Wells County Couple Named Master Sheep Producers
Pat and Renee Riedesel
Cathay
Pat and Renee Riedesel of Cathay have been named North Dakota's 1991 Master Sheep Producers for their excellence and efficiency in sheep production as well as their contributions to the sheep industry and their community. The award, presented at the annual banquet of the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association Dec. 1 in Dickinson, is sponsored by the association and the North Dakota State University Extension Service.
The Riedesel sheep operation consists of 250 ewes. Sheep have been a part of their Wells County farming operation for 13 years and provide 30 to 40 percent of farm income.
According to Roger Haugen, extension livestock specialist at NDSU, utilization of existing facilities, an efficient feeding program and involvement of the whole family are keys to the success of the Riedesel operation.
The ewe flock is based on Finn, Targhee and Polypay breeding. Lambing occurs during the winter months, starting in late January to early February. The lambing rate in 1990 was 212 percent on mature ewes, with ewe lambs dropping 138 percent. The ewes shear an average of 9.2 pounds of wool.
The Riedesel lambing barn was constructed from two old barns and is fully insulated with chopped straw and fan ventilated. A big bale straw housing unit was added this year to handle ewes and their lambs.
The feeding program consists of pasture and homegrown feeds. It is flexible enough to utilize the lowest cost feeds and still meet the nutritional requirements of the flock, Haugen says. Com silage is used as a base with hay, grains and supplements as balancers. The ration is fed with a mixer-auger wagon. Lambs are on self-feeders, with a super pellet and grains. Ewes are kept in drylot from lambing until breeding and go on pasture before and during breeding.
"The sheep business has provided the Riedesel family with a good, dependable income over the past years and is essential to their farming operation. It allows their whole family to get involved and work together," Haugen says.
The Riedesels are members of the lamb and wool producers and the Foster County Wool Growers. Pat is on the Wells County ag advisory council, the Carrington vocational agriculture council and the fire department. He is also vice president of the school board and a church trustee. Pat and Renee have two children, Ryan and Erin.
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