Sheep Industry News May 2023

get some more lamb moving in grocery channels.

WOOL Australian wool market prices continued to slide lower across all micron categories in Australian dollars. Local port loading and banking issues are contributing to lower prices. But, overall, there appears to be more for sale in recent weeks compared to a year ago. As prices have declined, more bales have been pulled from auctions as produc ers decided to pass on lower prices and wait to see what happens. An important factor for American pro

ducers to note is that the wool price decline noted above has been muted in U.S. dollar denominated wool prices due to exchange rate moves. The exchange movements have led to bigger price declines than we have seen here. The end result is that prices to American wool producers are holding up better than those of other countries. It is also likely that worries about economic slowdowns or reces sions that might come later in the year are weighing down prices and adding some uncertainty. Actions by the Federal Reserve to slow the economy to bring down inflation have yet to have a large effect. Economic slowdowns or recessions would most likely lower wool prices by reducing demand for final goods. These effects won’t be limited to the wool market, but will spill over into all other con sumer goods, including competing fibers.

SUMMARY Growing supplies – both production and storage – have hurt lamb prices so far this year. But, even with larger production, heavier slaughter weight lamb prices have increased. Production should begin to decline seasonally from now into summer adding a boost to slaughter weight lamb prices. Worries about the overall economy later in the year will weigh on prices at wholesale and retail. Those same concerns about a potential recession will likely hold back wool prices through the year.

APHIS & Scrapie Surveillance

8 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org line after a 70-year battle against scrapie, a fatal disease that affects the brain of sheep and goats. While the current program has been very successful in drastically reducing the amount of scrapie in the U.S., we are still finding scrapie positive animals. The most recent two cases of scrapie found in the U.S. were sampled at slaughter – a sheep tested in Wisconsin in 2021 and a goat in Indiana in 2019,” read a recent statement from APHIS. “However, we were unable to trace these to T he U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is looking to increase sheep producer participation in scrapie surveil lance. “The United States is nearing the goal

the farms of origin. It is likely there are still farms with cases of scrapie. “One of the most difficult aspects of an eradication program is finding the last few cases of the disease. This involves testing sheep and goats that are showing signs sus pect of scrapie but also testing those mature animals that may be incubating the disease. Here is where we need your help. If you have an adult sheep or goat that is exhibiting signs of scrapie such as incoordination, severe con tinuous rubbing or other neurologic signs, or an adult animal dies or is euthanized, or is being culled – even if you know the cause of death – please contact your local state or USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services veterinar ian or call 866-536-7593 right away. There is

no charge for the collection or testing of the samples for scrapie. In addition, producers providing samples may be eligible for free of ficial plastic tags as long as our supplies last. “For a country to be considered free of scrapie, international standards require that no sheep or goats test positive for classical scrapie for seven years and a certain level of testing be done each year that represents the sheep and goat populations within the coun try. The annual goal set for the United States is more than 40,000 samples collected from mature (18 months or older) sheep and goat populations. Please join your fellow produc ers in helping us reach this goal.” Visit APHIS.USDA.gov to learn more about scrapie eradication efforts.