Blog #8

UGA Sheep Production Workshop

So …, recently Dede and I were invited to participate in the UGA Extension Goat and Sheep Production Summit.  After a quiet drive up to Athens, avoiding I-75 as much as we could, we arrived at the instructional arena, which is a model livestock presentation facility.  Combine the barns at better fairgrounds, classrooms, and a presentation auditorium equipped for large livestock, and that is the UGA Livestock Instructional Arena.

This was a well-planned event aimed at livestock producers with presentations on Rotational Grazing, Marketing, and Nutrition.  There were also hands-on sessions and demos of animal husbandry, health assessments, owner diagnostics steps, and, of course, sheep shearing.  All the presenters were active in the fields they showcased, either as producers or service providers, so it wasn’t a group of academics lecturing; these folks are recognized for their ability to turn out a well-received product or service. 

Thirteen of fifteen committee members for this event are county extension agents, and the other two are extension agents associated with universities, UGA and FVSU.  I’ve mentioned before on other social media platforms, check out your county extension services.  Ronald Reagan once joked that the nine scariest words are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”  Well, extension agents may wear the polo shirt of their county, but they know what they are doing, walking the walk as well as talking the talk.  They are members of your local community and the fields they advise on.  If you have any questions about agricultural products or services in your area, your county extension service is a great place to start.

  

Dede and I set up in the barn area which is bigger than some county fair facilities to find it well-lit, power-equipped, and with spots to shear adjacent to the animals.  The other shearer and I each sheared four ewes, a mix of Hampshire-Xs and Dorset-Xs.  So that all could see both styles, we took turns shearing and had plenty of Q&A time during each session.

 

  

The animals were a bit stressed, what with being trucked in, set up in a pen a few hours before being sheared, and being peered at by a lot of people, but they sheared very well by two different styles, providing an opportunity for participants to see what they might want for their own sheep operation, or what to expect if they hire a shearer.  Both styles showcased different types of gear a sheep producer might see or use.  Hats off to the wranglers who mustered the sheep to each of our shearing boards and to those who cleaned up after!

We did start the fun part of shearing season on this trip, stopping for ice cream on the way home.  Farm441 on the outskirts of Athens has some great Peachberry ice cream. Yum!

Then it was another relaxing drive home past multiple lakes and a beautiful sunset before getting the truck packed and ready for a shearing gig the next day.  That’s a great way to spend a day.

C-Ya!

*** No animals were harmed in the making of this post. Shearing is an important part of sheep farming for the wellbeing of the sheep. ***