Annual Sheep Convention Set for December 5-6, 2003
at Seven Seas Motel in Mandan
Dear Sheep Producer
We am writing you in the hope that you may consider a continued or new
membership in the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association and the
American Sheep Industry Association. Please consider this your personal
invitation to attend our Annual Convention, December 5th and 6th
in Mandan, ND.
The NDLWPA is a voluntary group of producers and industry
representatives brought together by common interests and goals for our future.
NDLWPA has chosen as part of their structure to join forces with the American
Sheep industry Association. We believe in doing so gives us the much needed
voice and credibility in Washington DC and at state forums. A convention agenda
is included in the newsletter. We hope to see you on December 5th and
6th in Mandan.
Thank you,
Board of Directors of NDLWPA
Sheep Industry Loses a Dear Friend and Sheepman
The North Dakota sheep industry lost a true friend and sheepman in the passing
of Richard (Dick) Pfliger on November 8, 2003. Dick’s contributions to our
industry has affected both our association as well as the sheep industry itself.
Dick was one of the founder members of our association and was at the helm as
President when we held our first convention on December 1-2, 1979 at the Seven
Seas in Mandan. Dick served as our President from 1979 to 1984. He was North
Dakota's1980 Master Lamb Feeder recipient. The Association honored Dick with a
Certificate of Appreciation in 1986 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2001.
Dick will be remembered for his candor and his leadership in the industry and
especially in the NDLWPA. To all who met Dick, he was straight forward in his
advice and friendship. But above all else, Dick will be remembered for his
laughter. He lived life to its fullest and enjoyed being around people. We will
truly miss him at our sheep events. Our prayers go out to his family, especially
Eunice and Burton.
I will miss my friend!!
Sincerely,
Roger Haugen
Convention Agenda (All
Times are CST)
Friday, December 5
6:00 pm Registration
7:00 pm Station Reports
Hettinger Sheep Unit Report, Tim Faller, HREC Director
NDSU Sheep Unit Report, Wes Limesand, NDSU Shepherd
7:30 pm Pictures and Report from the Bus Tour on November 5&6
7:30 pm Social - Snacks and lamb
8:00 pm Entertainment
8:30 pm Association fund raiser auction of donated items
Saturday, December 6
8:00 am Registration continues
8:30 am ASI Activities, Remarks, Questions and Answers, Burdell Johnson,
ASI Secretary/Treasurer
9:00 am Wildlife Service Update, Phil Mastrangelo, Director
9:30 am Confined Animal Feeding Regulations, Scott Ressler, ND Stockman’s
Association
10:00 am US Animal ID Plan, Dr. Susan Keller, Deputy State Veterinarian
10:45 am Scrapie Genotyping Cost Share Program, Dr. Larry Schuler, State
Veterinarian
11:00 am American Lamb Board Update, Sherry Jennings, Association Partners Plus
11:30 am Luncheon, Awards, MIYWW Style Show
1:00 pm What’s Right with American Agriculture, Dr. Ken Odde, Head, NDSU
Animal and Range Sciences Department
1:45 pm Market Influences, A Look Ahead, Tom McDonnell, ASI
2:45 pm What Works in My Sheep Operation, Stuart Gessner, Penn, North
Dakota’s 2001 Master Sheep Producer
3:10 pm Economics of $1.20 Feeder Lambs, Roger Haugen, NDSU Sheep
Specialist, Animal and Range Sciences Department
3:30 pm Annual Meeting of NDLWPA
4:15 pm Closing Remarks, President Burton Pfliger
Convention Registration
Registration fees will be collected at the door. Adults: couples - $40;
singles - $25. Kids - $10 with the Saturday luncheon, free without .
Registration fees includes Friday night activities and food plus breaks on
Saturday and Saturday luncheon. Room reservations should be made directly to the
Seven Seas Motel, phone 1-800-597-7327 or 701/663-7401. Indicate you are
attending the Sheep Convention for a special rate of $52 a room.
Attention NDLWPA members!
Items are needed for the fund raising auction on Friday night of the
convention. All donated items are auction off with proceeds going to
association.
NDSU Sheep School - December 4-5 in Bismarck
Topics including management, nutrition, breeding and new technology will be
covered in a two-day sheep school scheduled for Thursday and Friday, December 4
and 5, in Bismarck. One day of the school will coincide with the North Dakota
Lamb and Wool Producers' Annual Sheep Producers Convention, set for Friday and
Saturday, December 5 and December 6. The school will be held at the Burleigh
County Extension Office and the convention will be held at Mandan's Seven Seas
Motel and Convention Center. The school is sponsored by the North Dakota State
University Extension Service and the NDSU Hettinger Research Extension Center.
Tuition is $25 per person or $35 for two people from the same operation.
Tuition includes noon meals both days. Participation will be limited to the
first 25 operations to enroll. The enrollment deadline is Friday, November 28.
To receive a registration packet or for more information on the school or
housing, contact Tim Faller, Hettinger Research Extension Center, Box 1377,
Hettinger, N.D. 58639, (701) 567-4323. Or contact Roger Haugen, NDSU, Hultz
Hall, P.O. Box 5053, Fargo, ND 58105-5053, (701) 231-7645.
South Dakota Sheep Shearing School
Instructors: Curt
and Steve Olson, Professional Sheep Shearers, Montana ; Murl Patrick,
Professional Sheep Shearer, South Dakota; Jeff Held, SDSU Extension Sheep
Specialist
Where: Brookings, SD
When: December 3-5, 2003
Topics covered: Professional shearing pattern, equipment maintenance & repair ,
wool handling & preparation.
Instruction fee: $125.00 per person - fee includes handbook, videotape.
Participation: Experienced and non-experienced; limited to 10 students per
school.
One on one instruction, standardized shearing pattern..
REGISTRATION FOR SHEEP SHEARING SCHOOL Brookings, SD -- December 3-5,
2003
Name:____________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________________
Work phone:_________________________ Home phone:__________________
Fee: $125 per person. Registration deadline: November 26, 2003. FIFTY DOLLARS
MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM. Mail to: South Dakota Sheep Shearing Program, Box
2170, Brookings, SD 57007.
Phone: 605-688-5433. E-mail:
jeffrey_held@sdstate.edu.
Sponsored by SDSGA, Wool Committee with cooperation from SDSU Extension Service.
Articles for the February Newsletter
The next newsletter will be published the end of January for February 1
delivery. I invite anyone to submit articles to be included. I will need them by
the middle of January. Thank you! Roger Haugen, Extension Sheep Specialist,
Hultz Hall, NDSU, Fargo, ND 58105. Phone: 231-7645; Fax: 231-7590; Email:
rohaugen@ndsuext.nodak.edu
News from the State
Minutes from NDLWPA Board Meeting
October 13, 2003 at Seven Seas, Mandan, ND
President Burton Pfliger called the meeting to order with the following in
attendance: Mark Sheppard, Matt Benz, Roger Haugen, Burton Pfliger, Burdell
Johnson, John Gupman, Brent Stroh, Rodney Hickle and Paula Swenson.
Secretary Report: Brent Stroh made a motion to suspend the reading of the
minutes, Mark Sheppard seconded. Motion carried.
Treasurers Report: Burdell reported that we have $3,170.49 in CD’s, and
$9,819.52 in the checking account as of this date. Matt Benz made a motion to
accept the treasurers report, Brent Stroh seconded. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
Burdell reported that the Ag Coalition has a new dues structure. Currently
NDLWPA is paying $200 and under the new structure will go to $300. We are
considered a smaller organization (those with less than 200 members). Larger
organizations will be paying $500. Consensus was to discuss this at the annual
meeting with the membership.
There was discussion on the proposal brought forward at the last meeting by
Rick Schmidt regarding a carcass lamb contest from the state fair. More
meaningful data would be helpful. Burton will contact Rick regarding exactly
what he is looking for and to request better data.
Burton reported that he is still waiting for an opinion regarding whether our
non-profit status would be affected by selling the sheep equipment that the
state penitentiary makes. He will report back later.
National animal ID program: USDA has started a national animal ID program and
they are not at this time recognizing the scrapie tag identification program in
place. After discussion a resolution was drafted as follows: Brent Stroh made
the motion to put forth the following resolution, John Gupman seconded. Motion
carried.
Be it
resolved that the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association urges USDA to
implement only one (1) national ID system for the sheep industry. Whatever
National Animal ID system is implemented, one tag system identification needs to
satisfy both the National Animal ID Program and the Scrapie ID Program and or
all Federally mandated programs.
NEW BUSINESS
The Colorado Wool Growers is offering blankets to us at cost if we’d like to use
them for fundraisers. Matt made a motion to buy a queen size, blue blanket for
our fundraiser auction. Paula seconded the motion. Motion carried. Members can
order blankets if they choose to and we will add 10% to the purchase price the
Colorado Wool Growers has established, as a fundraiser.
The upcoming convention was discussed. The schedule was set and the menu
planned. John Gupman agreed to cook the lamb again for our noon meal. Burton
Pfliger will again take care of the marinade for it. Mark Sheppard made a
motion, seconded by John Gupman to have a special speaker at the convention.
Motion carried. Paula made a motion, seconded by John Gupman to have Matt Benz
contact the "German Ladies" for entertainment. Matt Benz made a motion to charge
$15 for the noon meal - motion died for lack of a second. John Gupman made a
motion, seconded by Brent Stroh, to charge a $25 convention fee per person - $40
for a couple. This fee will include the Friday night social expense also. Kids
under age 12 will pay $10 for the noon meal.
OTHER BUSINESS
Awards, Nominations & Committee:
Roger Haugen needs 2-3 people to work on a screening committee for the
Master Producer Awards. Brent Stroh and Burt Pfliger volunteered for this. Roger
also needs 1-2 people to travel with during farm visits. He will contact two
previous winners.
Burdell reported that ASI has 5 national awards they give out every year at
the convention. He stated that one of them is a media award and would like to
see our association put forth Al Gustin’s name as a nominee. Matt Benz made the
motion, seconded by Mark Sheppard to put forth Al Gustin as the ag media
spokesperson for the ASI award. Motion carried.
Burt reported on other NDLWPA awards given in the past - distinguished
service and certificates of appreciation. Asked if there were any other we might
put forth. Matt Benz made a motion to give a certificate of appreciation to
Arlen Voge for continuing to service the sheep industry. Brent Stroh seconded.
Motion carried.
Burton appointed a distinguished service committee: Roger Haugen, Brent Stroh
and Paula Swenson. Burt also appointed a resolution committee consisting of
Rodney Hickle and Burdell Johnson. The nominating committee Burt appointed is
Matt Benz, John Gupman and Mark Sheppard.
Burdell reported on a discount available if we paid our dues to ASI now.
Brent Stroh made a motion, John Gupman seconded to pay them now. Motion carried.
MIYWW: Jane Horner was absent. She requested $600 to help with contest
expenses. Mark Sheppard made a motion, seconded by Brent Stroh to advance her
$600. Motion carried.
Brent Stroh gave a short report on Dakota Lamb Growers. The Annual Meeting is
set for Nov.15 at Hettinger.
Nov. 5-6 Tour: Dave Buskohl extended an invitation to stop at his feedlot on
the tour if there is time. Burton figures we need 25 people committed to the
tour for it to be a go.
Matt Benz went over the survey results he did for Tim Faller at the Hettinger
Research Center. He sent out 30 questionnaires and received 10 back.
Matt Benz made a motion to adjourn, Mark Sheppard seconded. Motion carried.
Meeing adjourned.
Paula Swenson,
Secretary
Educational Information
by Roger G. Haugen, NDSU Extension Sheep Specialist
Ewe Management: Mid- Late Gestation
Some of the greatest constraints for utilizing the reproduction potential of
sheep is poor management and inadequate nutrition during late gestation. This
highly productive stage requires an increase level of attention to details by
the shepherd.
Feeding ewes! Observe ewes for body condition. During the first months after
breeding, ewes should, if possible, maintain their weight and body condition. It
is a good practice to assess body condition about eight weeks before lambing and
take out the leaner ewes for preferential feeding. The importance of ewe
nutrition in late gestation cannot be emphasis enough. During those last 4 to 6
weeks, the lamb or lambs gain over 75% of their birth weight and the ewe is
starting her milk production. Poor nutrition during this period can have the
following results:
1) An increase of ketosis (pregnancy disease).
2) An increase chance of losing ewes from pneumonia or starvation, especially
older ewes.
3) An increase in light-weight lambs. In itself, light-weight lambs are not bad
because you have fewer difficult births. However, some of these light lambs will
be weak lambs as well and if weather conditions are rough, these lambs will be
the first to die or will require more special care.
4) Milk production of the ewes will be reduced as will lamb gains.
5) If your ewes are not sheared before lambing, poor nutrition will reduce the
value of your wool clip through wool breaks in the fibers, etc.
Provide Minerals! In most cases, a free choice mineral supplement will meet
the needs of ewes. Salt is generally provided to ewes at the level of 0.25-0.40
ounces per head per day or 0.9 lb to 1 lb/head/month. Stabilized iodine salt,
free choice or in a mineral mixture, will meet requirements for sodium, chlorine
and iodine. The amount of calcium and phosphorus in mineral supplements should
vary with the type of feed being offered. A word of caution about prolonged
grazing of pastures and crop residues during mild winters with no additional hay
fed. The pastures and residues are very low in calcium and could lead to some
problems with pregnant ewes going down just prior to lambing. Be sure to have a
mineral supplement available to them. Finely ground limestone is the cheapest
and best source of calcium for supplementation.
Provide Water!!!! Water intake increases by the third month of gestation, is
doubled by the fifth month, and is greater for twin-bearing ewes than for ewes
carrying a single fetus. Voluntary water consumption is two or three times dry
matter consumption and increases with high-protein and salt-containing diets. A
significant relationship exists between total water intake and dry matter
intake. Ewes denied water for more than 24 hours may eat little or no dry feed.
A lack of water accompanied by a severe depression in feed intake predisposes
ewes to all sorts of problems, namely unthriftiness, malnutrition and, possibly,
pregnancy disease in the case of multiple bearing ewes. Ewes in drylot require
about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water per day during gestation. Ewes on winter ranges
will drink about .75 gallons per head per day when no snow cover is available.
In late winter, when temperatures go up and the ewes are farther along in
gestation, daily consumption will go up to 1.5 gallons and, if the forage is
extremely dry, a ewe could consume over 2 gallons per day. REMEMBER! Adequate
intake of good-quality water is essential for ewes to excrete excess toxic
substance such as oxalates, ammonia, and mineral salts.
Reduce Stress! Handle as little as possible. Avoid using dogs to move ewes.
Avoid as much traffic (visitors) around the ewes as possible. Minimize the
number of different people doing chores. Shear at least a month before lambing.
Calendar of Events:
December 4-5: Sheep School in Bismarck
December 5-6: Annual Sheep Convention in Mandan
January 21-24: 2004 American Sheep Industry Convention at Sacramento Hyatt,
Sacramento, CA
February 11, 2004: Hettinger Sheep Days in Hettinger