HMFF White Knight - white Border Leicester herdsire with a uniform 12 inch staple length fleece! His fleece this year weighed 15 lb! At $12/lb, that is a great return just for his fleece. Easy going and proven. I REALLY like this ram, I have just used him for several years and need to move him on. He is a super ram for a great price. 5 generation pedigree. $250

ASI Offers Professional Shearing Program
    The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) will be conducting four-day advanced sheep shearer training programs in Greeley, Colo., Jan. 7-10, 2008, and in Vicksburg, Mich., March 3-6, 2008.
    The American Wool Council and the Shearing Task Force have put together a long-term program for training new, young professional sheep shearers. The ASI shearing schools in Colorado and Michigan are designed for experienced shearing students that would like to advance their training and become professional shearers. Shearer training is a step-by-step process, and this second-level training program is designed to prepare shearers for a career in shearing.
    Both sessions are being designed for participants that have the skill and stamina to currently shear a minimum of 25 sheep per day. Participants will be required to bring their own equipment to the training session.
    Internationally recognized shearing instructor Doug Rathke will be the trainer for both programs, which will focus on improvement in shearing skills and the important role of a professional sheep shearer in the wool industry. Class time will also be devoted to business- and career-development skills and the importance of wool quality improvement practices.
    Enrollment will be limited to maximize the instructor's time. Those interested in attending the program should contact ASI for registration information and material. A $250 registration fee will be required at the time of registration to reserve a place in these programs.
    For more information or to enroll in the program, contact ASI at 303-771-3500 or info@sheepusa.org.

USDA Announces Whole Genome Animal Selection Funding
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) announced the availability of $5 million in fiscal year 2008 for a four-year research project to investigate methods of using whole genome-enabled animal selection.
    This research will enable animal breeders to use genetic information to predict what an animal's physical makeup will be and what genes will be passed to the next generation. Whole genome-enabled animal selection is a technique that scans the animal's genome, the makeup of its DNA and predicts its genetic merit as a potential future parent.
    "USDA, along with many federal agencies, states and other organizations, has invested millions of dollars in efforts to sequence the genomes of the primary agricultural animals," said Gale Buchanan, USDA undersecretary for CSREES. "The goal of this project is to move animal genome science from the laboratory to the field and the marketplace and, in the process, solve real world problems."
    More information about the whole genome enabled animal selection funding opportunity can be found on the CSREES funding opportunities Web page at www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/animalgenomegenomeenabledselectionnri.cfm.

From the BFL newsletter

Kris Barndt’s art work above was such a hit at the BFL National Show in Rhinebeck ...There are greeting cards and notepads and cookie cutters available at www.kabstudiodesigns.com

The BFL cookie cutters are very unique and were imported from Britain.
Make special cookies for your next spin meet!

THANKS to Maggie who purchased Border and Hybrid Leicester wool from HMFF in November.