Coyotes Still a Problem
Alton Stroh
Tappen
Ask Alton Stroh of Tappen what his biggest sheep production problem is and he doesn't hesitate a second: coyotes. In his own words, "It has me climbing off the wall."
His flock of 400 crossbred ewes has a lambing percentage of 150 percent, but the coyote problem has reduced his weaning percentage (number of lambs weaned per ewe exposed) to 140 percent. And his is not just an isolated problem. Area sheepmen are in the same situation. Stroh thinks the buildup in coyotes is largely due to the banning of 1080 plus the ban on shooting coyotes from planes or snowmobiles.
But even with coyote problems, Stroh figures with good management and the present price of ewes, a sheepman should make $100 per ewe. He was chosen as a Master Sheep Producer by the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Growers Association.
He uses an intensive pasture rotation to control worms, moving the flock every two to three weeks. This may help explain why he's lost 50 or more ewes to coyotes, since the ewes are a distance away from the farmstead.
Stroh feeds home-grown barley and oats or buys corn when the price is right as it has been this year. Grain is used only for lamb fattening purposes. He flushes his ewes on good alfalfa-brome pasture. He feeds good quality alfalfa hay before and during lambing. "Good alfalfa hay will produce all the milk a lamb needs, but it has to be good quality, not stuff that has been rained on. Second cutting is good but first cutting can be if you get it up right (not too coarse)," says Stroh.
He has been in the sheep business for 28 years so he is well known to buyers. His lambs usually weigh close to 125 pounds when sold. He has used Teleauction at Steele or Valley City but also likes to deal with a buyer out of Sioux City. He can get by with no yardage or commission, just trucking costs. And the Sioux City deal means little or no shrinkage.
Stroh has been using a Columbia-Suffolk cross, believing that "the lamb will gain a little better and the ewe will milk a little better although there's nothing wrong with a straight Columbia." He's had no bottle lambs since he adopts off triplets. Of the 400 ewes, he usually has close to 10 percent triplets. Watching closely--checking several times during the night as well as twice a day feeding and watering--helps keep on top of problems such as pneumonia before it occurs. Son Bryan helps with sheep chores while wife Bonnie keeps the home fires burning and comfortable when tired sheepmen have been on duty.
Stroh keeps ewes and lambs in jugs for at least three days, especially where twin lambs are concerned. He usually keeps adopted-off lambs with the ewe in a jug for an extra day to be sure of acceptance. Then he puts 15 ewes with the same size lambs in a group for several days and keeps moving to larger pens and numbers so that within a week or 10 days about 100 ewes and lambs are together.
Over the years, Stroh has added several barns, the last one being an insulated steel barn he uses for lambing. Drafts are the big health hazard for lambs. He uses almost no supplemental heat when lambing from March 15 to April 5. He raises all his feeder lambs, 550 this past year. Lambs are fed in a protected area with no barn when unshorn.
Stroh hasn't drenched for worms in 10 years which he credits to his pasture rotation. He used Warbex pour-on for tick control after shearing three years ago and now is free of ticks. He vaccinates annually for vibriosis.
Stroh firmly believes that proper management and labor practices can pay dividends in the sheep business. Even with coyote problems, extra time spent at lambing has helped keep his operation profitable.
He is a member and president of Lions, a committee member on local FHA, on the Tappen Oil Company board of directors, member of church council, on the township board and a member of local Farm Bureau.
Luck or Alertness to Demand?
Ron and Lois Wanner
Hebron
Ron and Lois Wanner of Hebron still claim it was good luck that they were able to pick up the top 60 ewes of a flock whose owner decided to disperse seven years ago. But alertness to market demands has played an important part in their success since they first got into the sheep business.
In the ensuing 7 years, they have culled mercilessly and raised their lambing percentage 40 percent to 189 percent and have increased their flock to 200 ewes. This size flock is the right size for their operation, since small children, 4,000 acres of cropland and 220 head of cows keep things humming. Ron and his brother Archie, both graduates of NDSU as is Lois, are in a full partnership.
The Wanners were honored as Master Sheep Producers at the annual North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association meeting recently.
The original 60 ewes were Rambouillet cross. The Wanners like to keep some of this breed in the flock to satisfy the demand for wool when prices are good. When the market for lamb picks up, Suffolk crosses are the breed of .choice. Columbia crosses are the third breed. All crosses are with Finn for that breed's twinning ability. The Wanners believe in getting the most pounds of lambs per ewe and maintaining good wool quality. They average 10 to 12 pounds per ewe shorn each year. They keep 50 to 60 ewe lambs as replacements each year and are tough on culling. They cull out ewes that can't raise two lambs and also cull on mothering ability, size, and type of fleece.
They use an "Orphan Annie" for bottle lambs and are not concerned about bottle lamb numbers since they have a ready local market. An ad in the local paper produced results. About 75 callers wanted lambs for 4-H projects or other purposes, so now they have a list of prospective buyers for bottle lambs.
A slightly revamped ample hay barn supplies space for lambing, grouping after lambing and feeding inside if weather is severe. The Wanners make good use of "natural" insulation. Small square bales of alfalfa are stored above the nursery where it is handy to feed while ewes and lambs are in nursery jugs. Close by, where it is handy to spread for bedding, is baled straw. Both alfalfa and straw are cleaned out as the weather moderates and the need for insulation lessens.
The Wanners take special care to insure that a ewe's teats are open and that lambs get the all-important "first milk." They milk this into a bottle and nurse the lambs. "It saves a lot of lambs," says Wanner. Once the lamb is sucking well and the ewe claims the offspring, 10 ewes and lambs are grouped together for two or three days on the other side of the barn. A creep feeder is available for lambs 10 to 14 days old until they go to pasture. Lambs are creep-fed oats and chopped alfalfa and fattened on a barley-oats ration.
With lambing in February and early March, the Wanners are able to hit the first sheep sale the first of August at about 103 pounds. Top wethers go first, then the next batch is kept for a month and sold. The Wanners try to clean out by October. They could go as high as 115 pounds but putting on those last few pounds takes a lot during a hot August and lighter lambs left do better without so much competition at the feeder, says Wanner.
If lamb prices stay at 60 cents, there's enough profit in sheep "to make a go of it." With prices in the 40-cent range, the Wanners felt they were raising sheep for their health.
Ewes are tagged with different colored ear tags--each year a different color--and lambs are color coded accordingly. All twin lambs are earnotched so identification for replacements is made easier. The Wanners also select rams for a twinning background. Lois keeps the records so a ewe's history is known. A ewe can stay as long as she meets the Wanners' exacting standards. Lois pitches in wherever needed. She doesn't worry about getting hurt around sheep as she might around cattle. Ron does the heavy feeding.
Lambs are vaccinated for overeating as they are ready to leave the jug given a Vitamin E shot for white muscle disease and docked then grouped together. Two weeks later they get another overeating shot, ram lambs are castrated and implanted with Ralgro. Other health precautions and management practices: deworming ewes before breeding and Vitamin A shots when shearing before lambing, feeding oats 10 days before lambing and until lamb is weaned. Also flushing with whole oats before and during breeding.
The Wanners had tick problems when they first started but Coopertox took care of the problem.
Coyotes are a problem in a hard winter but the flock is usually kept close to the farmstead. Ron hunts and traps and lets pelts pay for some of the few sheep lost to coyotes.
Since the Wanners are relatively new in the sheep business and they believe that promotion is what the business needs, they make the most of opportunities. They serve lamb to guests, promote lamb through lamburgers served at school , through grade school classes visiting the farm and entering pet lambs in parades. Rebecca was "Mary and her little lamb" in a local "Watermelon Day" parade.
The Wanners believe that the outlook for the sheep industry is good and can improve if the industry can catch the attention of consumers. But too many prospective sheep producers jump in too fast with too many head and go "belly up."
In addition to keeping busy with the sheep, cattle and crops operation, Ron is a member of the Hebron Jaycees, past president and life member of the Hebron Wildlife and Gun Club, past president of St. Ann's parish board and lector for church services.