ASI Survey Results
Series 1: Profile of the Average Sheep Producer in each ASI Region
By AMY TRINIDAD
Sheep Industry News Editor
(April 1, 2010) In an effort to get a better understanding of today’s sheep producers, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) administered a survey this past winter…and the results are in. One of the key reasons for the survey was to assist the Re-build the Sheep Inventory Committee in its ongoing national effort to strengthen U.S. sheep production. The information will be published in a series of articles in the Sheep Industry News, the first profiling the average sheep producer in each of the eight different ASI regions.
Following are some summary data:
1. The structure of the sheep industry at the producer level has changed. The portion of producers with one to 100 head of sheep has increased from 20 years ago. According to a survey conducted by ASI in 1989, this sector comprised 59 percent of the industry, today, it is 64 percent of the industry. And the next largest sector, at 24 percent, is the 101 to 500 head.
2. Nearly 60 percent of the survey respondents are 51 years and older, similar to 20 years ago.
3. Sixty-four percent of the producers reported being commercial producers, 22 percent are seedstock, 10 percent are club lamb producers, 4 percent are lamb feeders and 0.4 percent are dairies.
4. Fifty-three percent of producers’ total agriculture operation revenue is from sheep.
5. A majority – 75 percent – of the sheep operations have family members working as part of the operation; however, 65 percent of the producers surveyed reported family member do not plan to take over the sheep operation when the older generation retires.
6. Regarding lambing, the typical percent of lambs born per ewe exposed averages 159 percent, the typical percentage of lambs weaned per ewe exposed is 146 percent and the average weight per lamb weaned is 69 pounds.
7. Of those producers who sell slaughter lambs, 54 percent report they sell them at livestock auctions, 43 percent sell lambs live to consumers and 29 percent sell meat to consumers.
8. As for wool sales, 35 percent sell their wool direct to a buyer, 29 percent sell to a woolpool and 25 percent sell through a warehouse. Among the other responses for how producers sell their wool, 28 percent reported they do not have wool to sell.
9. The average annual ewe replacement rate is 18 percent nationally.
10. More producers are utilizing the services of a veterinarian for the sheep operation. In 1989, that portion of the industry was 30 percent, today, it is 72 percent.
11. More than 70 breeds and crosses were identified in the survey. Meat breeds are the most popular but hair sheep ranked number nine and 10 in the top 10 breeds. The top 10 breeds are Suffolk, Rambouillet, Dorset, Targhee, Polypay, Suffolk crosses, Hampshire, Columbia, Katahdin and Dorper.
Region VIII – Calif., Ore. and Wash.Of all of the respondents of the survey, 13 percent are from this region with 65 percent of the producers raising a flock of sheep less than 100 head, 23 percent with a flock between 100 and 500 and 8 percent raising a flock between 1,000 and 5,000 head. Sixty percent the sheep producers are between the ages of 51 and 70 and another 17 percent between the ages of 41 and 50. In this region, 74 percent of the producers have family members as part of the sheep operation; however, only 32 percent say family members plan to take over the sheep operation when they retire. Sixty-six percent of the producers in this region consider themselves to be commercial sheep producers, another 18 percent are seedstock producers and 12 percent are club lamb producers. Producers in this region say they get 52 percent of their total agriculture operation revenue from sheep. Regarding lambing, producers in this region average 154 percent of lambs born per ewe exposed and wean 146 percent of their lambs per ewe exposed. The average weaning weight is 82 pounds. Half of the producers say they place their own lambs on feed before slaughter. Of those who sell slaughter lambs, 24 percent sell them live to a consumer, 21 percent sell meat to a consumer and 18 percent sell lambs at a livestock auction. Of those who sell wool, 37 percent of these producers sell it directly to a buyer and another 34 percent sell it through a woolpool. Their average annual ewe replacement rate is 14 percent, the lowest percentage rate of all the regions, and 68 percent use a veterinarian for their sheep operation.