Agricultural Databases for Decision Support
 

Title: Developing support resources for sheep and goat producers

Scope:  Regional Marketing

Objective: The goal of the project is to address the information, education and decision support needs of the nations sheep and goat producers through national cooperation of the existing small ruminant specialists in the land grant universities. The project module will specifically develop Decision Array web systems for both the Goat and Sheep species of current available materials from the Sheep and Goat InfoBases. The funding will help in the process of moving the current Sheep and Goat InfoBases from the Folio format delivery system to the Decision Array based on the Microsoft Internet Information Server (MSIIS).

Colorado Wool Growers Assn.
 

Title: Rocky Mountain Natural Lamb

Scope:  Regional Marketing

Objective:  The Rocky Mountain Natural Lamb Program is a unique strategic alliance between the Colorado Wool Growers Association, Colorado Lamb and Wool Promotion Authority, Iowa Lamb Corp., State Department of Agriculture and the American Culinarian Federation. This marketing program is a unique collaboration involving producers, processors and chefs designed to increase consumer demand for American lamb meat and establish a specialty market for mountain-finished lambs. Colorado produces a significant number of high-quality, mountain-finished lambs that are ready for slaughter when they are gathered off the range in the fall of the year. Target marketing this unique, natural product to restaurants will focus the industry disadvantages of marketing a large number of lambs in the fall into a marketing opportunities that will benefit all segments of the U.S. lamb industry. The Rocky Mountain Natural Lamb Program will be featured through an arrangement with the chefs network as a value-added, branded product complete with a quality seal.

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Assn. (ECLSA)
 

Title: Real Time Internet Auction

Scope:  Regional Marketing

Objective:  Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association is a cooperative owned and controlled by it's patron/owners with a primary focus on marketing livestock. They have developed and continue to improve their real-time Internet auction software and Internet web sites.
Equity has been a leader in computer auction technology and is poised to integrate existing systems to provide sheep and goat buyers audio and video capability for real time internet auctions. The project funds will be used to make modifications that will allow audio and video representation of sheep and goat producers, provide better livestock information and eventually lead to email capabilities that can target interested sheep and goat buyers as well as producers.

Louisiana State Univ., Ag. Center
 

Title: Improving goat marketing channel Communications

Scope: National Meat Marketing Standard.

Objective: The marketing channels for much of the meat industry in the US are well established with standards that have been well developed over time. This is not true with goat meat marketing that is an emerging industry segment with tremendous growth potential. This project will develop clear and concise information on classification systems and cut specifications for use by all industry segments. Specific objectives are to:
     - Assemble and consolidate information on live goat selection classifications, carcass evaluation techniques, and meat goat Institutional Purchase and then print the specifications in a brochure and compact diskette for industry distribution.
     - Develop specialized presentations on the classification and cut systems for each market segment of the industry.
     - Compile and distribute a source document listing the information and available training resources to trade associations and governmental agencies.

National Lamb Feeders Assn.
 

Title: Howard Wyman Sheep Industry Leadership School

Scope: National Industry Education

Objective:  The leadership school provides a unique educational forum designed to provide current and future sheep industry leaders a comprehensive understanding of the production, feeding, marketing and promotion practices currently being utilized. The school’s goal is to stimulate the attendees’ awareness of new technologies and enhance their problem solving abilities through an intense hands on and academic training program. This proposal will enhance the outreach of the leadership school and increase participation in the leadership school during the 2002 and 2003 programs.

Producers Marketing Cooperative, Inc,
 

Title: Wool and Mohair Marketing and Promotion

Scope:  National Marketing

Objective: Producers Marketing Cooperative (PMC) is a grower owned and operated organization dedicated to alternative marketing options for wool and mohair. PMC created a product line in 2001 known as TEXSA^™  that includes such items as socks, blankets, throws and other items made from mohair and wool. The group's next goal it to implement a comprehensive national marketing campaign that will include Internet, direct customer (in-store) visits, trade show presentations, direct mailings and product samples. The group's ultimate objective is to establish a new market for mohair and wool with the profits going back to the producer/members in the form of dividends. The grant is targeted toward marketing and promotion that will help move the group past the product development and business development stage.

Texas Rambouillet Superior Genetics
 

Title: Improving the Rambouillet through shared genetics

Scope:  Regional Genetic Improvement

Objective: The Texas Rambouillet Superior Genetics (TRSG) was organized in 1999 as a collaborative effort between industry professionals, ranchers and industry leaders to create a breed improvement program based on the "nucleus flock" concept. TRSG has established an extensive and inclusive gene pool to sustain and further improve the Rambouillet breed, which currently is in danger of destructive fragmentation. The nucleus flock will be used to share genetics with established traits and goals. This funding comes at a critical phase in the development of the organization.

Virginia Tech
 

Title: Hair Sheep Genetics Resources

Scope:   Genetics, Production and Marketing

Objective: This is a multi-university effort looking at the production, genetics and marketing of hair sheep, which are becoming more prevalent throughout the U.S., especially in the southeast. Hair sheep do not require shearing and express substantial levels of resistance to internal parasites and high levels of lamb and ewe vigor. In addition a widespread, but poorly documented, perception of superior meat flavor and tenderness in hair sheep meat suggests a potential to use hair sheep to establish profitable niche markets and expand consumer acceptance of lamb products.

          This project will evaluate the potential of hair sheep breeds. The project includes four objectives:
    (1) Taste panels and chemical composition of hair sheep at the University of Georgia.
    (2) Performance recording and genetic evaluation of Dorper and Katahdin breeds.
    (3) Includes new Barbados genetics into the US.
    (4) A parasite resistance study.
 

Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative

Title: Improvement of the quality of lambs in the upper Midwest

Scope:  Regional Marketing

Objective:  This project is a cooperative effort between the producers, predominant marketing entity and academia to test the practical use of ultrasound to determine carcass quality. This joint effort is between the producers, Equity Livestock Sales and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Ultrasound scans of live animals will be used to provide estimates of live carcass traits, with an emphasis on fat. That information will then be used as selection criteria for replacement stock. Recommendations for the production of quality lambs will be developed in both written and electronic formats for distribution to the lamb meat industry.