The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Friday published a new final rule updating regulations for imports of sheep, goats, their meat and related products.

The new rule, set to take effect Jan. 3, 2022, “aligns the regulations with the current scientific understanding of BSE,” APHIS said.

When APHIS originally set up BSE-related import restrictions, “the potential risk of species other than cattle, including sheep and goats, was unknown,” the agency said.

The U.S. rules in place today prohibit imports of most live sheep and goats, and most sheep and goat products, from any countries considered a risk for BSE.

Since then, though, “scientists have learned much more about how BSE works, and their extensive research shows that sheep and goats pose a minimal risk of spreading BSE.”

U.S. regulations in place today limit imports from Canada to include just slaughter or feeder sheep under 12 months old and “certain products” from sheep and goats, as well as sheep and goat semen. They also restrict imports of meat and edible products other than gelatin from Canadian sheep and goats.

The new rules taking effect next month for sheep and goats deal instead with scrapie — a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that can affect those animals. Other TSEs include BSE in cattle, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in people and chronic wasting disease in cervids such as elk and deer.

Under the new rules, any live sheep or goat entering the U.S. that’s not headed directly for slaughter — or for a designated feedlot followed directly by slaughter — must come from either a scrapie-free country, or from a flock with a herd certification program equivalent to the U.S. Scrapie Flock Certification Program.

According to the Canadian Sheep Breeders’ Association, importers of sheep and goats from Canada for purposes other than slaughter under the new rule will have to provide documents showing the animals have “reached and maintained certified status.”

The U.S. evaluation of Canada’s Scrapie Flock Certification Program has found that farms ranked as “Level Certified Plus” in the Canadian program will meet the new import requirement, the CSBA said in its summary of the new rule.

APHIS will issue permits for sheep of certain “classical scrapie-resistant genotypes” including female sheep of genotype AARR and male sheep of genotypes AARR and AAQR, the association said.

Imported sheep and goats also have to be permanently identified with an APHIS-approved form of country mark, but APHIS “did not specify any particular method of identification,” CSBA said.

APHIS, in its new rule, said it will require official Canadian RFID eartags for goats and sheep imported from Canada, to be specified in guidance published later on the agency’s website. CSBA, however, said those official ear tags alone won’t meet the proposed country mark requirement.

Sheep and goats coming in for purposes other than immediate slaughter will also require a “permanent mark” unless they’re to be maintained as a segregated group in a designated feedlot, APHIS said. Tattoos are “expected to meet the country mark identification requirement,” CSBA said.

Past that, APHIS said, the new rule’s proposals for slaughter and feeder sheep and goats imported from anywhere in the world “are similar to the requirements for sheep and goats imported for those purposes from Canada.

“In other words, we proposed to make the provisions, which had been Canada-specific, broadly applicable to ruminants from anywhere in the world.”

APHIS, in its supporting documents, said it doesn’t expect any “significant increase” in live sheep and goat imports due to the new rule.

In the five years between 2016 and 2020, APHIS said, annual live sheep and goat imports averaged about 12,167 head — all of which came from Canada. Imports per year in that time ranged from 7,338 head in 2018 to 21,223 in 2016.

As for the meat market, APHIS said U.S. imports of sheep and goat meat today come in as chilled or frozen lamb, and “almost entirely” from Australia and New Zealand, the only two countries the U.S. currently recognizes as “wholly free” from scrapie.

APHIS, under the new rule, projects additional imports of sheep and goat meat in a range between 1,582 and 4,747 tonnes per year, which would cut into U.S. domestic meat production by between 439 and 1,317 tonnes — but would also spur greater U.S. domestic sheep and goat meat consumption, to the tune of between 1,143 and 3,430 tonnes.

APHIS said its projections suggest “consumer welfare gains would outweigh producer welfare losses,” and U.S. sheep and goat producers could also benefit from “resulting genetic improvements” by way of imported sheep and goat germplasm. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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Canada only produces 40 per cent of the lamb needed for consumers. As the population changes culturally, the need for lamb and goat will increase. And lamb is showing up on more menus across the nation.

Sheep once played a huge role in our history — providing lamb, mutton, lanolin, fat, and wool as well as cash for farmers.

Every soldier in the First and Second World Wars could attest to mutton stew. Many a rural home relied on the homespun wool for knitting of clothing fit for Canadian winters and to send to Canadian soldiers overseas, the lanolin for soap, the meat for food, and the bones for dog food and fertilizer.

In the 1930s when the Canadian population was 10.3 million, more than three million sheep were on Canadian farms.

• More with Brenda Schoepp: Who has benefited from the shift to heavier cattle?

The Canadian flock today is small — about 814,000 head (in 2017), which are scattered on 9,390 farms throughout the country. But there are more than a billion sheep worldwide, with China owning the largest herd (more than 146 million head) followed by Australia, India, Iran, New Zealand and what was formally Sudan (now Sudan and South Sudan).

Lamb and mutton are staples in many rural areas, and milking sheep, goats, and camels is especially important to nomadic and isolated communities. As for consumption, those who eat the most lamb and sheep live in Mongolia where folks consume over 50 kilograms per capita per year followed by Turkmenistan, New Zealand, Iceland and Greece.

Although Canadians are beginning to appreciate lamb, the flock is decreasing. However, goat meat consumption and the goat herd is growing (there were more than 230,000 goats on 5,627 Canadian farms in 2017).

Globally, the largest consumers of goat meat in terms of tonnage are China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sudan and South Sudan) but the largest per capita consumer is Sudan. The Sudanese goat herd exceeds 43 million.

Both lamb and young goat are delicious to eat, and the small ruminants provide valuable help when managed properly in terms of weed control and forage stimulation. As they add value to marginal land, sheep and goats can get a new farmer going even on heavier or rocky soil.

The best part though is the low cost to new entrants in agriculture as a smaller land base is required. Behind us are the days of the Canadian range wars between farmers (who had sheep and equipment) and ranchers who had the cattle. Today’s farming community is once again reflective of the cultural needs of the consumer and understands the challenges posed by the ever-present debt that can be a part of farming. Getting young folks started is important and a smaller flock on a smaller piece of land is an option.

Starting is easy — although staying sane is optional as sheep and goats get into all sorts of trouble.

It is important to do your stock shopping from a well-established farm with a similar vision or program and on similar land. Look for mentors who are experienced in husbandry, genetic selection, grazing, and infrastructure. And most importantly, do the research on the cost and access to meat processors and markets before buying a single one of the bleating beasts.

Choosing to sell lambs or kids in volume will require meeting weight targets. Selling direct will be dependent on weight and quality. As a starting farmer, having 100 ewes or nannies may seem romantic until there are 200 carcasses that need refrigeration and a buyer. Like vegetable production, when the product is perishable and the sale is direct to consumers, refrigeration is critical.

Consumers love farmers, especially ones who can tell them about the product and give it to them from their own hands. It may seem dramatically slow at the start, but getting the connections and relationships right with the consumer is critical. This holds true in the relationship with the processor as well. Inviting feedback on the carcass quality helps identify where improvements can be made and perhaps offers a point of differentiation with the product.

A farmer starting a new farm with a small flock or herd joins 500 million other small landholders around the world who make a valuable contribution to their community. Sheep and goats do not guarantee happiness (they may, however, provide immense frustration) nor are they the one path toward the fulfilment of a farming dream.

But they are worthy of consideration when starting a new farm.

Breed dependent, there are many benefits including milk, meat and wool with sheep, and milk and meat with goats.

As our Canadian culture shifts, these tasty proteins are both desired and in short supply. Reason enough to conclude that an opportunity awaits new and established farmers in Canada.

The post Has the time come again for Canadian producers to go deep into sheep? appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

He and wife Kayla ended up purchasing two ewes and a ram and bringing them to their farm near Endiang, 150 kilometres southeast of Red Deer, in 2009.

Somerville had grown up raising cattle with parents Rob and Laurie, but had never raised sheep. He grew to like the Icelandic sheep immediately, because they handle a lot like cattle.

“I knew what I was doing with cattle and the shearing was satisfying,” said Somerville.

He worried about predator loss but Icelandic sheep, which are smaller than most breeds, stick together in a tight flock and are hard to chase because they have a wide flight zone.

“They had a better chance of surviving coyotes,” he said.

The couple has yet to lose an animal to coyotes, although they have lost a few goats, which they run with the flock. (They also raise pastured pork.)

Icelandic sheep are one of the oldest breeds, with a history going back more than 1,000 years. Ewes generally weigh between 130 to 160 pounds and rams between 180 to 220 pounds. Short legged and stocky, the breed is very hardy and is used to a cold climate, so tend to do well in Canada.

“The animals are tough, they’re small and they take less feed,” said Somerville. “Since their frame is a little different, they’re a little less appealing to a lot of buyers.”

“The meat is milder than some lamb and most people who haven’t tried lamb or who aren’t used to lamb like it,” added Kayla Somerville.

The sheep are hardy, and some have impressive horns. The Somervilles used to have a larger flock, but sold off 50 ewes. They now keep 20 ewes and two rams, maintaining a small herd because of dry conditions and a lack of access to grass.

The Somervilles don’t advertise their flock, save on their website and Twitter, and mainly keep them for breeding stock, meat, and wool. Kayla is a knitter, and has even created Icelandic-inspired sweaters for the couple’s two small sons.

In 2011, they travelled to Iceland (where sheep outnumber people by a wide margin) in part to see them in their home environment. Icelandic sheep are rare in Alberta — the couple knows of only one other flock — but Stuart suspects there may be flocks with one or two Icelandic sheep in them.

Icelandic sheep commonly give birth to twins and sometimes triplets. Somerville moves them every two days, using an electric fence. The sheep need to be trained to the fence, because if the electricity isn’t there, they will attempt to bust right through it.

The sheep also have to be fed more minerals than other breeds.

“I can feed them cattle minerals which you’re not supposed to do with sheep usually, because of the copper,” he said. “That has to do with them being adapted to volcanic activity in Iceland. If you don’t feed them enough copper, their colours fade and they will all look kind of grey.”

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These are common ways that Ducks Unlimited Canada manages invasive plant species on projects located on agricultural land. But there’s a new management tool in the mix now being used by the organization. It has started using goats and flea beetles to help combat leafy spurge at its Frank Lake project located 50 kilometres southeast of Calgary.

“Goats and flea beetles are natural allies,” said Ashley Rawlak, a conservation specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada. “That’s why DUC is using goats on grasslands to help combat destructive, invasive plants through grazing.”

Prairie grasslands provide ducks, such as pintails, with important plant cover for nesting. While these waterfowl aren’t equipped to stop the spread of invasive plants, the hoofed animals they share this landscape with are.

Likely introduced to Canada in a bag of contaminated seed, invasive leafy spurge releases toxins into the soil where it grows, which prevents other plants from taking root. It also impacts the land’s capacity to hold water.

“It’s a problematic weed,” said Rawluk.

Fortunately, goats love it and “eat it like it’s candy.”

This year, Rawluk plans to have goats released onto grasslands at Frank Lake on three separate occasions. While small improvements can be noted after goats have been in the field, it will take several years before the full benefits of their grazing are seen.

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“A female goat likes a choice,” Mary Smith said at the recent Alberta Goat Breeders Association conference. “Does do have preferences in which bucks they will want to breed.”

Veterinarians should do breeding soundness exams, get a semen sample, and observe the buck in action, she said.

“If he’s got the semen, but doesn’t know where to put it, it doesn’t help a lot,” said Smith.

Attendees were given in-depth breeding advice from the professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, including how to measure and evaluate testicles. Turns out the male reproductive glands change in size over the course of the year (they’re biggest in October and smallest in February) and you want to ensure there are two (having one testicle is a hereditary trait).

Smith also had pointers for determining whether a doe is in heat — this can include using a hermaphrodite goat or rubbing the buck’s horns where the scent glands are and putting the rag in a jar (any doe in heat will be very interested in the rag).

Keeping bucks and nanny goats in adjacent pens isn’t a good idea unless you have a very robust fence as bucks are very determined when females are in heat.

“Get the bucks away from the does by three months,” said Smith, noting females are generally fertile at five months — something that often surprises owners of pet goats.

On the other hand, a seemingly pregnant goat may not actually be with kid.

“Pet goats and goats that are not allowed to get bred when they come into heat commonly get a false pregnancy,” said Smith. “With a false pregnancy, progesterone is elevated and the goat thinks it is pregnant.”

Fluid will accumulate in the uterus, and the animal will look pregnant, but an ultrasound or blood test will determine the true state of affairs.

Vaccination protocols for pregnancy are very regional and producers should seek veterinary advice on what to vaccinate for.

“You should suspect an infectious abortion if more than two per cent of your goats abort,” said Smith.

There are many infectious causes of abortions in goats, including Q-fever, listeria, and Cache Valley virus. All of these diseases are zoonotic, and can be passed to humans so producers should take proper precautions and use gloves and even a face mask if appropriate.

A University of Saskatchewan PhD chemistry student has devised a new and more energy efficient way to separate water from ethanol.

Leila Dehabadi is using starch-based materials such as corn, and can extract the water without using additional energy to isolate the ethanol, which could reduce the cost of biofuels.

“Compared to distillation, this new approach based on green chemistry and engineering will be a significant saving to biofuel and alcohol production in Saskatchewan and globally by changing the way water is separated from ethanol mixtures,” said Lee Wilson, U of S chemistry professor and Dehabadi’s supervisor.

In traditional distillation methods, fermented plants create a mixture of water and ethanol which is then heated to separate out the ethanol. However, some water remains, Dehabadi said.

She solved this problem by using non-toxic starch-based materials that do not require energy to remove water. Her results show the new technology is 40 times more effective than materials previously studied and achieves an efficiency comparable to traditional distillation.

Dehabadi has modified different types of starch (corn) and cellulose (plants) to create materials with varying chemical compositions and textural properties.

During trials, she found that her materials act like “selective sponges,” and remove water better than cellulose-based ones.

When immersed in a mixture of water and ethanol, her new materials suck up 80 times more water than ethanol.

“You can repeat the process in a ‘loop’ to get more ethanol,” said Wilson.

The post No kidding around – goat expert offers breeding advice appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

That lasted all of two weeks.

“I didn’t want a thing to do with them,” said Gisler with a laugh.

“Those things are evil. They’re miserable creatures. I said, ‘Either they go or I go, because one of us will end up dead.’”

Luckily, another new type of livestock was gaining a foothold in Alberta at the time, and this one turned out to be decidedly less miserable for the Gislers.

Boer goats.

“I love them. They’re my babies,” said Gisler, who had 150 at one time but is now down to a more manageable 40. “That’s a good number for me just to keep active.”

And while Gisler loves her animals, they’re not pets, but rather part of a small but growing goat industry in Canada.

“In North America, most people aren’t too familiar with goat meat, but outside of that, it’s extremely popular with the rest of the world,” said Gisler, adding that roughly 75 per cent of the world’s population eats goat meat.

Gisler mainly sells her animals as breeding stock, but her lesser-quality animals go into the growing market for goat meat. But as a small industry — there are only about 6,000 goat farms raising 225,000 goats across Canada and slaughtering only about 57,000 head of that — marketing has proven to be a challenge.

“When BSE hit, they closed everything. They opened it for the beef, but they didn’t worry about it for the goats,” said Gisler.

“We’re still fighting our way back into the export market. We’re not a high priority.”

That’s “frustrating” for goat producers like Gisler, who are trying to supply a growing population of immigrants who grew up on goat meat.

“There are so many people coming into Canada who want quality goat meat, but 90 per cent of the goat meat that’s consumed in Canada is imported from Australia,” said Gisler.

“If people can get good-quality meat that hasn’t been frozen for six months, they’re really eager to do that.”

In Canada, growing Filipino, Muslim, and Jamaican communities are “always looking for product,” and while Gisler works with Sungold Specialty Meats in Innisfail, new abattoirs catering to those communities have popped up in Edmonton and Calgary.

“We don’t have the numbers to export. There’s so much demand that there’s no way we can possibly meet it,” said Gisler, adding that goat meat and milk are also becoming popular with “the health conscious.”

“The market is there, and there’s definitely room to grow.”

And it’s proving to be profitable for producers as well — so much so that some cattle producers are adding Boer goats to their operations to complement their cattle herds.

“When I first started in goats, if you got 50 cents a pound live, you were doing great. At Easter, it was about $3.50 a pound live,” said Gisler.

“I can’t see any other industry that has grown like that in the last 20 years. Growth has been steady all along.”

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On Nov. 20 in Edmonton, Patrick and Cherylynn Bos were named co-winners of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers award. Then it was back to Rock Ridge Dairy near Ponoka to fire up the most technologically advanced goat milking parlour on the continent and train 700 skeptical does to use the parlour. And then the couple hosted a meeting of dairy goat producers from across Alberta and B.C. — part of their ongoing effort to grow the Western Canadian dairy goat industry.

Sharing the Outstanding Young Farmers national award (with Ontario hog producers Amy and Mike Cronin) was “humbling,” said Cherylynn.

“We were with some amazing people and I don’t think you can say one couple was more deserving than any other,” she said. “You could have put all the names in a hat, swished them around, and pulled two out and we all would have been fine with that because everyone was really outstanding.”

The couple began farming 18 years ago, purchased their first milking goats in 1999, and began milking for a Ponoka-based processing company while also working off the farm. In 2004 the plant closed, and it was touch-and-go whether they could pay the bills and continue farming.

“We were there for a long time in our first years,” said Patrick. “But we always tried to look at the situation without blinders on and say, ‘These are the good things and these are the bad things. What can we do to build on the good things and overcome the bad ones.’”

The couple eventually decided to build a goat milk- and cheese-processing facility on the farm, and their milk and cheese are now sold through major grocery chains across Western Canada under various labels as well under the Rock Ridge brand.

The new milking parlour was also a result of regularly assessing what’s working and what isn’t.

The couple, who have four children, want to expand production but milking 700 goats twice a day in their old parlour was already an exhausting nine-hour process. The original plan was to buy a system from Europe.

“This was something we’d be using for 25 years and when I looked at the systems out there, none of them had everything I wanted,” said Patrick.

They ended up working with a Ponoka company to modify a Dutch system using new software developed by an Israeli firm. The system was ready to go in early November, but commissioning was delayed for the five days of the Outstanding Young Farmers event.

The parlour, which can milk 900 goats an hour, was “running flawlessly,” Cherylynn said after the first week of operation.

“Now we just have to convince the goats to co-operate just a little bit more,” she said, adding every single goat had to be led into the parlour on Day 1 but were catching on by week’s end.

“Goats can be very sweet and co-operative just like dogs, but they can also have a lot of attitude.”

The farmers they met in both the regional and national Outstanding Young Farmers events also have an attitude, one that Patrick described as, ‘Don’t tell me I can’t do something. Let’s find a way to do it.’

“It makes you look at your whole business with different eyes, and makes you think more about your future, where you’re heading, and why you’re heading that way,” said Cherylynn. “Even though their farms are different, they approach things with great enthusiasm and innovative ideas that you can apply to your own business.”

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