AGRICULTURE
YOUTH &
FAMILIES
HEALTH
ECONOMY
ENVIRONMENT
ENERGY
COMMUNITIES
Integrating Livestock Enterprises into
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Operations
2011 National Extension Risk Management Educational Conference
Presented by:
Shannon Neibergs, WSU Extension - School of Economic Sciences
Doug Collins, WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources
WSU - Small Farm Team Extension Programming
To foster profitable farming systems, to promote land and water
stewardship, and to ensure that all Washingtonians have
unrestricted access to healthy food. Programming objectives
included providing information and educational programs for
farmers, consumers, decision-makers, and others involved in local
food systems.
Primary goals are to:
– Build public support for agriculture
– Preserve Washington farmland for food and fiber production
– Help farmers adopt practices that are sustainableeconomically, socially and environmentally
– Unify farmers and consumers in developing local markets and
community food access
Beginning Farm and Rancher Development Grant
• Conduct a series of workshops and provide online education
covering:
• Sustainable Livestock Production
• Season Extension
• Soil Fertility and Cover Cropping
• Seed Production
• Small Dairy Operations
• Improve participants knowledge of livestock production systems
and marketing.
• Create partnerships with participants and foster partnerships
between participants.
• Target and provide service to underserved populations
Expected Outcomes
1. Increase viability and success of new small farms
2. Provide continuity of educational, experiential, and mentoring
opportunities for new farmers.
3. Increase number of farm management plans implemented
4. Increase number of business plans implemented
5. More producers implement locally relevant BMPs
6. Increase number of farms and availability of locally-grown
food and livestock
Sustainable Livestock Programming Project
• Many small farm landowners see livestock
as a sustainable production enterprise
1. Target audience is Western
Washington small and
beginning farmers.
2. Land resource has high
forage growth potential.
3. Identified need for livestock
production and management
education.
High Western Washington Precipitation Supports Forage Growth
Program Targets Sheep and Goat Production
1.
Lower risk from lower capital
investment and operating costs to get
started.
2.
Current market conditions support profit
opportunities.
3.
Smaller animal size.
4.
Expanding direct market - Middle
Eastern, Hispanic and Restaurants.
5.
Commercial market outlet for finished
animals.
Strong Lamb Price Outlook
Declining supply supports price outlook
TOTAL SHEEP & LAMB POPULATION
January 1, U.S., Annual
Mil. Head
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1900
1910
1920
1930
Livestock Marketing Information Center
Data Source: USDA-NASS
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
Washington has a regional supply advantage
SHEEP & LAMB NUMBERS JANUARY 1, 2011 (1000 Head)
New England States
51
56
78
230
130
215
235
68
365
90
275
74
200
74
280
370
56
70
610
150
75
110
880
Other States
U.S. Total
140
70
81
98
129
50
34
35
34
MD
90
27
215 to 880 (9)
81 to 215 (9)
50 to 81 (10)
8 to 50 (10)
5530
Livestock Marketing Information Center
Data Source: USDA-NASS
S-N-05
02/11/11
An estimated 32% of lamb market is direct trade
Lamb Production Marketing Channels
2%
11%
3% 4%
Marketing agreement
Forward contract
32%
Direct trade
Custom fed
41%
Custom slaughtered
Auction
6%
Dealers or brokers
1%
Other
Source: Shiflett, J. Williams, G. and Rodgers P. Nontraditional Lamb Market in the
Unites States: Characteristics and Marketing Strategies, 2010.
Short Course Topics
Traditional short course outreach approaches are effective because:
• They present an organized curricula
• They encourage and inspire greater participation
• Promotes and fosters good relationships
• Provides outreach events for Extension and
Agencies to reach clients
• Provides opportunity for participants peer
learning through questions and discussions
Short course farm visit
Pasture Management
Mobile Slaughter Unit
Facilities
Hoof Trimming
Financial Planning and Record Keeping Objectives
1. To highlight the importance of record keeping in
various aspects of sheep and goat production.
2. To describe the different kinds of financial
statements that are required to evaluate sheep and
goat production financial performance.
3. To provide and highlight some spreadsheet budget
tools that you can use as financial management
aids in your operation.
Record keeping – animal identification
Record keeping is an essential part of good livestock and
business management.
Record keeping requires animal identification.
Animal ID Objectives
Animal identification objectives:
• Inventory
– Valuation on the balance sheet
• Proof of ownership
• Provides a management tool
– Performance evaluation
– Reproduction efficiency
– Genetic selection
– Health records
– Culling decisions
Using production records to measure production efficiency
Inventory - Animal Identification
Reproduction- Does/Ewes exposed to Buck/Ram
Births – number of births, dates,
sire and dam, dystocia, offspring ID
birth weight
Weaning – weaning weights
Feeder lamb / goat performance
Market weight
Market quality
Weight gain, feed efficiency, days on feed
Using Standardized Performance Analysis
Calculating Number of Exposed Ewes:
Total number of ewes/replacements exposed to rams at the beginning of the breeding season.
Ewes identified as culls not intended to be lambed. (subtract)
Ewes sold or transferred out before breeding season ends. (subtract)
Exposed ewes purchased or transferred in during the breeding season. (add)
Pregnant ewes or ewes with nursing lambs transferred out. (subtract)
Pregnant ewes or ewes with nursing lambs transferred in. (add)
27
5
1
0
2
0
NUMBER OF EXPOSED EWES
19
Source: Rod Sharp, Standardized Performance Analysis for Sheep
Producers, Ag. & Business Management, CSU Extension
On-line Education Project Component
• Use Adobe Connect Pro as the web
platform to provide content.
• Use Adobe Presenter to take advantage of
short course presentations
Adobe Connect Home Page
Conclusion - Outputs and Impacts
• Short Course
– 40 Participants
• 73% farmers, 27% intending to start farm
– Attendees were from 10 Counties
– Average farm size 21 acres
– Combined 311 acres
– Average 25 head of livestock / farm
– 267 head of livestock combined
Conclusions – Retrospective survey evaluation
• 23 respondents (58% response rate)
• 100% increased knowledge in at least one topic
• Respondents intend to make changes in:
– Financial planning and record keeping 56%
– Animal care (sanitation, health care, facilities) 60%
– Pasture management 39%
– Marketing 11%
• Anecdotal conversations