U.S Sheep/Lamb/Wool Industry

Question 1

What factors influence eating satisfaction?

Answer 1

Production factors
* Breed
* Sex
* Diet
* Age/maturity
* Cutability
* Pre-harvest stress
* Chill rate

Farm to Fork Metality
* Gaining weight prior to slaughter
* USDA Yield grade 2/3
* Muscular (>REA)
* Reduce pre-slaughter stress
* Importance of cooking
* Identify consumer preference
* Provide Celebrations of Life

Question 2

WHat is the lamb industry production flow?

Answer 2

• Farms/ranches
• Feedlots
• Packing houses/processors
  Food distributors
  Foodservice operations: Purchasers, chefs, cooks, servers
  Customers

Question 3

T/F: Lamb is a trendy food

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What are the wool breeds?

Answer 4

1. Rambouillet
2. Columbia
3. Dorset

Question 5

What are the meat breeds?

Answer 5

1. Dorset
2. Suffolk
3. Hampshire

Question 6

What are the hair breeds?

Answer 6

1. Dorper
2. Katahdins
3. White dorper
4. Royal whites

Question 7

What states have the top sheep populations in the U.S.

Answer 7

1. Texas
2. California
3. Colorado (mostly lambs on feed)
4. Wyoming
5. Utah
6. South Dakota
7. Idaho
8. Minnesota
9. North Dakota

Question 8

Why is the commercial sheep industry so important?

Answer 8

U.S commercial sheep producers are the backbone of a thriving lamb and wool industry

Question 9

What are production decisions in the sheep/goat industry?

Answer 9

• Breed of sheep/ goat
• How many?
• Facilities
• Predator control
• Nutrition
• Animal health
• Marketing

Question 10

What has happened to the sheep/lamb inventory vs lamb production

Answer 10

It has been trending downwards

Question 11

What are the goals of the lamb industry?

Answer 11

High conception rates: 95%
High lambing percentage: 175%
Low lamb mortality: < 10%
Maintain/ improve wool (meat) quality and quantity

Question 12

Lamb primal/subprimal cuts

Answer 12

• Shoulder
• Rack
• Loin
• Leg
• Foreshank
• Breast
• Flank

Top left to right (circle)

Question 13

What month are there the most lambs on feed?

Lowest?

Answer 13

September, October, November

July & August

Question 14

How do animals grow?

Answer 14

Bone stays consistent
Once past the logical endpoint (muscle) animals gain fat

Larger frame = larger weights

Question 15

What factors affect dressing fat?

Answer 15

• Fut fill: Time off feed/water
• Hide/pelt: Mud, Wool
• Muscling
• External fat
• Internal fat (supposed to be removed in the processing plant)

Question 16

Where do over 50% of lambs go?

Answer 16

Non-traditional markets

Question 17

Where are most lamb processing plants located

Answer 17

Largely in Colorado

Question 18

What is a major issue with lamb products?

Answer 18

Product uniformity

Question 19

USDA Grading for lamb

Answer 19

• YG1: 5
• YG2: 27%
• YG3: 42%
• YG4: 19%
• YG5: 7%

There has been a decrease in federal lamb slaughter

Question 20

Is quality grade important in the lamb industry?

Answer 20

Not really :)

Question 21

Does country of origin matter?

Answer 21

Lamb has greater import competition than other competing red meat proteins

U.S. has an advantage in muscularity, but New Zealand and Australia have cheaper product (own > 60% of the market)

Question 22

What country has the greatest per capita lamb consumption?

Answer 22

1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. Saudi arabia

Question 23

What is the primary reason consumers buy or don’t buy lamb?

Answer 23

The flavor

Question 24

What is the target audience for the lamb industry?

Answer 24

Foodies

Question 25

What percent of U.S. consumers have never eaten lamb?

Answer 25

40%

Men consume more lamb

Question 26

During the covid pandemic, what happened to lamb product prices?

Answer 26

They went up, some have stayed at that elevated price point

Question 27

What happened to lamb after covid?

Answer 27

• Market surge in non-traditional/ethnic markets
• Adventrous lamb consumers
• At-home and retail strong
• Restaurant trading optimistic, but slow
• Seasonal summer/fall/spring money strength
• Supply and demand
• Adventurous