USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) has posted the second report from the Sheep 2011 study: Part II: Reference of Marketing and Death Loss on U.S. Sheep Operations. The Sheep 2011 study was conducted in 22 of the Nation’s major sheep-producing States, covering 70.1 percent of U.S. farms with ewes and 85.5 percent of the U.S. ewe inventory.

Some highlights from the report are below.

- Overall, 75.3 percent of lambs were sold in the United States during 2010. Of those, 27.3 percent were sold at auction/sale barn, 24.9 percent were sold directly to slaughter, and 17.3 percent were sold directly to buyer/dealers.

- Predator losses have a substantial economic impact on U.S. sheep operations. Overall, coyotes caused the highest percentage of predator losses (52.8 percent), but predator predominance varies by geographic location, flock size, and flock type.

- Almost one-fourth of operations (23.9 percent) had a private veterinarian visit for any sheep-related reason during 2010.

- Overall, 80.2 percent of operations with 20 or more ewes sheared lambs and sheep during 2010.

The report is available on the World Wide Web at

http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov/sheep

As always we encourage you to send comments and questions and to share this message with others involved in the sheep industry.

_____________________

Anne L. Berry

Technical Information Specialist

USDA-APHIS-VS

National Animal Health Monitoring System

2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, MS 2E7

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117

Phone: 970-494-7243

Fax: 970-494-7229

anne.l.berry@aphis.usda.gov