Sheep Industry News July 2024

NSIP Hires New Executive Director

T he National Sheep Improvement Pro gram Executive Committee announced in mid-June that David Scales has accepted the role as executive director. He will begin his duties full-time this month working from his home in Charlotte, Mich. Scales grew up with sheep and cattle on his home farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is interested in draft horses. He graduated from Michigan State University in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in animal science and a minor in crop and soil sciences, with an emphasis in agribusiness management. “Ever since college, I’ve had a strong inter

and 1,200 recipient ewes. For the past six years, he has been the flock manager at Wheaton Hampshires, a complex operation with 100 purebred Hampshire ewes and 120 recipient ewes. During the interview process, Scales shared his use of Estimated Breeding Values to devel op and select maternal genetics in the recipient ewe flock. His success in making his employer a believer in NSIP as an end user of the tech nology is a testament to his capabilities. “I’m hoping to work with all sheep produc ers to continue to develop NSIP into a tool that can help both seedstock and commercial

est in genetics,” Scales said. “The data provided by NSIP is a valuable tool in the toolbox for sheep producers. As varied as the sheep industry is all across this country, NSIP can provide valuable information that can help them all. I have a strong belief in the science and the technology, and its ability to help sheep producers.” His first experience with NSIP was in a genetics course where the students played Cyber Sheep. Scales worked at the MSU sheep barn and was active in the day-to-day operation, which included data collection for NSIP. While at MSU, he was treasurer of Block and Bridle, served as a teaching assistant for Intro to Dairy Management, and coauthored two articles on neonatal pig supplements published in the Journal of Animal Science . Post-graduation, Scales was the assistant farm manager at Reproduction Specialty Group, working on the cutting edge of reproductive technologies in sheep and managing 200 donor weeks with finer wools seeing the largest price increases. In the wool export market, the United States exported 427.7 metric tons – $1.3 million in value – in April, which is 255.5 metric tons higher than last year in the same month. In total, the United States has exported a total of 1,310.7 metric tons of wool with January – 430.6 metric tons – and April having the highest monthly totals since summer of 2022. Given the high EMI in January, and stable to modest price gains this spring, it’s not surprising to see the export numbers from the United States throughout this calendar year. In the coming month, some markets will be on break. Along with an MARKET REPORT Continued from Page 7

flocks. This is a tool that every sheep operation can benefit from if they’re open to listening to what the data has to say.” Scales also has experience working with volunteer boards such as the Michigan Cattleman's Association and was elected to the Michigan Sheep Producers Association board in January. He has been the sale coordinator for the Michigan Beef Expo Sale, which last year grossed $370,000, so he has some sale management and marketing experience. The selection committee was looking for a self-starter with excellent communication skills, a customer service mindset, and an understanding of NSIP and the American sheep indus try. NSIP wanted someone who can educate and promote, and who has the intellectual capacity to work with abstract concepts and collaborate with research partners. The NSIP Executive Committee feels Scales has all these attributes and will be a good fit to take the organization to the next level. uncertainty of world supply, the wool market prices in the coming weeks will be interesting to watch. SUMMARY For American producers, the continuation of higher prices throughout the lamb supply chain is a welcome sight. Drought has subsided in some parts of the country and demand appears to be relatively strong at the retail level. The title of this article is based on being stuck in neutral, and currently that’s okay. With expected steady import numbers, steady slaughter supply and steady prices, there seems to be some longevity on the positive side for producers, which hopefully turns into increased profit margins for producers, as well.

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