1. Festival Raises the Bar
2. WSBC Annual Meeting Slated for October 21
3. Bred Ewe and Lamb Sale Set for November 4
4. Educational Funding Offered by WSBC
5. Braun Serves as WSBC Intern
6. Festival Names Contest Winners
7. Festival Draws 499 Sheep Entries
8. Wisconsin Classic Nets $320 Average
9. Thanks to You. . .
10. Wisconsin Wool Winners Advance to National Contest
11. Blue Ribbon Auction Seeking Youth Reps
12. Wisconsin to Gain Scrapie “Fully Consistent” Status
13. Shearing School Set for December
14. WSBC Presents Post-Secondary Scholarships
15. Spiegelhoff’s Named Merchandiser of the Year
16. Wisconsin to Host Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium
17. Meat-Only Tags Offered by USDA
18. WHSA Offers Ewe Scholarships
19. President’s Notes

   The Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival gained traction in 2006 and is heading towards a new level of quality, participation and acceptance for its programs, organizers say.

   “We’ve turned an important corner this year,” says Festival Chairman Bob Black, Columbus.  “All Festival activities showed growth this time around, and that is just what we needed.”

   The Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative’s Fifth Annual Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival was held in Jefferson on September 8 through 10.  The Festival had it all—educational sessions for sheep producers, classes for fiber enthusiasts, sheep and used equipment auctions, sheep lead-in classes and sheep shows, a skillathon, dog trial, silent and shepherds’ auctions, extensive commercial exhibits, shearing demonstrations, the Make It Yourself With Wool contest, a hooked rug exhibit, fleece show and sale, stock-dog shows, photo contest, a sheep-to-shawl demonstration, a handspun skein competition, a lamb cooking demonstration and plenty of opportunities to meet and talk with people with similar interests.

   One critical area of the Festival that needed a kick-start was programming for kids, and Black believes that area is now on solid ground.

   “The Skillathon led the return to re-energized youth activities, with an impressive 120-plus kids going through the Skillathon in two days,” says Black.  “Sam and Pat Wiford promised to bring us education and fun.  They delivered and then some.”

   The husband and wife team from Ohio, who are nationally known for presenting quality skillathons also judged the Lead-In classes, another activity that saw healthy growth with 24 entries.

   Virtually every area of the Festival saw increased participation.

   The Fleece Show grew, with almost 100 fleeces entered.  The Crook and Whistle Dog Trial saw 242 runs, up by 26 handlers and 52 runs from 2005.

   “As trials go, that is about as big as it gets with one field and three days,” says Mary Groh, trial co-superintendent.

   With 280 students enrolled in three days of fiber classes, Carol Wagner, Wonders of Wool superintendent, notes that many classes were filled to capacity.  Beginning spinning classes had to be expanded from two classes to four because of demand.  And Wagner says she got a lot of positive feedback on both classes and instructors.

   “We had a woman from Alaska who came to take a knitting class from a nationally known instructor,” she notes.  “. . . People enjoyed the classes.  One student said she had a wonderful time and that she had learned a lot because she was challenged.”

   Wagner, whose Hidden Valley Farm and Woolen Mill was a commercial vendor, noted that trade was brisk in The Country Store throughout the Festival.

   “A number of vendors said the Festival sales were as good or better than they’d ever had,” she says.  “There were new vendors, which means people are hearing about the Festival and want to be a part of it.  The customer base was incredible.  We were busy all the time!”

   Barb Bishop, superintendent for the sheep shows, was pleased with the energy and enthusiasm of exhibitors and others at this year’s Festival.

   “They were more willing to help, and there seemed to be a lot more people talking to the vendors,” she notes.

   Bishop’s daughter, Megan, came home from college in South Dakota to attend and help out at the Festival.  In previous Festivals, she’d been busy showing sheep.  This year, though, she had the opportunity to see other parts of the Festival.

   “She was amazed that it was such an extensive event!” Barb Bishop says.  “I look for the Festival to grow even more!

   The Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, October 21 at the Voyageur Inn and Conference Center, 200 Viking Drive, Reedsburg.  The meeting is open to all WSBC members and those involved or interested in the state’s sheep industry.

   Registration will take place beginning at 10:30 a.m., followed by a program presented by Dr. Art Pope, UW-Madison sheep professor emeritus, at 11 a.m.  There will be a luncheon at 12:30 p.m., followed by the WSBC recognition program, and then the annual meeting.  People need not attend the luncheon to participate in the annual meeting. 

   Members will elect three directors as well as WSBC representatives to the Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Association board and the Wisconsin State Fair Governor’s Blue Ribbon Auction committee.  WSBC will present the Art Pope Award, Wisconsin Sheep Industry Award and Wisconsin Master Shepherd Awards to commercial, purebred and dairy-sheep producers.

   October 10 is the deadline to make luncheon reservations.  The luncheon buffet includes tossed salad, roasted boneless less of lamb, baked chicken breast with Parmesan sauce, baked potatoes, green bean almandine, rolls, coffee, milk and cookies.  Cost of the luncheon is $14.95 and includes tax and gratuity.    A child’s plate—with chicken strips, French fries, milk and cookies—costs $8.50.  To make reservations or for more information, contact Jill Alf, WSBC secretary-treasurer, at 608/868-2505, wisbc@centurytel.net or 7811 Consolidated School Road, Edgerton, WI  53534.

   Sound, correct sheep at good prices.  That’s what WSBC President Gary Klug says prospective buyers will find at the 54^th Wisconsin Bred Ewe and Ewe lamb Sale on November 4.  The Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative’s annual sale will be held at the Rock County Fairgrounds in Janesville.  A show will take place at 9 a.m., followed by a youth judging contest at 11 a.m.  The sale begins at 1 p.m.

   “This sale provides an excellent opportunity for youth or adults who want to start a flock or to add some quality stock to their current situation,” says Klug.  “The main reason the sale started was to offer youth a way to get started in the sheep business, and that is still a major objective of the sale.”

   Sale entries are due October 1.  The sale catalog will be posted on WSBC’s website, enabling the publication of photographs of ewes for sale.  A hard copy of the sale catalog also will be available from WSBC’s Jill Alf at 608/868-2505 or wisbc@centurytel.net. 

   Last year’s sale brought an average price of $334 on ewes sold, up from $282 in 2004.

   As part of the sale, WSBC will sponsor a judging contest for all 4-H, FFA and other youth at 11 a.m.  WSBC will award prizes to top judges in each division.  Youth 13 years old and younger as of the sale day will be in the junior division, and the senior division will be made up of youth 14 years old and above. 

For more information, contact Sale Chairperson Gary Klug, 920/863-5584, WSBC’s Jill Alf, 608/868-2505 or wisbc@centurytel.net.

   Part of WSBC’s annual budget is earmarked to help fund events that benefit the sheep industry either by promoting sheep and/or sheep products or by educating youth about the sheep industry.  Written requests for funding support need to be made in writing at least 30 days prior an event for which support is being requested.  The sponsoring organization must be a WSBC member, and it must include WSBC as a sponsor both at the event and in the event’s promotional materials.

   For more information about obtaining support, contact WSBC’s Jill Alf at 608/868-2505 or wisbc@centurytel or visit the WSBC website—www.wisbc.com—and click on Entry Forms.

   Carmen Braun, 19, the daughter of Ronald and Kathryn Braun, Cato, served as WSBC’s summer intern.  During the Wisconsin State Fair, she was responsible for setting up and maintaining the WSBC educational display with recipes, sheep and wool facts and children’s activities.  She also worked in WSBC’s Wisconsin Wool Works! retail shop there.

   Braun was raised on a farm, Braun Earth Acres, that has a flock of 75 Dorset and Suffolk ewes.  She is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and majors in animal science and agriculture education.

   While WSBC’s Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival was filled with educational opportunities, it also provided the backdrop for participants to demonstrate their skills through various judged events.

   Jill Johnson of River Winds Farm, Boyd, took grand champion honors in the 2005 Fleece Contest.  This year, she did one better than that.  Not only did her Cormo fleece take grand champion honors in 2006, but her Cormo crossbred fleece took reserve grand champion honors as well.

   Champions and reserve champions were:

• Commercial (uncovered white fleeces) – Champion:  Sally Thomsen, Mishicot, Merino fleece; reserve champion:  Ray Antoniewicz, Oregon, Texel crossbred.
• Handspinning White (covered fleeces) – Champion:  Jill Johnson, River Winds Farm, Cormo; reserve champion:  Diana Jarnutauski, Stephenson, Mich., composite/Lincoln/Border Leicester.
• Natural Color – Champion:  Jill Johnson, River Winds Farm, Cormo crossbred; reserve champion:  Dee Heinrich, Peeper Hollow Farm, Marion, Iowa, Romney/Border Leicester.
• Shetland – Champion and reserve champion:  Laura Matthews, Kiel.

   There were 95 fleeces entered in the contest, up from 82 in 2005.

   In the handspun skein competition, JoAnne DuFour, Bark River, Mich. took best of show honors.  The contest had over 50 entries, and Joan LeClair of Waukesha served as judge, with Jean Karls of Madison as the judge’s assistant.

   LeeAnne Richert of Cable, whose photographs have graced the cover of The Wisconsin Shepherd many times over the past several years, again has won multiple top honors in the WSBC’s annual photo contest.  Visitors to the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival voted on finalist photographs in a “shepherd’s choice” contest. 

   Richert’s photographs topped three divisions of the contest.  “Gathering Up the Boys”, seen on this issue’s cover, topped the action division, while “Peek-A-Boo” was voted the first-place photo in the open division, and “The Favorite” topped the scenic division.

   Taking second place in the action division was Lisa Nelson-Ischi of Albany, whose photo was entitled “Water Me and Ewe, Too”.  Carol Seago of Mason took second place in the open division with “There’s No Mistaking Love!” and Janice Becker of Wisconsin Rapids took second place in the scenic division with “Don’t Worry About Us”.

   Thirteen-year-old Mikayla Jaeckel of Fort Atkinson topped the youth division with a photograph entitled “Take It Easy”, and Anthony Mitchell, 15, Grinnell, Iowa, placed second with a photo entitled “Glamb”.

   Nicki Seeger of Ogdensburg took both first and second places in the kids and sheep division; her winning photograph was entitled “Bluejean Baby”, and the second-place photo was called “In the Pink”.

   A number of the winning photos will be published in The Wisconsin Shepherd over the coming year.

   A record number of dogs and over 200 sheep participated in the three-day Crook and Whistle Stock Dog Trial.  Chuck Dimit served as judge.

   Top handlers and dogs by class were:

• Novice 1 – Becky Goodwyn with Telly, Beecher, Ill, 1^st; Lori Perry with Darque, Iron River, Mich., 2^nd; and Ron Baucom with Jill, Wis., 3rd;
• Novice 2 – Peg Anderson with Tori, Blue Mounds, 1^st; Bill Murray with Meeska, Beecher, Ill, 2^nd; and Ron Baucom with Jill, 3^rd;
• Pronovice 1 – Alasdair MacRae with Cap, Piedmont, Ark., 1^st; Jim Martin with Sport, Marengo, Ill., 2^nd; Alasdair MacRae with Kate, 3^rd;
• Pronovice 2 – Jim Martin with Sport, 1^st; Alasdair MacRae with Cap, 2^nd; and Patricia MacRae with Moss, Piedmont, Ark., 3^rd;
• High Combined Pronovice – Jim Martin with Sport;
• Nursery 1 – Chuck O’Reilly with Katrina, Redwing, Minn., 1^st; and Larry Gartner with Baby, Edwardsville, Ill, 2^nd;
• Nursery 2 – Chuck O’Reilly with Katrina, 1^st; Peg Anderson with Tori, 2^nd; and Ronnie Bingham with Rock, Wilson, 3^rd;
• High Combined Nursery – Chuck O’Reilly with Katrina;
• Open 1 – Alasdair MacRae with Star, 1^st; Alasdair MacRae with Nap, 2^nd; and Patricia MacRae with Bear, 3^rd;
• Open 2 – Alasdair MacRae with Don, 1^st; Nancy Duley with Jill, Woodstock, Ill., 2^nd; Patricia MacRae with Max, 3^rd; and
• High Combined Open – Alasdair MacRae with Star.

   A total of 499 sheep were exhibited at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival’s sheep shows, six more than in 2005. 

   In the Midwest Shetland Sheep Show, Judge Susan McFarland of Columbus awarded champion ram and best of show honors to the Larry and Andrea Hopkins family, Zionsville, Ind., while Nancy Krohn of Bluff Country Shetlands, Houston, Minn., exhibited the reserve champion ram.  Caz and Susan Szydlo of North Wind Farm, Spring Grove, Ill., had the champion ewe, and Nicole Zeien of Windy Z Acres, Belvidere, Ill, had the reserve champion ewe.  Steve and Kath Vogelmann, Campbellsport, had the best small flock, and Mary Ellen Kelly, Centerville, Mo., had the best fleece on hoof.

   In the Open Wool Breeds Show, the Ralph Giorno family, Whitewater, exhibited the supreme champion ram and supreme champion ewe—both Columbias—and the reserve supeme ewe, a Corriedale.  James and Donna Lein, Arlington, Iowa, had the reserve supreme ram, a Natural Colored Long Wool.  Mike Bandt of Poynette served as judge.

   In the Wool Breeds Show, top exhibitors were:

·        Border Leicester – Andrea Staskal, Two Rivers, champion ram, reserve champion ewe and best flock; Jerry and Loralee Valenta, Two Rivers, reserve champion ram; Deakin Family Farms, Cuba, Ill., champion ewe and best fleece of show.

·        Columbia – Ralph Giorno family, Whitewater, champion and reserve champion ram, champion and reserve champion ewe and best flock.

·        Corriedale – Giorno, champion ram, champion ewe and best flock; James and Donna Lein, Arlington, Iowa, reserve champion ram and reserve champion ewe.

·        Icelandic – Suellen Thomson-Link, Brodhead, champion ram, reserve champion ram and champion ewe.

·        Lincoln – Sara Hammer, Cuba City, champion ram and reserve champion ram; Lein, champion ewe, reserve champion ewe and best flock.

·        Merino – Sally Thomsen, Mishicot, champion ram, reserve champion ram and champion ewe.

·        Natural Colored Medium & Fine Wool – Bethany Kitzrow, B&W Natural Colored, Union Grove, champion ram, champion ewe, reserve champion ewe and best flock; Lein, reserve champion ram.

·        Natural Colored Long Wool – Lein, champion ram, champion ewe and best flock; Brian Seefeld, Athens, reserve champion ram and reserve champion ewe.

·        Targhee – University of Wisconsin – Madison, Arlington, champion ram, reserve champion ram, champion ewe and best flock; A&J Nevens Livestock, Lodi, reserve champion ewe.

   In the Open Meat Breeds Show, Judge Sara Kuykendall of Richland Center selected a Wether-Type sheep owned by Eric and Jenny Meudt of Meudt Show Lambs, Delavan, as supreme champion ram.  Meudt Show Lambs also had the reserve supreme ewe, also a Wether-Type.  Gary Klug of Highland Hampshires, Denmark, had the reserve supreme champion ram, and John Jones, Rio, had the supreme ewe.

   In the Open Meat Breeds Show, top exhibitors were:

·        Dorset – Lindow Farms, Chili, champion ram, reserve champion ram, champion ewe and best flock; Mike and Ryan Houfe, Milton, reserve champion ewe.

·        Hampshire – Klug, champion ram; John, Jordan and Jessica Alf, Edgerton, reserve champion ram, champion ewe, reserve champion ewe and best flock.

·        Oxford – Laura Rummler, Watertown, champion ram, champion ewe, reserve champion ewe and best flock.

·        Southdown – Casey Lobdell, Darlington, champion ram, reserve champion ram and best flock; Jones, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe.

·        Wether-Type – Meudt, champion ram, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe; Crystal Novak, Browntown, reserve champion ram.

   Judge Steve Bingen of West Bend selected a Hampshire exhibited by Derek Duoss of Milton as the grand champion in the Open Market Lamb Show.  Reserve grand champion honors went to Alecia Treml, Mauston, with her Natural Colored wether.

   Champions and reserve champions by breed were:

·        Any Other Breed – John Alf, Edgerton (Dorset); Crystal Novak, Browntown (Southdown).

·        Hampshire – Duoss; Treml.

·        Natural Colored – Treml; Smerchek family, Rosholt.

·        Suffolk – Treml; Kelly Lee, Johnson Creek.

·        Crossbred – Treml; Alf.

  In the Youth Showmanship contest, Judges Bingen and Sam Wiford, Wapakoneta, Ohio, named Hannah Taylor, Arlington, as top beginner showman and Andy Nevens, Lodi, as reserve champion.  Dathan Smerchek, Rosholt, was champion junior showman, and Jessica Alf was reserve champion.  Katie Burke of Blanchardville was intermediate champion showman, and Courtney Lobdell, Darlington, took reserve champion honors.

   In senior showmanship, Rosemary Herschleb of DeForest was named champion, while Kirsten Kohlman of Plymouth was reserve champion.  John Alf topped the advanced showmanship class, and Jordan Alf was reserve champion.

   A Shetland sheep exhibited by Tyler Szydlo, Spring Grove, Ill, was named the supreme champion wool breed ram in the Junior Wool Breeds Show.  Judge Wiford named a Columbia exhibited by Jessica Taylor as the reserve supreme champion ram, and a Targhee shown by Joelle Nevens, Lodi, as supreme champion ewe.  A Corriedale shown by Rosemary Herschleb of DeForest was named the reserve supreme champion ewe in the show.

   Champions and reserve champions by breed were:

·        Border Leicester – Allen Woller, Belleville, champion ewe.

·        Columbia – Jessica Taylor, champion ram, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe.

·        Corriedale – Herschleb, champion ewe.

·        Icelandic – Syon Link, Brodhead, champion ram, reserve champion ram and champion ewe; Sundara Link, Brodhead, reserve champion ewe.

·        Natural Colored – Dalton Kelman, Watertown, champion ewe.

·        Romney – Bianca Woller, Belleville, champion ewe.

·        Shetland – Tyler Szdlo, champion ram, reserve champion ram and champion ewe; David Szydlo, Spring Grove, Ill., reserve champion ewe.

·        Targhee – Andy Nevens, Lodi, champion ram and reserve champion ewe; Joelle Nevens, reserve champion ram and champion ewe.

   A Hampshire owned by John, Jordan and Jessica Alf was named supreme champion ram by Judge Bingen in the Junior Meat Breeds Show.  A Suffolk shown by Jacob Held, Princeton, was named reserve supreme champion ram.  A Southdown exhibited by John Jones was the supreme champion ewe, and a Hampshire owned by the Alfs was named reserve supreme champion ewe.

   Breed champions were:

·        Cheviot – Jon Jennings, Milton, champion ram and champion ewe.

·        Dorset – Mike Houfe, Milton, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe.

·        Hampshire – John, Jordan and Jessica Alf, champion ram, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe; Crystal Novak, Browntown, reserve champion ram.

·        Southdown – Courtney Lobdell, Darlington, champion ram; Emily Auby, Stoughton, reserve champion ram; Jones, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe.

·        Suffolk – Jacob Held, Princeton, champion ram; Jayne Held, Princeton, reserve champion ram, champion ewe and reserve champion ewe.

·        Wether-Type – Alecia Treml, Mauston, champion ewe; Ethan & Brady Meudt, Delavan, reserve champion ewe.

   Twenty-eight sheep sold at the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative’s Wisconsin Classic brought an average of $319.64.  The sale was held in Jefferson on September 9 in conjunction with the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival.  

   A total of 18 rams rams and 10 ewes from 8 different breeds or composites were sold.  The ram average was $334.73, and the ewes sold averaged $292.50.

   The top-selling ram was a Hampshire yearling consigned by Roembke Hampshires of Cedarburg; it sold for $525 to the University of Wisconsin – River Falls, represented by Gary Onan.  A pair of Suffolk ram lambs consigned by Dale and Judy Dobberpuhl of Mint Gold Ranch, DePere, each sold for $500, one to Sylven Moellers of Mineral Point and the other to Therese Schroeder of Black Creek.  Two other rams sold for $475 each.  One was consigned by Roembke Hampshires and was purchased by Jeff and Mary Liddle of Roberts, and the other was consigned by Danielle Whittman of New Glarus and was purchased by Nancy Zernicke of Bonduel.

   The top-selling ewe of the sale was a Hampshire ewe lamb consigned by Alf Hampshires, Edgerton; it was purchased for $425 by Kevin Schmoll of Hatley.  Another ewe of interest was a Wether-Type ewe lamb that sold for $400; it was consigned by Meudt Show Lambs of Delavan and was purchased by George Treml of Mauston.

   Averages for rams by breed were:  White Dorper, $250 on one ram; Suffolk, $466.67 on three; Shropshire, $250 on one; Wether-Type, $295 on five; Border Leicester, $300 on one; Hampshire, $400 on four; Dorset, $250 on two; and Southdown, $250 on one.

   Averages for ewes by breed were:  Suffolk, $300 on one; Wether-Type, $333.34 on three; Border Leicester, $191.67 on three; and Hampshire, $350 on three.

   “The sale quality ran deep in all breeds,” says Sale Chairman Eric Meudt, “and we’re looking forward to another sale in 2007.”

   A complete sales report is available from WSBC’s Jill Alf at 608/868-2505 or wisbc@centurytel.net.

   Hats off to these generous donors who gave merchandise or cash to the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative’s Shepherds’ Benefit Auction at the 2006 Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival.  All proceeds got to educational programs and youth scholarships.  Thanks to you. . . good things happen!

Aarandale

Ace, Sandy

Aceline Suffolks & Club Lambs

AFPK Hamps (Connor family)

AJ Staskal & family

Alf Hampshires

Alf, Jessica

Alpaca Treasure

American Sheep Industry

Annie’s Sweet Handspun

Apple Hollow Fiber Arts

Apple Orchard Alpacas

Argyle Fiber Mill

BaaBaa Acres (Anderson family)

baabaashop.com

Babe’s Fiber Garden

Badger Auction Service (Bob Johnson)

Barb Lassa Photography

Bear Lake Enterprises

Black Sheep Newsletter

Blackberry Ridge

Bramble Wool Farm

Briar Rose Fibers

Capn’s Catering

Country Today

Cutler Fence

D-S Livestock

Doggy Toyland

Edgewood Arts

Enchanted Meadows Alpacas

Erickson, Glenn

Erickson, Rudy

Ewesful Gifts

Fevolden Farm

Fibertastic (Ellen Haynes)

Four Crows Farm

Franklin Industries

Functional Ceramics/Jennie Landers

GenMark

Gone With The Wind Shetlands

Gray Haven Hills

Green Mountain Spinnery

Handspun by Stefania

Happy Hands

Harris, Roger

Harshbarger Sharpening

Heinold Feed

Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen

High Pointe Covering

Homestead Sheep & Fiber

In the Wool

Indianhead Sheep Breeders

Irish Acres (Warren O’Brion)

J & L Lettering

Jensen Spinning Wheels/Carl’s Wood Shop

Kent Feeds

Kimmet Croft

Level Hills Farm (Richard Schultz)

Level Hills Farm (Keith Schultz)

Lone Tree Wools

Loveless Fiber Farm

“Mac” McDermott, Warren

Maple Rose Stock & Wool

Metcalf, Jane

Mid-States Wool Growers

Mielke Fiber Arts

Mohair in Motion

Mosaic Fashions

No Yarn Barns

Profiles Livestock Equipment

Psalm 23 Farm

Red Oak Farm

Rich Nes Alpacas

Roembke Hampshires

Sandy’s Palette

Sheep Station

Sheep! Magazine

Sheepy Hollow Shetlands

Shepherd Magazine

Shepherd Woods Farm

Sievers’ School of Fiber Arts

Silver Needle, Inc.

Spring Beauty Farm

Sunnymeade Woolies

Sydell

Tipperary

Tochay’s Farm Fibers

Townsend Sales

Wee Croft Finnsheep

Wiford, Sam & Pat

Wis. Hampshire Sheep Association

Wisconsin State Farmer

Wool Farm Crafts

Wool Gatherers

Wool ‘n Weave Fiber Arts

Wool, Warp & Wheel

Yarns By Design

Wisconsin Wool Winners Advance to National Contest

   Andrea Rygh of South Wayne, Haley Horbinski of Necedah and Ruth Schriefer of Mineral Point will represent Wisconsin in the National Make It Yourself With Wool Contest.  The contest takes place in San Antonio on January 26 through 28.  The three topped the Wisconsin contest’s senior, junior and adult categories respectively.

   The Wisconsin Make It Yourself With Wool Contest was held September 9 in Jefferson in conjunction with the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival.  Following the judging, contestants participated in a Best of Wisconsin Style Show narrated by Jessica Franklin, the National 2006 Junior Wool Ambassador.  Franklin, who won the junior division of the Wisconsin MIYWW Contest in 2005, went on to win top junior honors on the national level.

   Among those attending the Wisconsin MIYWW Contest was Marie Lehfeldt of Lavina, Mont., who serves as national director for the Make It Yourself With Wool program. 

   In the pre-teen division, Robyn Wittkopf of Pewaukee took first place, followed by Alexia Gegare of Janesville and Morgan Zernicke of Wausau.  In the junior division—for youth between the ages of 13 and 16—Horbinski placed first, followed by Sara Sybesma of Delavan and Samantha Schroth of Greenville. 

   Andrea Rygh of South Wayne topped the senior division, designed for contestants between the ages of 17 and 24, and Katie Veltkamp of Janesville placed second.  In the adult division, Schriefer placed first, while Rebecca Bamber of Madison took second place.  Schriefer also topped the “made for others” category with a jacket and pants made for her son.

   In the quilt division, Marsha Anderson of Fort Atkinson earned Best of Show honors.  Jan Lewein of Waterloo had the first-place quilt, while Debbie Gegare of Janesville had the best wallhanging.  Dianna Pippenger of Johnson Creek constructed the top challenge quilt, while the top afghan was made by Ruth Treml of Mauston.  Margie Hasart of Eau Claire was honored for the best specialty technique in a quilt.

   In each competing state, the top junor and senior winners advance to the national contest.  The adult winner submits photos and a video of his or her entry, and the national winner earns a trip to the national MIYWW contest.

   Sponsored by the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative, the state contest attracted 25 contestants who vied to top honors and prizes that included wool fabric and yarn, a Necchi sewing machine, sewing supplies, gift certificates and wool blankets.  Garments and quilts in the MIYWW Contest must be made of 100 percent wool or at least 60 percent wool or other natural fibers.

   The 2005 Wisconsin contest had 43 contestants, and Carol Battenberg, state MIYWW director and a Johnson Creek sheep producer, noted it is not unusual for states to experience year-to-year fluctuations in numbers.  She fully expects numbers to rebound in 2007, when the contest will be held on Saturday, September 8 in Jefferson, again in conjunction with the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival.

   “What we find from the people who compete is that they have such a wonderful time, and they’re enthusiastic contestants, and they always want to do it again,” Battenberg notes.

   Organizers also will be working to get information out about the quilt and wallhanging categories in the state contest.  Quilt categories were added to the Wisconsin contest for the first time in 2005. 

   “With the growing popularity of wool quilts, that’s one area where we’ll expect to see some growth next year,” Battenberg said.  “. . . The quality and the creativity of the quilts get better every year.”

   Nationally, about 1200 contestants enter the Make It Yourself With Wool Contest and, in 2005, they utilized 2935 yards of wool and 285 skeins of yarn.

   For more information about the Wisconsin Make It Yourself With Wool Contest, contact Battenberg at 920/699-2233 or batten@tds.net.

 

 

WOOL WINNERS – Winners in the garment-construction portion of the Wisconsin Make It Yourself With Wool Contest are (left to right), Morgan Zernicke, 3^rd preteen; Alexia Gegare, 2^nd preteen; Robyn Wittkopf, 1^st preteen; Samantha Schroth, 3^rd junior; Sara Sybesma, 2^nd junior; Haley Horbinski, 1^st junior; Katie Veltkamp, 2^nd senior; Andrea Rygh, 1^st senior; Rebecca Bamber, 2^nd adult; and Ruth Schriefer, 1^st adult and 1^st made-for-other.  Schriefer made a wool jacket and pants for her son (front).

  

 

Blue Ribbon Auction Seeking Youth Reps

   The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction Committee is seeking youth representatives to serve on the committee starting January 2007.  Three youth are needed, one each to represent beef, swine and sheep interests.  This will mark the first time youth have been included on the committee.  The committee will review the youth positions after the first year, and the terms of the positions will then be finalized.

   “This is a great opportunity for young people to support the mission of youth development at State Fair, discuss issues that involve youth exhibitors and learn more about the committee’s work and their function,” says Bernie O’Rourke, state UW-Extension livestock youth specialist.

   Applications must be postmarked or emailed by October 1.  Applications forms are available by calling or emailing Bernie O’Rourke, 608/263-4304 or borourke2@ansci.wisc.edu, or at www.uwex.edu/ces/animalscience/youth/statefair/youthrepapp.pdf.

  

Wisconsin to Gain Scrapie “Fully Consistent” Status

by Dr. Dave Thomas

UW-Madison Extension State Sheep Specialist

 

   State agriculture officials expect Wisconsin to be “fully consistent” with federal Scrapie Eradication Program rules by October 1, so producers who were worried they would not be able to take their sheep out of state for fall shows, sales and breeding should be able to relax.

    In the August 21, 2001 Federal Register, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published its Final Rule entitled "Scrapie in Sheep and Goats; Interstate Movement Restrictions and Indemnity Program”. The rule amended the regulations for the movement of sheep and goats by requiring certain animal identification for animals moving across state lines.

   Since the inception of the program, APHIS considered all 50 states to have consistent state status in regard to the National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP); however, come September 30, 2006, that status may change for some states that are not in full compliance. States must have consistent state status in order to move breeding sheep or goats to other states with minimal restrictions.

   To be considered a consistent state after September 30, 2006, each state is required to meet all the federal standards. The federal standards require the development and maintenance of an effective scrapie-control program within the state, including requiring the identification of most sheep and goats on change of ownership and movement within the state.

   According to the APHIS NSEP Coordinator Diane Sutton, DVM, three states have indicated that they will not be consistent by the deadline. Those states are: Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont. All other states have met or have indicated that they expect to meet the regulatory requirements of the NSEP by the September 30 cut-off date. There will be serious implications for producers in the states that do not meet the consistent state requirements. Producers in an inconsistent state who wish to move breeding sheep across state lines will be required to be enrolled, and in good standing, with the voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program. Among other requirements, this program requires the producer's flock to be inspected annually by USDA or state personnel. The producer will also be required to implement a record-keeping system and keep comprehensive animal identification records.

   Wisconsin would not have been fully consistent after September 30, 2006 because there was no state regulation requiring individual identification of sheep moving within Wisconsin. Language to change this was included in a recent change rule (CR06-009) that also contained many other animal-health regulation changes. According to Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt, Wisconsin state veterinarian, the Wisconsin State Legislature and appropriate committees have approved this rule, and he has indicated that the rule will be effective on October 1, 2006.

   Following is the portion of CR06-009 pertaining to the movement of sheep in Wisconsin:

“ATCP 10.70  Moving sheep in Wisconsin.  

“(1)  Except as provided in sub. (2), no person may sell or move a sheep within this state unless that sheep bears an official individual identification.

“(2)  Subsection (1) does not apply to a neutered sheep, or a sheep under 12 months old, that is shipped directly to a slaughtering establishment for slaughter.”

   The above rule is the minimum individual identification requirements of the State of Wisconsin, but some entities like county fairs and livestock marketing organizations also may require that neutered or young slaughter lambs have official individual identification. The prudent approach is to make sure that every sheep that leaves your farm has official individual identification.

    All flocks are required to be enrolled in the mandatory National Scrapie Eradication Program, and enrollment can be accomplished by calling the USDA/APHIS veterinarian’s office in Madison toll-free at 1-866-873-2824. Once enrolled, official scrapie identification ear tags will be sent to you free of charge.

 

Shearing School Set for December

   This Wisconsin Beginning Sheep Shearing School will be held December 2^nd and 3^rd, 2006 at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington.  The school will cover basic shearing skills, including sheep handling, shearing positions, wool handling and equipment care and maintenance.

   Joe Huber, a professional shearer from Wisconsin Dells, is heading up the instruction team, and instructors will include Randy Gottfredson, Dave Thomas and Todd Taylor, all of University of Wisconsin – Madison, and additional professional shearers.

   The cost of the school is $45 per participant.  All shearing equipment will be furnished by Premiere1 of Washington, Iowa, but students can bring their own equipment if they wish.  The registration fee includes lunch on both days. 

   Contact Todd Taylor at 608/846-5858 or toddtaylor@wiscmail.wisc.edu with questions and to obtain registration information.  The enrollment deadline is October 15, and enrollment is limited to 24 students.

   The shearing school is organized by the University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Animal Sciences and the University of Wisconsin - Extension in cooperation with the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative. 

WSBC Presents Post-Secondary Scholarships

 

   Two Wisconsin youth will receive $500 scholarships to further their post-secondary educations when the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative holds its annual meeting in Reedsburg on October 21.  WSBC has named John Alf of Edgerton and Katherine Kuykendall of Richland Center as scholarship recipients.

   Alf, 18, the son of Larry and Jill Alf, graduated from Milton High School in June and is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, majoring in animal science/biology with a pre-vet emphasis.  He plans to pursue a veterinary degree at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine with the goal of owning his own veterinary practice and managing his family’s flock of purebred Hampshire sheep.

   He began raising sheep with the purchase of four crossbred Wether-Type ewe lambs in 1996 and, two years later, began raising Registered Hampshires.  Alf is involved in the day-to-day operation of his family’s sheep operation, plus he fits, shows and sells sheep on the local, state and national level.  He has been a WSBC member since 1997, served in leadership capacities in the American and Wisconsin Hampshire Sheep Associations and in the Rock County Sheep Producers, plus he has excelled in showmanship contests, including winning top showmanship honors at the Wisconsin State Fair from 2001 to 2005 and top Hampshire showman honors at the North American International Livestock Exposition in both 1999 and 2003.  In 2006, he won a year’s use of a Featherlight trailer for having the supreme champion breeding sheep at the Wisconsin State Fair Junior Show.

   Kuykendall, 18, the daughter of Kevin and Sara Kuykendall, graduated from Richland Center High School in May.  She is currently attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and participating in the undergraduate studies program to help her determine a career path.  She plans to remain active in the sheep and livestock industries.

   Kuykendall began raising Montadales in 1996, shortly after her family moved to Wisconsin, and got her first Cheviots shortly after that.  The family now has about 125 sheep, and Kuykendall raises and shows Montadales, Cheviots and Natural Colored sheep.  She has been a member of both the Montadale and Border Cheviot junior associations and served as the National Cheviot Queen in 2004-05. 

   In addition to winning many state and national championships, Kuykendall has excelled in showmanship contests.  In 2005, she was undefeated in local, state and national showmanship contests and, in 2006, she was named supreme showman at the Wisconsin State Fair.  In both 2004 and 2005, she won a year’s use of a Featherlight trailer for having the supreme champion breeding sheep at the Wisconsin State Fair Junior Show.

   WSBC scholarships are based on career goals, high-school activities in agriculture, community service and participation in breed or other sheep-organization activities. 

 

Spiegelhoff’s Named Merchandiser of the Year

   Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms of Delavan recently recognized  Spiegelhoff’s Roger & Marv’s Supervalu of Kenosha as the WisconsinLamb^TM 2006 Merchandiser of the Year. The award is based on outstanding customer service, presentation of product, variety of retail cuts available to consumers, safe food-handling procedures and the percentage of increased lamb-sales volume.  Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms has worked with  Spiegelhoff’s Roger & Marv’s Supervalu for over 3 years.

   Steve & Darlene Pinnow started to focus on direct marketing in January 1998, and they established the brand name “WisconsinLamb”.  They focus on fresh wholesale lamb delivered to retail stores on a weekly basis, and they service over 45 stores in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

    Retail consumers may visit Pinn-Oak Ridge Farm’s website, www.wisconsinlamb.com.  Online consumers may purchase fresh WisconsinLamb retail cuts along with processed products. For more information, contact Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms at 262/728-9629 or spinnow@wisconsinlamb.com.

 

MERCHANDISER OF THE YEAR - Dan Ralph (left), meat manager for Spiegelhoff’s Roger & Marv’s Supervalu, accepts the WisconsinLamb Merchandiser of the Year Award from Steve Pinnow of Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms.

Wisconsin to Host Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium

 

  The 12^th Annual Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium (GLDSS) returns to Wisconsin on November 9 through 11.  The Symposium has become an important venue for potential dairy-sheep producers and sheep-milk processors to gain a better understanding of the industry and for present producers and processors to obtain new ideas to improve their operations.

   The early registration deadline is October 20.

   The Symposium, to be held at the Midway Hotel Riverfront Resort, LaCrosse, will include practical lectures by scientists, progressive producers and creative sheep-milk processors, as well as tours of operating sheep dairy farms and a sheep-milk processing plant.

   International speakers will be Gilles Lagriffoul, a dairy-sheep geneticist and management specialist with the National Agricultural Research Institute of France at Toulouse, and Harold Gonyou, an animal behaviorist from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.  Lagriffoul will discuss somatic cells in ewe milk and its relevance to the production of quality milk, and Gonyou will talk about sheep behavior and its implications for sheep management.  Additional topics to be discussed are the economics of dairy-sheep production, organic-cheese production, grazing research, effects of day length on dairy-sheep production and a review of different types of dairy-sheep production and marketing operations.

   Participants will tour the dairy sheep farms of Dean and Brenda Jensen and John Henry and Mary Miller of Westby and Carr Valley Cheese, owned by Sid Cook, in LaValle,.

   The 12^th Annual Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium is sponsored by the Dairy Sheep Association of North America and organized by the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with major financial support from the Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

   A Symposium brochure, sponsor information, and on-line registration can be found at www.cals.wisc.edu/ccs/Current%20Programs.html.  For more information, contact Yves Berger, Symposium chair, at ymberger@facstaff.wisc.edu or 715/635-3735.

 

Dairy-Sheep Facts

• Familiar foreign sheep milk cheeses are Roquefort (France), Pecorino (Italy), Manchego (Spain), and Feta (Greece).
• There are about 100 dairy sheep producers in North America.
• Sheep milk marketings by the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative have increased over twenty-fold in 11 years--from 45,000 pounds in 1996 to 1,000,000 pounds in 2006.
• Producers receive between $55 and $70 per 100 pounds of sheep milk.

 

 

Meat-Only Tags Offered by USDA

   Everyone has one once in awhile.  It’s the ewe that doesn’t conceive or won’t take care of her lambs, or it’s the lamb with parrot mouth or undesirable breed characteristic.  You send them to the sale barn, thinking they’ll go for meat, but they wind up in your neighbor’s flock.

   Several years ago, producers went to USDA asking why the animals they send to a sale barn for slaughter sometimes end up back on someone’s farm.  The answer is that selling sheep at a sale barn does not guarantee the animal will go direct to slaughter.  Anyone can buy animals at a sale barn.

   To resolve this issue, USDA now offers free blue ‘meat only’ tags.  Sheep producers can get the tags from USDA by calling toll-free 1-800/873-2824.

   USDA recommends writing “slaughter only” on the dock slip or trucker’s slip to provide the sale barn with a written record.

WHSA Offers Ewe Scholarships

   The Wisconsin Hampshire Sheep Association invites Wisconsin youth to apply for two $100 scholarships to go towards the purchase of a Hampshire-bred ewe or ewe lamb.  Applications are due October 20.

   Any interested 4-H or FFA member between eight and 16 years of age as of January 1, 2006 may enter the essay contest.  Winners must use their scholarships to purchase a ewe or ewe lamb at WSBC’s Wisconsin Bred Ewe and Ewe Lamb Sale on November 4 in Janesville or at the Wisconsin Invitational Sale in the spring.

   For more information, contact Terry Anderson, 920/386-2540.