Sheep Industry News March 2025

PERC Looks at Ramping Up Operations W ith sheep inventory numbers increasing for the first time in many years, producers around the United States might find themselves in a position to expand. But how do you go about it? A panel discussion during the Production, Education and you’re ramping up, that’s when you’re chewing through cash. You have to borrow for that, but borrow wisely.”

The key to doing just that is to find a lending institution that can see your vision, Irwin said, adding that he had trouble finding financing when he first made plans to expand. In addition, he of fered one final piece of advice for expanding. “You have to have backup plans on backup plans,” he said. “You have to plan for drought and for economic downturns.” EMERGING TECHNIQUES Attendees at the council meeting also heard several presenta tions on emerging technologies that might allow for higher profit margins, healthier sheep and improved predator management. Moderating the panel presentations, Dan Macon of the Univer sity of California Cooperative Extension said the implementation of technology needs to be about more than just doing something because it’s cool. It must improve your economic viability and ad dress bottlenecks in your operation. South Dakota’s Jeff Clark introduced Synergraze, which has de veloped a seaweed-based livestock feed additive that reduces meth ane emissions and feed costs. In addition, it can allow producers to generate carbon offset credits. Brett Taylor, Ph.D., with the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Idaho, discussed his facility’s use of the CameraTrapDetectoR, which uses artificial intelligence to rapidly classify images caught on trail cameras. Much like a commercial sheep operation, Taylor said any technology employed at the station needs to be “simple, low-cost, low-energy and, when possible, open source.” He said the station focuses on existing technology and how it can be modified for use in sheep production and rangeland management. Montana State University’s Brent Roeder also introduced at tendees to the use of tracking collars and virtual fencing. In addition, Danelle Bickett-Weddle, DVM, covered the grow ing number of resources available to producers through the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan. Producers can access those resources at SecureSheepWool.org.

Research Council at the 2025 ASI Annual Convention looked at how three different producers set about doing just that. In Scaling Up Production: How To Do It Successfully, Texas solar grazer JR Howard joined Pennsylvania Katahdin producer Dan Turner and targeted grazer Robert Irwin of California to discuss how they grew their particular operations. For Howard and Irwin, growth was driven by opportunity and demand for their service-oriented sheep operations. For Turner, growth was made possible by the adoption of technology and the addition of new facilities. “We didn’t have a blueprint to go by,” said Howard, who found himself in a position not so different from many sheep producers through the years. He saw opportunity, but had to figure out a way to make it work for his particular operation. And like Turner, he continued to work a full-time job as his sheep operation ramped up. “I just gave up my corporate job a year ago," Howard said. The explosion of solar grazing opportunities allowed Howard to quickly expand his mostly family-run operation. He has also adopted technology, putting drones to use in an effort to keep an eye on the solar sites he maintains. A longtime targeted grazer with his Kaos Sheep Outfit, Irwin found greener grass in California’s vineyards, and has capitalized on the opportunity while expanding his flock. “My assessment was that if I ever wanted to have a day off, I had to get to 1,000 head,” he said, adding that a vacation to Australia allowed him to see what it might take to expand. He invested in technology but also in labor, and works regularly to educate his shepherds on animal health issues that could easily derail his flock’s earning potential. A business owner, Turner envisioned a retirement where he could look out his front window and keep an eye on his flock. But managing 80 ewes was too labor intensive for he and his wife. “It took two days to collect all the data, so we went to the Shear well system and we could move all the sheep through in three to four hours. We also built a new barn.” Turner now runs one of the largest National Sheep Improve ment Program-registered Katahdin flocks in the nation. One of his biggest takeaways is that producers can’t be afraid to take on debt as they expand. “You have to see it as a business,” he said. “Debt is not necessar ily a bad thing. Borrow money, but make it work for you. When

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