John feels could increase the genetic merit of his fl ck. JOHN: I think the Polypay breed has all the genetics needed to meet the production needs of Kyle Farms. Th fun is in getting all those genes in one relatively thick ram package and to keep that fl ow of rams going. Th National Sheep Improvement Program has been a great help for selecting the maternal traits we need. Matt is looking for ewes that produce a good set of twins every eight months. So we don’t necessarily need really high number born, but relatively high number weaned is good. Maternal behavior and milk are very important. I am looking forward to genomically enhanced EBVs as we get the base for that information established. I see a lot of ben efi ts from genomics testing, including more accurate EBVs, defect elimination and the ability to use multiple rams in each breeding group in order to ensure a good lamb crop while still knowing the parentage of the lambs. Some other traits we look at include udder conformation, especially teat size. Lambs need to get plugged in without help from the shepherd to make a commercial operation effici t. Th ere are challenges, but addressing those problems can be pret ty satisfying. Th feedback I get from Matt is key to our progress and he has made some suggestions on management and nutrition that have been a big help to me. With 5,000 ewes and six lambings a year, experience comes quickly. SG USA: John how are preparing to meet those challenges?

SG USA: John and Matt, tell us a little bit about your respective operations.

JOHN: Currently we have 100 ewes with the emphasis on fall lambing. We lambed on the STAR system for about 15 years, then moved to 3X a year lambing and now – aft er some modifi ations – we are s hift ing to one lambing per year in the fall. Our ewes are on pasture or crop residue for most of the year. Our September October lambing will mostly be on pasture, and those lactating ewes with lambs will be grazed and given a grain supplement until weaning. MATT: Here at Kyle Farms LLC, we run 5,000 ewes on the eight month accelerated lambing program and lamb six times per year. Th goal is to have a consistent, year-round supply of lamb to meet our customers’ increasing demand. Having lambs available consistently has allowed our business to grow rapidly because the customer can rely on us meeting their needs for both quantity and quality. SG USA: John, you have been providing Polypay rams to Kyle Farms for a few years now. What is the key to maintaining that relationship? JOHN: We talk quite a bit. Matt is a very innovative producer and we really enjoy talking about lamb production and what we can do to improve effici cy. We have very similar opinions on what makes a good ewe, so that has been key to the progress we are making. MATT: Communication – in my opinion – is the key to everything, being able to pick up the phone and relay what we are seeing on the ground is very important to maintaining a long-term relation ship. Also, being only a short distance apart allows for routine vis its where both parties can make on-site evaluations to determine whether we are heading in the right direction.

SG USA: Matt, what are the genetic challenges you see in the future for your operation?

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