Three North Dakota sheep producers were presented "Master Sheep Producer" awards at the annual banquet of the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association at the Ramada Inn in Bismarck, Dec. 6. The banquet and awards presentation were a part of the second annual North Dakota Sheep Convention.
Each producer was recognized for his excellence and efficiency in sheep production, according to Roger Haugen, extension livestock specialist at North Dakota State University. The awards are sponsored by the Production Credit Association of North Dakota, the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association and the North Dakota Cooperative Extension Service.
1981
Master Purebred Sheep Producer
Dennis Dockter
Cogswell
Dennis Dockter of Cogswell is North Dakota's 1981 Master Purebred Sheep Producer. Dockter's flock consists of about 130 Suffolk and 35 Columbia ewes. Sheep became a part of his farming operation in 1970 with the purchase of his first registered Suffolk ewes. Besides the purebred flocks, Dockter runs 250 commercial ewes and farms 2,000 acres in Sargent County.
Lambing begins in January on the Dockter farm and ends in April. A totally insulated barn with a controlled ventilation system is used for lambing. Ewes are put in the barn 10 to 14 days prior to lambing. Ewes and lambs go out 30 to 45 days after lambing, depending on space. Efficient utilization of the building is obtained with the purebred flock lambing in January and February, and the commercial flock in March and April. Dockter's Suffolk ewes had a 170% lamb drop in 1980 and weaned 160%.
Production records play a key role in Dockter's selection program. Weights are taken at birth, 30, 60 and 90 days of age on all purebred lambs. Ewes are evaluated on pounds of lamb produced at 30 and 60 days. Lambs that don't make 100 pounds in 90 days are discriminated against. A high percentage of Dockter's Suffolk lambs are gaining over a pound per day.
The feeding program consists mainly of home grown feeds such as alfalfa hay, corn, millet and screenings. Commercial feeds are used for the lambs during the early growing periods.
Besides being known for their Suffolk sheep, Dockters are also known for their Border Collie dogs
Dockter serves as vice president of the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association, chairman of the Co-op Grain Elevator Board, and is mayor of the city of Cogswell. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, on the board for the Methodist Church, past president and director on the Sargent County Fair Board for 15 years, and has been a 4-H leader.
Dockter and his wife, Denise, have three sons (Mike, Tim and Kevin).
1981
Master Commercial Sheep Producer
Marlin "Bud" Norby
Fairview, MT
Marlin "Bud" Norby of Fairview (Mt) is North Dakota's 1981 Master Commercial Sheep Producer . The Norby operation, also known as "Country Lane Sheep Farm" is located in McKenzie County. The Norby flock which consists of 800 ewes are reared in drylot and confinement. He's in the process of developing the Polypay breed, a four-way cross involving the Rambouillet, Finnsheep, Dorset and Targhee.
The management ability to make a confinement building work, to save a high percentage of lambs dropped, and to get the most out of the crops produced through sheep are keys to Norby's success.
A climate-controlled fully insulated 60' by 200' clear span building is used during the lambing season, which begins in February. Temperature is maintained at 40 to 45 degrees F in the barn with no artificial heat. Norby's death loss has been as low as 2% and as high as 5% during the lambing period. In 1980, his lamb drop was 202% and he weaned 197% at 90 days. The convenience of his facilities have made his operation feasible and is the biggest single factor contributing to the management of his size operation.
Fenceline bunk feeders and roughage self feeders are used in his drylot-confinement operation. An overhead feeding system is employed in the confinement barn. Rations are blended in an auger mixer wagon. Alfalfa, beet top silage and oats, which are all home grown, make up the rations. His confinement sheep operation has doubled the gross income received from his 450 acres of irrigated land.
Norby has assisted many producers thinking about going confinement production. In the past three years, well over 1,000 people have visited the Norby operation. His ideas and advice have helped many.
Norby is on the church council at St. Catherine's Church, a director of the Fairview Bank, president of the Mon-Dak Sheep Association, member of the NDLWPA, and a 4-H leader. He and his wife, Jenny, have two sons (Mitchell and Ronald) and three daughters (Theresa, Brenda and Renae).
1981
Master Lamb Feeder
Rodney Hickle
Center
Rodney Hickle of Center is North Dakota's 1981 Master Lamb Feeder. Hickle annually feeds out about 1,000 lambs. He's been in the lamb feeding business for 11 years. Besides feeding lambs, Hickle also runs about 700 commercial ewes on his Oliver county farm.
In addition to feeding out lambs from his own commercial herd, Hickle purchases approximately 500 feeder lambs locally and occasionally some from West Fargo. Lambs are vaccinated for overeating and wormed at the time of purchase.
Minimal death loss and efficient utilization of a confinement barn are keys to Hickle's success. Death losses are maintained around 1% in his feeder lambs. A medicated watering system is used to help control health problems.
Lambs are fed out in a 100' x 200' confinement building. An automated feeding system is used. Feed is augered in two bunklines which takes 30 minutes a day. Lambs are fed 1/2 to 1 pound of grain/head/day plus all the haylage they want. Terramycin crumbles are also added to the feed.
All lambs go to market by February to make room for Hickle's commercial ewe flock which start lambing in March. Hickle gets maximum utilization of his confinement barn with his commercial ewe flock and the lambing feeding business.
Hickle is a member of the Oliver County Farm Bureau, NDLWPA, Central Dakota Gem and Mineral Society and a past director and president of the Oliver County Livestock & Crop Association. He and his wife, Carol, are members of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Center.