SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NCERA190 : Increased Efficiency of Sheep Production
- Period Covered: 06/01/2005 to 06/01/2006
- Date of Report: 08/01/2006
- Annual Meeting Dates: 06/25/2006 to 06/27/2006
Participants
Berg, Paul, North Dakota State University Berger, Yves (ymberger@wisc.edu), University of Wisconsin Bunch, Thomas D. (tombunch@cc.usu.edu), Utah State University Burfening, Peter (pburfening@csrees.usda.gov), USDA, CSREES Burke, Joan M. (jmburke@sps.ars.usda.gov), USDA, ARService Collins, Joni (jcollins@vsu.edu), Virginia State University Daniel, Jay (jay_daniel@sdstate.edu), South Dakota State University Getz, Will (getzw@fvsu.edu), Fort Valley State University Godfrey, Bob (rgodfre@uvi.edu), University of the Virgin Islands Held, Jeff (Jeffrey.Held@sdstate.edu), South Dakota State University Hogue, Douglas (deh17@cornell.edu), Cornell University Irwin, Lyndon (lirwin@prodigy.net), American Sheep Industry Association Kuehn, Larry (kuehn@email.marc.usda.gov), USDA, ARS, USMARC Lewis, Gregory (glewis@pw.ars.usda.gov), USDA, ARS, USSES Leymaster, Kreg (leymaster@email.marc.usda.gov), USDA, ARS, USMARC Luther, Justin (Justin.Luther@ndsu.edu), North Dakota State University Meyer, Howard (howard.h.meyer@orst.edu), Oregon State University Miller, James (jmille1@lsu.edu), Louisiana State University Morgan, James (jlmm@earthlink.net), National Sheep Improvement Program Morrical, Dan (morrical@iastate.edu), Iowa State University Notter, David (drnotter@vt.edu), Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ. Rodgers, Paul (prodgers2@earthlink.net), American Sheep Industry Association Schaefer, Dan (schaeferd@ansci.wisc.edu), University of Wisconsin Thomas, Dave (dlthomas@wiscmail.wisc.edu), University of Wisconsin Thonney, Michael L. (mlt2@cornell.edu), Cornell University Waldron, Dan (d-waldron@tamu.edu), Texas A&M University Wildeus, Stephan (swildeus@vsu.edu), Virginia State University
[Minutes]
Accomplishments
Use of fermentable fiber for better feed efficiency in self-fed rations for sheep. Metabolic problems, including sub-clinical acidosis and reduced feed intake, prevent sheep from fully utilizing components of self-fed concentrate diets. A new concept in ruminant nutrition developed scientists at Cornell University is that ruminant diets should contain certain minimum concentrations of fermentable fiber based upon the class and productivity of the animals. Many diets formulated for sheep are deficient in fermentable fiber. Experiments have shown that rumen metabolic problems can be eliminated and feed intake maximized when sheep are fed diets balanced for fermentable neutral detergent fiber (FNDF) and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCHO). Feeding recommendations for minimum levels of FDNF and maximum levels of NSCHO have been estimated and incorporated into a diet formulation program that will be tested by other experiment stations involved in the NCERA-190 project. Testing and refinement of this new approach for balancing diets for sheep will lead to logical nutritional recommendations for including by-product feeds from processing corn, soybeans, wheat, and other grains. Utilizing the high concentrations of FNDF in these by-product feeds by incorporating them into self-fed diets will eliminate death losses that commonly occur from "grain overload" and improve feed intake of highly productive animals such as feedlot lambs and dairy ewes or ewes nursing twins and triplets.
Isolation of genetic markers associated with production traits in sheep. Scientists from Utah State University and Texas A&M are working toward whole-genome physical mapping of sheep. Objectives are to expedite positional cloning efforts of trait genes underlying QTL, to generate gene arrays for more informative expression analyses, to target specific chromosomal regions for marker development, to provide a scaffolding for sequencing of the ovine genome, and to conduct cross-species comparative genome analyses.
Evaluation of lamb production of Dorper ewes at Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Increasing production costs are a challenge to the economic sustainability of sheep production and may be reduced by proper breed selection. Rambouillet, a wool breed well adapted to arid Texas conditions, has traditionally been used by southwestern US producers, but has lost its economic advantage because of decreased wool value. Evaluation for life time lamb production of the Dorper, a hair or shedding breed adapted to hot arid climates, compared with the Rambouillet is necessary. The potential economic impact will be a function of number of lambs born, lamb survival, lamb growth rate, and lamb carcass and pelt value. The first lambs were produced in 2005. Information from this project, when completed, will be used to help sheep producers make informed decisions about which breed to raise and the expected economic impact of their breed choice.
Healthy lamb products. Scientists at South Dakota University cooperated with those at NDSU Hettinger Research Station on development of high selenium lamb as a human health food.
Hair sheep efforts. In an effort to manage the limited Barbados Blackbelly germplasm, UVI and Virginia State University have exchanged rams. The Barbados Blackbelly is a hair breed with important traits such as gastrointestinal parasite resistance and high prolificacy. When used in a crossbreeding scheme with traditional U.S. breeds, these traits may lend improvements to a flock.
Impacts
- Effects of dietary intake and maternal growth during pregnancy in ewe lambs. Ewe lambs compared with yearlings can yield more pounds of lamb over their reproductive lifetime. Scientists from NDSU and USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station determined that optimizing nutrition during pregnancy in the ewe lamb has the potential to enhance the level of lamb production on the U.S. sheep enterprise. These findings will allow sheep producers to make better management decisions when breeding ewe lambs under traditional and accelerated sheep production systems.
- Feeding twice daily in tropics can decrease weight loss in post-partum ewes. Weight lost after lambing can decrease reproductive responses in ewes. Scientists at the University of the Virgin Islands determined that by feeding in morning and afternoons, ewes consumed more feed and lost less weight than those fed once daily; however, reproductive responses were not improved.
- Terminal sires improve lamb carcass traits. Scientists from the USDA, ARS U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Virginia Tech, and SDSU collaborated on evaluation of terminal sires. In addition, scientists from USDA, ARS, MARC and Texas A&M developed strategies to improve efficiency of lean growth, carcass quality, and meat palatability through the use of a composite sire breed. Production of improved breed-types potentially leads to competitive lamb products in U.S. and international markets.
- Use of antibiotic fails to control lung lesions in lambs. Severe lung lesions result in reduced average daily gain in lambs. Scientists at South Dakota State University determined that targeted feeding of chlorotetracycline did not reduce the prevalence of lung lesions, though a reduction would result in fewer days on feed or increased market weights of lambs, increasing the market price of the animal. This information is important to producers, extension agents, and veterinarians.
- Dairy sheep research. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has the only research program dedicated to dairy sheep production in North America. Cornell University and UW have collaborated in providing Extension support to this new and growing industry. UW-Madison assisted and remains active in the development of the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative (WSDC). There was an increase in sheep milk marketings by the WSDC - from 20,500 kg in its initial year in 1996 to over 455,000 kg in 2006; a 21-fold increase in marketing of milk.
- Hair sheep research captured. Research presented at the 2005 Hair Sheep Workshop that was held at Virginia State University in conjunction with the NCERA-190 meeting can be found at the American Sheep Industry website, http://www.sheepandgoat.com/HairSheepWorkshop/index.html. This information is important to scientists, producers and other sheep industry professionals and can lead to improved management decisions and proper breed selection.
- Management of hair sheep for optimal lamb production. The use of hair breeds for lamb production has increased over the past few years, but little has been reported on out-of-season breeding. ARS scientists in AR determined that Dorper, Katahdin, and St. Croix ewes were all capable of breeding out-of-season and Utah State University and the ARS US Sheep Experiment Station determined that accelerated breeding can increase production by 20% in St. Croix. These results indicate suitable breeds for seasonal breeding, which support increased sheep numbers in southeastern US.
- Sheep numbers increase in U.S. Activities of the NCERA 190 committee have contributed to the growth of the hair sheep and dairy sheep industry in the U.S. and sheep and lamb numbers increased in 2005 and 2006 according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
- Locating markers for parasite resistance in sheep. Gastrointestinal parasites have a profound effect on sheep production. In a collaborative study between Utah State University and Louisiana State University, regions in the ovine genome on chromosomes 1 and 9 have been identified that may play a role in resistance to gastrointestinal parasites. This may have an impact on identification and production of parasite resistant sheep.
- Copper oxide wire particles (COWP) as an effective method to control internal parasites in sheep. Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) that causes anemia and death is a major problem for sheep producers. Scientists at USDA, ARS in AR, LSU, Fort Valley State University, and Iowa State University determined that 0.5 g COWP can be safely used in lambs without causing toxicity and costs less than 10% of conventional dewormers. This finding is important to producers in warm, humid climates looking for sustainable alternatives to chemical dewormers.
- The NCERA 190 committee is involved in activities of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Program (NSIP) through Dr. Dave Notter, and contributed to the expansion of the program in breeds and number of animals enrolled.