Month: August 2008

Recap: 2008 Ohio Sheep Day

Curt Cline, 2008 Sheep Day Host

Sheep day came and went on our farm on July 12th. The day went off without a hitch, good people, good food, good times! The day was full of events for all aspects of sheep production or, as far as that goes, any livestock production. From pasture tours highlighting the economics behind the forages to listening to Mr. Gordon Oswalt, a Michigan shepherd that manages 1500 ewes, speak about sheep genetics and his personal experiences with a family farm in which multiple generations work together. Continue reading Recap: 2008 Ohio Sheep Day →

Black Vulture Control: Part 2a: How to Apply for a Depredation Permit

Tim Fine, OSU Extension Program Assistant, Miami County

In the previous Sheep Team Newsletter I discussed the steps that a producer must take in order to receive compensation if there was a loss due to a black vulture kill. In this issue I will discuss steps a producer can take to apply for a depredation permit and how to properly hang a vulture in effigy as a deterrent. To start off, let’s talk about the depredation permit process.

If you are experiencing problems with black vultures, here are some options: Continue reading Black Vulture Control: Part 2a: How to Apply for a Depredation Permit →

Black Vulture Control: Part 2b: Guidelines for Using Effigies to Disperse Nuisance

John S. Humphrey, Eric, A. Tillman, Michael L. Avery, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services-National Wildlife Research Center, Florida Field Station, 2820 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641

(Image source: USDA APHIS Wildlife Services)

WHAT IS AN EFFIGY?
An effigy as defined in Webster’s dictionary, is a “full or partial representation…….. likeness” of a person or object. For dispersing a vulture roost, an effigy can be a fresh carcass, a taxidermic preparation, or an artificial likeness. Continue reading Black Vulture Control: Part 2b: Guidelines for Using Effigies to Disperse Nuisance →

Pasture Establishment/Renovation Economics

Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Educator, Athens County

Increased fertilizer, fuel, and equipment costs have made stored forages an expensive commodity. The forage produced in pastures has likewise increased in value. Good pasture management offers the opportunity to lower sheep production costs by utilizing the animal to fertilize and harvest the forage. Often pasture management discussions center around rotational grazing principles. In this article I want to consider another aspect of pasture management. Do your pastures contain the species mix and varieties that will Continue reading Pasture Establishment/Renovation Economics →

Culling the Sheep Flock

Roger High, OSU Ohio Sheep Extension Program Specialist

With increasing production costs, livestock producers really need to evaluate each animal and decide whether that animal is really a productive animal or an animal that is “just on the payroll” and not really contributing the profitability of the program. Marginal producing ewes and rams should not be maintained in the flock!

Culling is one of the tools that should be implemented to increase the efficiency of the sheep flock. But what criteria should a producer use to base their culling decision? The following are guidelines Continue reading Culling the Sheep Flock →