Last month the sheep industry lost the most forward thinking and successful innovators that I have encountered in my fifty plus practice years in the industry. I had been in practice six years before Dion Van Well was born. What a difference one person can make. I had a few conversations and discussions with him, valued them all and wished I had more. I know his brother Doug and his father Vic from the times when we raised Dorpers. His sons Trevor and Travis will continue the business and we wish them well, and I encourage people in the industry to continue giving them support in these difficult times. Dion’s energy, innovation and many contributions to the industry will certainly be missed.
This past week I attended the ASI Convention and it is good to see producers that are committed to move the industry forward. At three-tenths of a pound, the per capita consumption of domestic lamb in this country there is plenty of upsides. American Lamb is the best quality lamb in the world but we still struggle with consistency and year round availability.
The educators and extension people were there and to no surprise were pushing NSIP, a program that has been dead in the water as long as I can remember. By Saturday the noise was less and they (for the most part) had gone home. I guess they are not 24/7 in the sheep business like the rest of us.
The health program again was much of the same, OPP, Scrapie, Q fever. You really have to wonder when they will make an effort to concentrate on production medicine.
All and all it was a good meeting with renewed enthusiasm.
Back at the clinic, we are getting lots of calls and emails as lambing is in full swing. One of the extension people at the meeting was excited because they had 33 calls this year, we get that and more daily.
Last weekend I was a presenter at Shepherd’s Clinic and Trade Show at Rice Lake, WI. They had a great turnout and had youth involved as well. The county agent that hosts this event does a heck of a job. Reminds me of the day when county agents made a difference in Minnesota. Certainly an opportunity to grow the sheep business in Wisconsin utilizing abandoned dairy barns.
Killing with kindness
I continue to get calls from people that are bottle feeding lambs that are six to eight weeks old. The recommended wean age is thirty days. Over that is a problem. They acquire abomasal bloat a condition that is almost always fatal and the few that live are probably misdiagnosed. Bottle feeding and poor quality milk replacers increase the incidence of this phenomenon. Full fed bucket or machine is the best route to follow. Provide lambs creep, hay and water and wean them at thirty days. I know they are cute, friendly and sometimes a pet but DON’T KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS and when you wean it is a total wean. No cheating.
