Farm & Ranch
The Sheep Market isn’t half B-A-A-D
By Corsi Martin
When you think of livestock in the state of Texas, most people consider cattle before all else. Cattle most certainly bring the most income and occupy a larger market, but there are other forms of livestock that tend to get overlooked by some farmers and ranchers.
Being one of the first agriculturally domesticated animals, sheep are an extremely resourceful form of livestock for their wool, meat, and milk. Sheep farmers don’t just exist in the form of Irish Shepherds, believe it or not.
When compared to the price of cattle, sheep are much more cost efficient and have a gestation period of only 152 days, often times having twins. While the profit of sheep does not match what a single cow could bring, the turnover rate for sheep is considerably more rapid, thus, faster profit.
In fact, certain agricultural studies suggest that the sheep market could be a hidden gold mine for smaller ranchers in years to come.
Of course, if the value of wool were to go up, sheep would be in high demand all over the world, especially in countries where industrialization is scarce. Many people in the United States tend to think of sheep as being a main source for wool.
While wool or fleece will currently sell from $6 to $21 per pound depending on the quality of the coat (which will ultimately depend on the breed of the sheep), it is just one resource provided by sheep, and not the most valuable by long shot. Meat markets sell lamb meat by the hundreds of pounds and some restaurants even serve it as a delicacy. Although lamb is not the most widely consumed form of meat in the United States at the moment, places like the United Kingdoms, Australia, and many countries in the Middle East consume it daily.
To read more pick up a copy of the July 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Heather Welper
Husband and wife duo, Heather and Calvin Welper, are the Co-Owners and Operators or Two C Livestock, located in Valley View, Texas.
The pair’s operation has a show cattle focus where they raise and sell purebred heifers of all breeds and club calf Hereford steers.
When it comes to show cattle, the Welpers know a thing or two including how to prepare for the cold winter months and the Texas major show season run.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Hannah Claxton, Editor
As the sun rises each day, so do the dozens of mouths that Meghan McGovern is responsible for getting fed. Rather than the sounds of a rooster crowing, McGovern hears the bellows and bleats of a variety of exotic deer, the chortle of kangaroos, the grunts of water buffaloes, and the chirps of a lemur.
Nestled against the banks of the Red River, the Double M Ranch and Rescue, with its high game fences and deer sprinkling the landscape,s its in stark contrast to the surrounding ranches.
“Having deer is kind of like eating potato chips- you can never actually have just one,” said McGovern with a laugh.
McGovern has several herds to take care of- fallow deer, axis deer, water buffalo, goats, and bison. In smaller numbers, there’s also a few kangaroos, a lemur, a potbelly pig, a pair of zebras, a watusi, and a few horses.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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