CLAY CENTER, NEBRASKA -
Profits from market lamb
production can be increased
substantially by using crossbred
ewes of superior maternal breeds
to produce lambs sired by rams of
superior meat breeds.
Developing potentially superior
breeds for use in such terminal
crosses is the objective of SEA
geneticists Lawrence D.' Young
and Kreg A. Leymaster at the
Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat
Animal Research Center, Clay
Center, Neb. *
Young is directing development
of maternal breeds and Leymaster
development of paternal breeds.
Each is determining the usefulness ’
of multibreed populations, or
“composites,” as compared with
the usefulness of the breeds for
ming these populations.
The researchers are giving
priority to intensive or moderately
intensive production of market
lambs, for. lambing either out of
season or annually. Research on
lamb and wool production under
range conditions is underway at
other federal and state research
locations.
In development of maternal
breeds. Young is taking advantage
of genetic differences among
breeds in such economically im
portant traits as ">ge at puberty,
length of breedug season, and
litter size. Ewes (dll come from
thisbreed for the fLial cross.
Ewes are'managed under two
systems differing in labor and feed
requirements.
One system calls for three lamb
crops a year. These ewes are
exposed to-fertile rams in April,
August, and December, giving
each ewe an opportunity to lamb
every 8 months. Young says that
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1981
' 10 A.M. to 3 P.M., Rain or Shine
CHARLES PALMER
FARM
i
RDI, Canton, PA
Bradford County
SEE: SEALSTOR FOR HIGH MOISTURE CORN
WITH: LAIDIG JR.
SERVICE TUNNEL
AUTOMATIC ROLLER MILL
Canton 414 East
8 Miles
N
W—J— E
Parent lines important in market lambs
this intensive management system
allows producers to more fully use
confinement facilities and year
round farm labor.
The other system is conventional
annual lambing, with ewes ex-"
posed to rams in November. Young
says labor and available feed will
continue to be seasonal in many
areas, even for some producers
willing to raise sheep in
semiconfinement.
The flock for three-times-a-year
lambing, designated Composite I,
is half Finnsheep, quarter Dorset,
and quarter Rambouillet breeding.
Young established Composite I by
mating Finnsheep-Rambouillet
crossbred ewes and rams to
Finnsheep-Dorset ewes and rams.
The Composite II flock for an
nual lambing is half Finnsheep,
quarter Suffolk, and quarter
Targhee breeding. Mating Finn
sheep-Suffolk crossbred ewes and
rams to Finnsheep-Targhee
crossbred ewes and rams
established Composite 11.
Selection emphasis while
upgrading the two flocks will be
somewhat different.
In Composite I, improving out
of-season breeding will have
priority; in Composite 11, in
creasing the number of lambs
produced per ewe each year will
have priority. Earlier age at
puberty, better mothering ability,
and larger litter size are additional
selection objectives in both
composites. The breeds forming
each composite will be similarly
selected for comparison.
In his part in the study,
Leymaster is working with both a
Suffolk flock and a three-breed
composite population. The
paternal breeds he is developing
are potential sources of rams for
SEALSTOR
OPEN HOUSE
At The
A. LOOK FOR
SEALSTOR
First
Road
Lett
sheep producers specializing in
market lamb production.
In-previous research at the
Center, the Suffolk breed excelled
in lean growth rate as compared
with the Hampshire, Dorset,
Rambouillet, Targhee, and
Corriedale breeds. The Clay
Center scientists also found that
Suffolks were superior to Hamp
shires and Oxfords as terminal
sires of market lambs.
is developing
selection procedures for paternal
breeds in the Suffolk flock. His
major emphasis is on producing
market lambs with more efficient
lean growth up to relatively heavy
ARTHURDALE, W.V. - The
Mason-Dixon Polled Hereford
Association held its First Annual
Field Day and business meeting on
June 6 here at the Stoney Run
Farm of Mr. and Mrs. Edward P.
Bucklew.
About seventy-five interested
breeders and fnends braved the
rain to participate in the events.
John Buric, University of
Maryland; W.C. Taylor, Cottage
Hills Farm; Keith Inskeep,
University of W.Va.; Sam Hunter,
Huckleberry Hall Farm; and M.R.
McClung, Ex. Sec. West Virginia
Cattlemens’ Association,
presented a variety of informative
topics and demonstrations for the
group.
Following the Field Day Ac
tivities the association’s fifty-three
members elected nine to the Board
Refreshments
Call For Additional n „
Information: 717-273-9324
PENN DUTCH
FARM SYSTEMS, INC.
1730 Highway 72 North
Lebanon, PA 17042
weights.
The three-breed paternal
composite is based on a crossbred
foundation established by mating
selected Columbia rams to Suffolk-
Hampshire crossbred ewes. The
resulting composite is half
Columbia, quarter Suffolk, -and
quarter Hampshire.
This composite population will
be placed in a selection program
for improving efficiency of lean
growth.
This long-term breeding and
selection effort should produce
information useful to producers of
purebred and commercial stock.
Results of these studies should
Mason-Dixon P. Hereford
Assoc, elects directors
of Directors of the Association. The
directors are: Edward P.
Bucklew, Independence, W.Va.;
Dr. William H. Buser, Swanton,
Md.; Lawrence A. Chaikcic,
Vanderbilt, Pa.; O. Randall
Harman, Accident, Md.; Samuel
Hunter, Smithsburg, Md.; Paul C.
Peaslee, Kingwood, W.Va.; Dr.
Leslie P. Midis, Marianna, Pa.;
Don E. Ross, Bruceton Mills,
W.Va.; and James B. Watson,
Westemport, Md.
Our area Sealstor sales
representative, Alan Crippen, invites
you to come, see and compare.
icaster Farming, Saturday, June 13,19t1—A15
Invites You
An:
NEXT WEEK:
JUNE 23...
Haylage and High
Moisture Corn
Open House at
Ralph Rudy Form
In Rebersburg. Centre
County. Details in
Next Week's Issue
[ htntm
Idaiiyl
, mwah 1
be especially useful to those
producers who wish to apply
genetic principles in improving
market lamb production under
intensive or semi-intensive
management.
' Selection methods developed by
Young and Leymaster for
upgrading sheep populations as
sources of ewes or rams will aid
producers in establishing their own
breed improvement programs.
Drs. Lawrence D. Young and
Kreg A. Leymaster are located at
the Roman-L. Hruska U.S. Meat
Animal Research Center, P.O. Box
166, Clay Center, NE 68933.—(8y
Walter Martin, SEA, Peoria, HI).
The membership also adopted
by-laws to be used by the
Association and received a
preliminary sales report related to
the Association’s fall sale to be
held October 2 A
The Board of Directors elected
as its officers: Dr. William H.
Buser, president; Don Ross, vice
president; Randall Harman,
treasurer; and Brenda Jenkins,
Friendsville,Md.
C^TTBrjui