Sheep Industry News November 2023

Industry Educational Opportunities Shearing Schools Planned for 2023-24 A handful of shearing and wool classing schools have an nounced dates for the 2023-24 season. Interested students should make plans now to attend, as spots generally fill up quickly. Each day will feature four presentations. There will be an op portunity to network with other producers through the chat box, and attendees can ask questions of the expert speakers. Here's a preview of topics: • Assessing, and breeding for, udder conformation. • How to recognize and mitigate heat stress in a lactating flock. • The economics of feeding dairy ewes.

• North Dakota State University Shearing School, Nov. 18-20 in Hettinger, N.D. Contact Dr. Christopher Schauer at Christopher. schauer@ndsu.edu. • North Dakota State University Wool Classing School, Nov. 18-20 in Hettinger, N.D. Contact Dr. Christopher Schauer at Christopher.schauer@ndsu.edu. • Utah State University Shearing School, Jan. 18-20, 2024, at the USU Animal Science Farm in Wellsville, Utah. Visit Eventbrite. com/e/usu-sheep-shearing-school-2024-registration- 722911155727 for more information. • Missouri Extension Shearing School, March 6-7, 2024, at Lincoln University’s George Carver Farm in Jefferson City, Mo. Contact Jody Bruemmer at bruemmerj@lincolnu.edu or 573-681 5540. • Shepherd’s Cross Shearing Schools, April 11-13, 2024, and April 15-17, 2024, in Claremore, Okla. Visit Shepherdscross.com/ sheep-shearing-school-asi.html for more information. • Washington State Beginner Shearing School, April 22-26, 2024, Moses Lake, Wash. An advanced shearing school will also be conducted on April 27. Contact Sarah Smith at 509-754-2011, ext. 4363 or smithsm@wsu.edu. Archived SSWS Webinar Available for Viewing A webinar on the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply tabletop exer cise that was conducted during the summer in conjunction with the American Sheep Industry Association, the Colorado Depart ment of Agriculture and industry stakeholders is now archived and available for viewing. The webinar was recorded on Sept. 29. Presenters in the webinar shared lessons learned, preparedness tips and opportunities to achieve business continuity for the sheep industry during a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak. Attendees learned more about the complexities of the sheep industry and how partnerships can be built through preparedness planning. The project was funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperative agreement with ASI and was the first exercise of ASI’s SSWS Plan. To view the webinar, go to https://youtu.be/dhxSfDW9mSU?si =jFRdNKY7py8NApxS. DSANA Schedules Symposium for Nov. 8-9 The Dairy Sheep Association of North America has scheduled its annual symposium for Nov. 8-9. The symposium will be con ducted online again this year.

• Yogurt production, both on-farm and using a co-packer. • Mastitis vaccine trial results and on-farm experiences. • The impact of grazing a milking flock part-time. The symposium will also include video farm tours, which are always popular. The cost for this symposium is free for members, but registration is required. For more information, visit DSANA.org. ASGA Conducting Solar Grazing Survey Have you ever wondered how many acres of solar farms are being grazed or how many solar grazers there are in the United States? What about the average cost per acre to graze solar? These are all questions that are frequently asked of the American Solar Grazing Association. That's why ASGA is conducting the first U.S. solar grazing census. The association needs your help to ensure it gets the best data possible by taking the survey and sharing it widely with your network of solar grazing contacts. Every survey respondent will receive $10 off the cost of an ASGA membership. In addition, all survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to receive a $100 Amazon gift card and special gifts from ASGA. Visit https://tally.so/r/wMNGqp to take the survey. Join IWTO in Montreal in December The International Wool Textile Organization will hold its annual Wool Round Table in Canada for the first time this year. Members of ASI – IWTO’s national committee in the United States – are cordially invited to attend the three-day event in Mon treal on Dec. 4-6. The Round Table brings the global wool textile community to gether for three days of networking and knowledge sharing, with a focus on local industry. This year’s program features speakers from the world’s major wool growing countries, alongside voices from across North America. Day one covers wool market intelligence and sustainability, plus an update from the Campaign for Wool, while day two explores wool for interiors and wool production. A visit to local industry takes place on day three. Visit IWTO.org/wool-round-table-2023/ for information.

10 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org