Sheep Industry News September 2022

the emphasis on the consumer is what I was looking for this week. My flock is at a crossroads. Do I need to go big, go small or go home?" Sessions such as Cody Hiemke's session for direct marketers on calculating costs and pricing lamb, and sessions on evalu ating lamb carcasses by Travis Hoffman, Ph.D., certainly made the trip worthwhile. "This has been really what I needed at this point to look at raising a marketable product efficiently and cost effectively with profit," said the producer who also works off the farm as a nurse. "No one wants to raise sheep for no money. I'd do it anyway. I love raising sheep and talking about sheep." A Craigslist ad helped Cartwright find a market for the lambs that her 50 ewe flock of Polypay crosses produces each year. She direct markets and allows on-farm, Halal slaughter. "I'm really good at lambing. From there, it's all kind of downhill for me," she admitted. "My production from weaning to market has been poor, and that's why I'm here. My moms are good because I've really

focused on those maternal traits, so get ting them to that weaning weight has been good. But feeding them out to meet market demand has been difficult." That being said, three buyers represent ing several communities of ethnic buyers generally take all of the lambs she can produce. "I love knowing that my product is born, lives and dies on my farm," she added. "Throughout the process, I know that it's cared for. I get to meet the families that I'm feeding, which is very rewarding. They keep coming back, and bringing their friends and family with them." The summit's second day began with two presentations centered on muscle. Andrea Garmyn, Ph.D., tackled Understanding Ba sic Meat/Muscle Biology and How It Impacts Eating Quality , while Tom Murphy, Ph.D., discussed Utilizing Genetics to Maximize Edible Muscle . Garmyn relayed her work with a lamb flavor study in New Zealand several years ago. The study concluded that post mor tem aging of carcasses negated most flavor

differences between grass and grain fed lambs. She said it's important to note that not all grass fed is created equally and often varies greatly from one country to the next or even within a country. There's also a positive relationship between marbling and eating quality. Murphy said it should be the goal of the American sheep industry to utilize genetics and technology to maximize edible muscle. He admitted that "what we see phenotypi cally isn't always what we get genetically. While we might not know the genetic merit of the animals in a flock, we can predict it using Estimated Breeding Values. "The commercial producer might not need to be a National Sheep Improvement Program member, but he should be buying sheep from NSIP-enrolled flocks," Murphy said. "People say that NSIP sheep don't look any different, but we can't blame the tool. It's the producer's job to take his flock in whatever direction he wants to take it." For more information on the conference and to access presentations, visit LambRe sourceCenter.com/summit2022.

BLONQUIST BROS. & SONS Raising Sheep in the Mountains of Utah for 55 years

The Next Generation: Cael, Luke, Lane & Cutler (not pictured).

Earl & JaNae Blonquist 435-640-8076

Alma & Janet Blonquist 435-336-2014

Wes & Tracy Blonquist 435-640-8075

Gavin & Bridgette Blonquist 435-640-3829

September 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 23