You've reached the Virginia Cooperative Extension Newsletter Archive. These files cover more than ten years of newsletters posted on our old website (through April/May 2009), and are provided for historical purposes only. As such, they may contain out-of-date references and broken links.
To see our latest newsletters and current information, visit our website at http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/.
Newsletter Archive index: http://sites.ext.vt.edu/newsletter-archive/
Sheep Update
Livestock Update, August 2005
Dr. Scott P. Greiner Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech
30th Annual Virginia Ram Lamb Performance Test and Sale August 27
The 30th Annual Virginia Performance Tested Ram Lamb Sale will be held at the Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station near Steeles Tavern, Virginia on Saturday, August 27 starting at 1:00 p.m. The rams recently completed a 63-day gain test. Seventy rams completed the test, including 34 Suffolk, 15 Fall Dorset, 8 Hampshire, 7 Katahdin, 3 Winter Dorset, 2 Southdown, and 1 crossbred. Rams were fed a pelleted ration containing approximately 70% TDN and 14% CP, and had unlimited access to grass paddocks surrounding the station while on test. The ram test program provides a rigorous health management and vaccination program for all participating rams. The top 60 rams based on performance will be offered for sale. All rams sold will be evaluated for structural and reproductive soundness, and will be sold as guaranteed breeders. All rams have been genotype tested to be free of the spider gene, and codon 171 scrapie resistance genotypes will be published. Complete performance information will be available, including ultrasound measurements for carcass traits. The Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station is located at the Shenandoah Valley Agriculture Research and Extension Center, 0.5 mile east of I-81 at Exit 205 (just south of Staunton, VA). For sale information and a catalog, contact Scott Greiner, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, phone (540)231-9163 or email sgreiner@vt.edu.
2005 Sheep Management Basics Workshop Set for October 13-14
The annual Virginia Tech Sheep Management Basics Workshop is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 13-14, 2005. The workshop will be held at the Copenhaver Sheep Center on the campus of Virginia Tech. This workshop is designed for individuals with a limited amount of experience in the care and management of sheep. Special emphasis will be placed on lambing-time management. Participants will get hands-on experience with a group of ewes that will be lambing during the two-day workshop. Other areas to be covered include Facilities and Handling, Baby Lamb Management, Flock Health, Flock Nutrition & Feeding Management, Breeding Management, Basic Record Keeping & Selection, and Lamb Marketing. This workshop is limited to a maximum of 25 participants. Registration fee is $40 per person. The first 25 preregistrants will be enrolled (deadline September 15). First-time participants will be given preference. To preregister for the workshop, contact: Dr. Scott Greiner, Department of Animal & Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, 366 Litton-Reaves Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, phone 540-231-9163 or email sgreiner@vt.edu. Download registration form - PDF
2005 Eastern Stud Ram Sale Results
The 64th Eastern Stud Ram Show and Sale was held June 10-11 at the Augusta Expoland near Staunton. The show was held on Friday with approximately 250 sheep exhibited. Carrie Lynn Wolford Southdowns of Wytheville, VA exhibited the Champion Southdown Ram and Reserve Champion Southdown Ewe. Ashley Club Lambs from Lyndhurst, VA exhibited the Reserve Champion Wether Dam. A total of 216 sheep sold for an average of $421 per head. Sale results, including price and number sold by sex for each breed were as follows:
| Rams | Ewes | |
|---|---|---|
| Breeding Sheep | ||
| Hampshire | $225 (6) | $354 (10) |
| Polled Dorset | $538 (20) | $519 (36) |
| Southdown | $370 (5) | $452 (12) |
| Suffolk | $427 (14) | $468 (14) |
| Wether Sires & Dams | $516 (24) | $350 (63) |
| All Breeding Sheep | $468 (69) | $417 (135) |
| Club Lambs | $192 (12) | |
Virginia Tech Sheep Center
6th Annual Production Sale
Saturday, September 3, 2005- Virginia Tech campus
Selling 15 Suffolk ram lambs
15 Suffolk ewe lambs
10 bred Suffolk ewes
& 10 select bred Dorset ewes
Contact us or visit our web site http://www.apsc.vt.edu/ for more info
Virginia Tech Sheep Center
Department of Animal & Poultry Science
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Dr. Scott Greiner
phone 540-231-9159 email sgreiner@vt.edu