‘Reinventing The Appalachian Shepherd’ Conference Nov. 9-10 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Within the Appalachian region of the U.S. lies a group of coun ties eastern Ohio, western Vir ginia, south central and western Pennsylvania, and most of West Virginia that shares a topogra phy and climate as well as loca tion well suited for sheep produc tion. This combination provided the region a rich sheep history, a time when many counties report ed agriculture as their leading in dustry and sheep as the most profitable and largest enterprise. Those days are gone. Sheep numbers have fallen steadily for the last 130 years. The tragedy lies in the fact that even though the economy has changed and the sheep industry of the past will never return to the previous level of profit or numbers, this area possesses every resource necessary for sheep farming to become a sus tainable source of income for farm families. In fact, ewes eat The JUG Livestock Waterer Cleans Itself - so you don’t have to! The JUG't Fead-Tra| catches debris and I It out of the retervol to get in the way The JUG’S self-cleaning design The JUG’S Feed-Trap™ design prevents feed and other debris from entering the reservoir tank. Each time the animal drinks, any debris in the Feed-Trap is removed The tank stays clean' No Algae - No slime Since the JUG’s reservoir is light-tight, no algae will grow in it That means no slime build-up Clean Water = productivity You know that animals will drink more when the water is clean And more water consumption yields more productivity Tough, long-lasting construction The JUG is made of tough, roto-molded plastic It stands up to abuse dished out by livestock It won’t chip and pit like concrete Buy your JUG today! Reinecker Ag Products 7270 Old Harrisburg Road, York Springs, PA 17372 David A. Reinecker (717) 528-8428 FAX (717) 528-7065 PENN! • Brandt’s Farm Supply Elizabethtown, PA 717-367-1221 • Les Hershey Kirkwood, PA 717-529-6744 • Rovendale Ag & Barn Watsontown, PA 570-538-9564 • Bruce Lemmon Carlisle, PA 877-642-8312/8434 • Lyco Dairy Service Cogan Station, PA • Knepper Enterprises 570-494-0708 81444<;’2858 * Summit Ag Systems Breezewood, PA 800-242-3240 ELSEWHERE • Bensons Farm Equipment Groton, NY 607-898-3852 • Maryland Livestock Equip. Mt Airy, MD 800-352-4866 ing forages from Appalachian mountainsides might be the management model best able to compete in the current agricul tural order of narrow margins and severe price swings. For sheep to again make an important contribution to farm income and family well-being, the industry will have to be re built with new farmers, new management systems, and new alliances this means “reinvent ing the Appalachian shepherd.” A conference with that title is scheduled Nov. 9-10 at the Ra mada Inn in Morgantown, W.Va. to consider what is re quired for a new sustainable and financially important sheep in dustry. This conference will become the gathering point for all the re searchers, business folks, educat ors, and producers from the mid- Appalachian region to share their work and consider produc tion models for the future. Many bright and energetic people from all sectors of the re gional sheep in- JUG Modal 202 1-hola and 4-hole models also available BH2 • Cedar Crest Equipment Lebanon, PA 800-646-6601 • Hess Equipment Mifflinburg, PA 570-966-1998 • Kauffman Farm Supply Mt Pleasant Mills, PA 570-539-4571 • Kauffman Farm Supply Belleville, PA 717-935-2131 • Seneca Farm & Home Supply Seneca Falls, NY 315-568-1772 • Boivin Farm Supply Vergennes, VT 802-475-2494 • Simmons Feed & Supply Linville, VA dustry are working on more proj ects than most of us know and solving more problems than most knew existed. This conference will provide a platform for them to share their ideas and everyone else to consider and react to them. This conference will not be limited to just local presentations and ideas. Some management models from other sheep produc ing regions will be shared. Those attending the conference should leave with a better understanding of where our sheep industry needs to go and how to get there. The program includes reports from the following research and industry leaders: • The Easy Care Ewe Selec tion and Breeding Program, Dave Notter, Virginia Tech. • Out of Season Management Model, Keith Inskeep and Doola rie Singh, WVU. • Internal Parasite Abatement and Forage Management, Bill Shulaw, Ohio State. Cot cows? For highly productive cows feed quality forages from HYTESr SEEDS High yields and nutri- tional value from your com, sorghum, alfalfa, legumes and grasses are delivered to the most demanding part of your operation your cows HYTEST SEEDS offer the best genetic solutions h h h| @ HYTEST. to fulfill your cows' nutritional needs For your one seed source of high quality forage and grain crops, call 1-800-442-7391 If you've got cows, get HYTEST. • The Predator Control Pro gram of the Future, Bill Bonwell APHIS, USDA. • Intensively Managed/Low Input Flocks, Jim Clay, Ohio State (retired). • Sheep Budgets for Appala chian Shepherds, a Pocahontas County, W.Va. Case Study, Jim Pritchard, extension agent, Poca hontas County. • Incorporating Thousands of Years of Natural Selection Into a Logical On-Farm Breeding Pro gram, Charles Parker, Ohio State. • The Rewards of a Long- Term In-Flock Selection Pro gram, Maijorie and Walker Ray bum, Edenton, N.C. • The Fencing Systems of the Future, Stan Potratz, Premier Fence Systems, Washington, lowa. • Challenges and Opportuni ties of Large-Scale Shepherding, John Etchpare, Cheyenne, Wyo. • The New Shepherding Para digm, Paul Rodgers, American Sheep Industry Association. Get hmKk grasr Forages Built To Feed. ©2OOO HYTEST SEEDS HYTEST SEEDS (logo) and brand are a registered trademarks DHOB44ILF • Forage inventory and pro duction potential for the Appala chian Region. • The Sociology of Shepherd ing, Can Shepherds Achieve the American Dream? The conference begins at 1:15 p.m. Nov. 9 and end at 3 p.m. Friday. Registration fee of $4O includes Thursday dinner, Fri day lunch, and breaks for both days. Single-day registration is $25. A block of rooms has been re served for the conference group. All attending will receive a copy of the proceedings. For registration information, contact your extension agent or Becky Casteel at rcasteel@ wvu.ed or (304) 293-6131 x 4231.