It might be more profitable for sheep farmers to raise their animals for market

The American Sheep industry says they have seen a lot of changes over the last two decades, but there is one trend they say has helped with profitability.

“We’re seeing a lot of lambs that are going to market and going to the processing at a much lighter weight. The dollar amount is the same. It’s just a lighter-weight animal, so you’re putting in less feed, less input, and less management overall to get the same return. I think a lot of that is just customer preference. We’re seeing a lot of what we’d call the more nontraditional or ethnic market. They like a smaller carcass,” said Peter Orwick, executive director of the American Sheep Industry Association.

Related Stories
David Fisher with the American Lamb Board joined us to discuss a new sustainability program designed to boost producer profitability while supporting stewardship practices.
March 15 of each year is the application deadline for the Pima Cotton Trust, and March 1 of each year is the application deadline for the Wool Trust. The law mandates trust payments by April 15. More information about these programs is available at www.fas.usda.gov/programs.
Herd contraction remains gradual across North America.
Corey Owens of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Association shares updates about this year’s event and its continued impact on youth, agriculture, and the San Angelo community.
Rebuilding domestic textiles depends on automation and vertical integration, not tariffs or legacy manufacturing models.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Updated Dicamba information is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s agri-legal expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law.
On January 31, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed tax legislation containing provisions of importance to farmers and ranchers in particular and many taxpayers in general.
In this Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV legal expert Roger McEowen, he looks ahead at what might be the biggest issues in ag law and tax in 2024.
In part seven of his blog series,"Top 10 Developments in Ag Law and Tax in 2023,” agri-legal expert Roger McEowen covers the #1 issues, SCOTUS and defining a “Water of the United States.”
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.