432 Sheep Pro

06/14/2022

While the lambs are going through their own processing line, the ewes at MAES Red Bluff are being weighed, body condition scored and bag scored on a Te Pari handler. As the ewe enters the cradle, electronic eyes tell the pheumatocally operated cradle when to close. A gate also closes automatically to keep the next ewe in line from pushing forward. A built in tag reader sends the EID tag automatically to the scalehead and Dr Chris simply enters the BCS and bag score. When finished, he manually releases the ewe. When set on auto draft, sheep enter the cradle, are restrained, tag read, weight recorded, released and automatically sorted one of five ways depending on preset conditions in the scalehead.

06/14/2022

Using Electronic ID tags to record milk weights on lambs at MAES Red Bluff. Lambs were tagged a birth and linked to their dam's EID tag. Since we are giving a C, D &T and soremouth vaccine and pulling some research samples, it's easier to have someone hold them on the scale. At weaning, they will simply be run through the autosorter.

08/10/2021

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=307936084457421&id=100057230967214

Had the pleasure of meeting with Kevin Harvey last night at our first Animal and Range Sciences Departmental retreat held at the Sac in Three Forks. Mr. Harvey was one of the first MSU graduates from the Land Rehab program and hires many summer employees from MSU. His firm KC Harvey contracts with some of the largest companies in the world and he has experience working on many continents over his career. Ways he thought students could improve their employment opportunities included: 1) improve technical writing skills, 2) gain practical experience through internships and summer employment, 3) explore different career opportunities. Kevin advised us the students need to understand the business aspect as much as the science in their chosen field. In the private industry, sales and marketing are absolutely crucial and we don't often focus on those issues enough in academics. On gaining practical business knowledge, Kevin recommended: 1) gain experience in profit/loss responsibility, 2) read a financial paper everyday for a year like the Wall Street Journal, 3) learn some basic human psychology. Kevin indicated that solving all the problems in the world is easy, but dealing with people is hard. He wrapped up by saying he is very excited about future careers in land resources and really encouraged all land managers to study basic soil science fundamentals. Big thank you to Dr Yeoman and Susan for setting this up. Very good discussion between research and teaching professors and extension specialists about taking the Department of Animal and Range Sciences at MSU to the next level.

02/25/2021

Short video from shearing on a family operation just below Tiber Reservoir. Very nice, well lit load up alley with an inchute gate. Nice barn that is free of straw until after shearing to reduce wool contamination. Raised floor, 4 stand shearing trailer. Tarps to keep the wool clean and out of the dirt. Two skirting tables to remove any dirty or short wool. Plenty of bags to sort off bellies, tags and coarse wool from the mainline which goes into the baler. A little wet wool drying in the sun.

09/12/2020

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/6915868/australian-export-markets-grow-on-back-of-nz-sheep-flock-decline/%3Fcs%3D5184&ct=ga&cd=CAEYAioUMTE2OTI5NTg0NzU3MDU3ODE0NjUyGjAxMjlhZTBkNDc5YmRiNzM6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNFkntRj51B14jxmr3T1vwCfg-HJvQ

New Zealand has reduced its sheep flock dramatically over the years but what does the future look like for the country and how will it impact our markets?

08/22/2020

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=wA5CWom-nhk

We talk with Steve Skelton of Blackleaf Guardians about his sheep, 9,000 acre Montana Ranch, grizzly bears and mostly livestock guardian dogs. Learn all abou...

04/17/2020

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1294154327437287&id=410607145792014

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: COVID 19 - Sheep and Goat Market Update. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

04/10/2020

https://www.facebook.com/373450956856/posts/10156780388486857/

On this special edition of the ASI SheepCast Dr. David Anderson, a Professor and Extension Economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M, provides an outlook on the current lamb m

04/03/2020

We'll be doing a live Facebook post from the Talcott Ranch at Hammond tommorow at 3:30 pm if you can tune in. We'll record it so you can watch it later if your working. Looks to be rather chilly as they'll be a little above zero in the morning with six inches of snow on the ground, but it will warm up rapidly this weekend. Hope to see you there.

03/30/2020

Hey!
Join me tomorrow 9 am for a Facebook live session on the lab and the OFDA 2000. We will have a wooly Tuesday to start off the wool portion of this class! See you then!

-Sarah Maninger Co-Manager, MT Wool Lab