I have a number of
interesting bits of international sheep news to share interspersed with
"HMFF Sheep news" (highlighted in green)
this month.
RELEASE OF SHEEP GENOME MAP A
SIGNIFICANT
MILESTONE FOR INDUSTRY
For More Information
Contact:
Paul Rodgers (304) 647-9981, or prodgers2@earthlink.net
Amy
Trinidad (303) 771-3500, ext. 55, or amy@sheepusa.org
Judy Malone (303)
771-3500, ext. 35, or judym@sheepusa.org
DENVER, Colo. - Breeding the
right sheep, whether its for improved wool, more
muscle, increased fertility
or a better ability to cope with parasites, has been
one of the sheep
industrys greatest challenges. However, with the November
release of a
physical DNA map of more than 98 percent of the sheep genome,
scientists will
be better able to pin-point the genetic controls for these
economically
important production traits.
The International Sheep Genomics
Consortium, a partnership of scientists and
funding agencies from the United
States, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand,
France and Kenya, has been
formally working on this endeavor since 2002. The
result of this
multi-country collaboration has resulted in a virtual map
of the sheep genome
with the aid of data from cows, dogs and humans. This map
will be made public
to allow for more rapid DNA marker tests, which will
accelerate and improve
the efficiency of sheep research in genetics.
The goal of this project is
to determine gene function from genomic information
in sheep and utilize that
information to address specific industry needs. This
information can assist
producers in developing a product that better meets the
customers demands in
terms of meat and wool production. In addition, genes
that control
gastrointestinal diseases and reproduction traits can
be
identified....
...Scientists in all fields of genomics research
are excited about this
organized map for sheep. Our next goal will be to
verify the orientation of the
sequences and eventually have the entire sheep
genome sequence completed,
says Cockett.
The release of this map is a
huge milestone in the world-wide sheep industry.
A map of the sheep genome
will offer enormous possibilities that many of us
could never had imagined,
comments Lyndon Irwin, Ph.D., chair of the American
Sheep Industry
Associations (ASI) Production, Education and Research Council.
“It will be
particularly valuable for producers who want genetic control of
economically
important production traits, as well as for disease issues.
The
information gained through mapping the genomics of sheep is valuable
to
producers around the world. In fact, at its annual meeting, the Tri-Lamb
Group,
which consists of sheep-producer member organizations from the United
States,
Australia and New Zealand, ranked functional sheep genomics as its
number one
research priority.
HMFF Jack Be
Nimble
Jack is a 3/4 Blueface -
1/4 Border Leicester born in 2005. He has the blue skin and the fine purled
ringlets of the Blueface, but alot more of it compared to fullblood BFL.
Jack is for sale at $250. When you consider a fullblood is $500
or more, this is a good buy! Take him home now so you can have
that gorgeous fleece this spring, while he gets settled in his new home .
So often we buy and transplant a ram right before breeding season,
expecting them to perform at their best... but instead the poor sheep is
struggling to adjust to new feed and new conditions, new pecking orders within
the herd, possible other existing rams within the herd, new health challenges,
AND the demands of breeding season. It is far better for the sheep to acclimate
ahead of breeding season (this is the voice of experience here
folks)
USDA Unveils New NAIS Web SiteThe U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled a re-designed Web site
covering the National
Animal Identification System (NAIS) at
www.usda.gov/nais.
AU Requiring Animal ID
Western Australian farmers
intending to sell or move sheep and goats must now
ensure they are tagged to
comply with the National Livestock Identification
Scheme. New regulations
came into force last Friday requiring all sheep and goats to be
identified
with ear tags imprinted with the owners brand.
The system has been introduced
to make it easier to trace livestock in the
event of an outbreak of an exotic
disease.
Non-compliance with the scheme could result in fines of up to
$5,000.
Some exceptions to the regulations apply include lambs being taken
directly to
slaughter and pastoral goats moving between neighboring
properties.
Reprinted from ABC Australia
Drought Aid Package fails
The U.S. Senate this
week was unable to approve a disaster package with
assistance for livestock
producers hit by drought conditions during the past two
years. The vote was
57 votes toward passage, yet it was defeated on a procedural point of order
regarding the budget which required 60 votes for approval.
The $4.8 billion
package would have covered weather-related losses in 2005 and
2006. Roughly
half of the money would go to crop producers and an additional
$1.7 billion
would compensate ranchers for livestock losses and higher feed
costs. In
addition to the drought assistance, the American Sheep Industry
Association
(ASI) supported inclusion of a retained ewe-lamb
program in the disaster package.
Peter Orwick, ASI executive director stated, "While it is
disappointing that
the disaster package was not approved this year, the
Senate vote indicates there
is a good chance of passage in February when the
110th Congress convenes...
Severe drought conditions have been wide spread over the past two
years
forcing producers to buy more feed or to transport their sheep to feed.
Everyone
is familiar with the increases in both feed costs as well as hauling
costs this
winter" - from American Sheep Industry
news
HMFF Rook
I
just love the noble arched nose of the Leicester (and those clean legs!... so
easy to shear) Rook is 1/2 Blueface
and 1/2 Border. This Hybrid fleece is the best of both worlds... fine
AND long. They are my best and fastest selling fleeces. Rook is for sale for $200
Note: Both rams come
with 5 generation pedigrees and will be up to date on vaccinations, worming and
feet trimming. I only grow out the most exceptional ram lambs in any given
year... the rest are sold at auction... and I am pleased how these two have
turned out.
Atypical Scrapie Found in
Britain
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Britain this week said
an atypical, or
unusual, form of scrapie had been detected in a 6-year-old
cheviot ewe.
For research purposes, the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs
(DEFRA) maintains a flock of sheep that are believed to be free
of Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) as all the founder
animals in the flock were
imported from New Zealand, a country considered to
be free of TSEs. The flock is
managed under strict bio-security conditions to
insure that the animals do not
come into contact with other sheep.
As the
origin of the atypical scrapie in this case is not clear, this finding
will
now be subject to independent scientific investigations, which will
include
ensuring that the bio-security on the farm was not compromised and
that there
was no possibility of cross contamination of the sample.
Biosecurity New Zealand head, Barry O'Neill, said they were
co-operating
closely with British authorities. New Zealand had not identified
atypical
scrapie or classical scrapie, he said.
Biosecurity was focused
on trying to clarify the origin of the source flocks
which were exported to
the United Kingdom in the late 1990s.
"We're unsure at this stage if they
exist, but if they do exist, we would wish
to undertake some surveillance
testing over the future weeks and months to
identify if there is any remote
possibility that sheep from these flocks could
be involved," stated
O'Neill.
Border
Leicester Herdsire of the coming 2007 lamb crop
HMFF White Knight is a BIG ram with a uniform , long and
classic Border Leicester fleece. White Knight was the king of our small band
of BL ewes plus one BFL ewe this year. He is for sale for $250 and has an awesome
fleece!
Forte Closes Door at End of
Year
A cornerstone of American wool and mohair industry, Forte,
Dupee, Sawyer Co., is
closing its doors at the end of this year, according to
Rich Forte, president.
This family owned business, which was started in 1921,
traded scoured and
greasy wool and mohair selling mainly to U.S.
manufacturers up until the last
six years when its customer base turned to
overseas buyers.
We are finding the cost of handling and processing wool too
expensive in the
United States compared to Asia. Many overseas customers
prefer U.S. wool in its
grease form instead of scoured. Margins are thin and
wool production is low. For
these reasons, we have decided to stop
wool-trading activities at the end of
this year,explains Forte.
Although
they will no longer be a part of the marketplace, Forte says that he
was
constantly reminded from his customers the need to rid the U.S. clip
of
polypropylene contamination. The industry will have to address the quality
issue of polypropylene contamination at the grower level if it wants to remain
competitive in the world
market,he explains.
It is unfortunate to see
Forte exiting the U.S. wool market. They have
bought a great deal of U.S.
wool over the years, and it will be unsettling when
they are no longer
participating in the trade, says Rita Kourlis Samuelson,
wool marketing
director at the American Sheep Industry Association.
NASS Conducts Sheep and Cattle
Inventory
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National
Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) will conduct 2007 January sheep and
goats and cattle surveys this
winter to gather reliable information about
inventories for all states.
Producers will be asked to report during the Dec.
29-Jan. 12 data collection
period. "Because of the unique issues and
challenges facing today's producers,
participation in this survey is vital",
said Steve Manheimer, director of the
NASS Arizona field office. "Only by
contacting operations directly can NASS
compile and publish the most reliable
statistics possible."
Having quality information enables the USDA and
the sheep and goats and cattle
industries to be more responsive to the
American and international public,
increase consumer understanding and
awareness and establish an appreciation for
the safety and health benefits of
U.S. lamb and beef products.
NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all
survey responses. Data collected
from individual operations are combined with
other responses to provide the
needed data. NASS will not disclose any data
about an individual operation.
NASS will publish the 2007 Sheep and Goats
and 2007 Cattle Reports with state
and national estimates on Jan. 26, 2007.
Watch for the
January issue of Seasons Bleatings when I will offer a few bred ewes
for sale and announce the pick of the ram crop of 2006.
