Dan and Ryan discuss their different approaches to managing this livestock during a drought and some of the different ways to view a drought as an opportunity. All sheep ranches face the risk of a drought and Northern California is driving straight into one. But there are ways to manage drought risks, and owning and running a flock of ovines is one of them. This episode also wraps up our 1st season. Big thank you to all our guests and thanks to Mr Kidwell for professionalizing our audio. Season ...
Dec 09, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Dan shares his wisdom on using targeted supplements to efficiently utilize your natural resources. Supplementation is essential to any successful livestock system's sustainability. Hopefully after listening to this episode you'll walk away with a few questions and a better idea of how best to manage your ewe flock within your farm's natural resources.
Dec 02, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Fresh off his trip to Imperial Valley, Ryan explains how and why it is such an important part of the American Sheep Industry. Especially for winter feeding. It is the heartbeat of our national grass based feeding system and also helps extend the traditional fall oversupply of lambs into the spring, helping to provide year round quality product to American Consumers.
Nov 25, 2020•43 min
Dan & Ryan get into the question that all ranchers get, 'How many sheep do you have?' Mostly this episode explores why size doesn't really matter when it comes to defining if your a sheepman/woman. what matters is you understanding of what your doing and a willingness to listen. the value small flocks bring to an industry and how starting a small flock might be an underestimated side business for anyone looking for a little extra money.
Nov 18, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Ryan and Dan get the opportunity to visit with Kurt Portas of Palliser Ridge Farm in New Zealand. Kurt provides some brilliant insight into how they run and manage successful farms in NZ. Be sure to check his farm out at PalliserRidge.co.nz
Nov 11, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Sheep. Ovines. Lambs. Wool. Ram. These are key works that help us appear on more topic searches. Ranching brings many challenges and even opportunities to overwork yourself. Today Dan and Ryan talk about working smarter not harder and what they do to maintain their mental health. Also in the discussion is a bit about building employee culture and how to encourage co workers to become the best selves. Enjoy
Nov 04, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Dan and Ryan talk about the future of renewable fibers, mostly wool but we mentioned cotton, silk, and other renewables. They also discussed the importance of a quality wool market is to a successful ranch. Wool can be difficult to market these days, but with some creativity and inspiration it can be done! Wool is an amazing fiber that checks all the demand boxes for the modern consumer. Hopefully their discussion will spark some ideas and begin some discussions that are the seeds of change for ...
Oct 28, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Ryan gives an update on what's going on in the lambing barn during the peak of the busiest time of year, when the majority of his lambs will drop within a 3-4 week window.
Oct 21, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Sheep producers Dan Macon and Ryan Mahoney discuss animal handling techniques they've learned over the years. Differences between Temple Grandin and Bud Williams facilities designs, the use of dogs in herding, sorting lambs, and more.
Oct 14, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Mastitis is the American Sheep Industry's leading cause of culling. It effects anywhere from 10-60% of a given flock in the US. To say it's an issue is quite the understatement. Dan and Ryan sit down with Dr. Busch to better understand what this disease is, how it progresses through a herd, and what steps can be taken to mitigate it. The ewe is the core of all our our sheep ranches and udder health is essential to the ewe's longevity and the lamb(s) health. Ryan and Dan both left the discussions...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 25
As Lambing season closes in on Ryan's operation, Dan grills Ryan as to how he prepares for a successful lambing. How to prepare a lambing kit, what to do with the ewes, how to manage feed during the last trimester and the days before and after giving birth. There are even a few tips on how to handle the animals when moving them. Lambing season is where the years crop is made. Only once the lambs are born do you have something to sell. Its a busy critical time, but probably the most rewarding for...
Sep 30, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Its culling time! well not really, its just talking about culling time! Dan and Ryan share with each other their culling procedures and how to strategically keep or not keep sheep. A lot of productivity and efficiencies can be gain or lost through the culling process. It is also essential to herd health. Dan shares his 'scorecard' method to help him evaluate the whole ewe and avoid single trait selection, and Ryan shares his method of evaluating rams. What makes a ewe a cull at lambing, weening,...
Sep 23, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Apologies for the reverb, we were unsuccessfully attempting to Instagram live and record at the same time. Anywho, today's episode is all about the current wildfire situation in CA. Dan and Ryan don't have all the answers; instead they have a honest discussion of how are we here? How do we begin to talk with non-agricultural interests about preventing these disasters and put everything on the table? Climate change, custom grazing, timbering, firebreaks, urbanization of the forest, proper staffin...
Sep 16, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Ryan sits down with Jon Kidwell to talk about the successful failures they've made by spending money on 'technology.' Over the past 7 years, Emigh Livestock have invested heavily in new technology. They've developed their own livestock/feedlot management software, implemented RFID eag tags, improved handling systems and yards, improved accounting software, began using drones, and even tried to buy gps ear tags for their cows. This is an honest discussion of the thought process leading up to inve...
Sep 09, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 22
This week Dan and Ryan are joined by Dr. Tina Saitone, Cooroperative Extension Specialist in Agricultural and Resource Economics, to discuss the fall out from the MSR bankruptcy that is currently rocking the industry. 2020 has been a disrupter for the US Sheep industry and the bankruptcy of one of the largest packers has been a large part of this disruption. This episode is not one of sadness and blaming, it is instead an attempt to understand the implications of what has happened. Dr Saitone of...
Aug 31, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Dan and Ryan take a break from the seriousness of business planning, financial analysis, animal husbandry, pasture care, and other on farm work, to move into their kitchens to discuss the delicious side of the business. Ryan prepares some rack chops while discussing how to buy, prepare and enjoy lamb. Dan gets ready to make lamb burgers Ryan's kids even crash the recording for a while. This episode is best enjoyed with a fine beer, whiskey, or lemonade and your favorite lamb dish. Don't forget t...
Aug 20, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Dan and Ryan continue on last week's topic of basic financial tools and how to apply them to while evaluating a new opportunity for your sheep ranch. Adding value is a hot topic in ranching these days and some advice is given to help define the lines between 'adding value' and creating a new enterprise. Directly marketing your lambs of wool can provide some great opportunities to add revenue to your farm but one must be careful to not hide costs associated with taking your products to another le...
Aug 14, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Dan and Ryan take a look at the basic tools to financially evaluate how the business side of the ranch is doing. The purpose and difference between a balance sheet, income statement, & cash flow statement are discussed and then applied to both Dan & Ryan's ranching experiences. Be it sheep, cattle or crops, agriculture is run on thin margins and has a huge cash demand. We also explore the importance of building a team of people to give advice and help guide a ranch top success. Most impo...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Dan & Ryan sat down with Dr. Bret Taylor and discussed some opportunities for improvement and how the USDA, ARS Sheep Station is filling that need. Plus the importance of sheep on the western range landscape. Dr. J. Bret Taylor is the Research Leader and Director of the USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station near Dubois, ID. The focus of his program is keeping profitable and responsible sheep enterprises on the range. Specifically, his research addresses the livestock production-wildlife i...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 15
Apologies for the sound quality on this one, we had some issues with web connections. the discussion is all about making better genetic decisions and the theories that are behind them. The importance of information on your herd is crucial to successfully running sheep and the info packed into this marathon episode will help anyone better understand the tools that are available and how to use or not use them.
Jul 25, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Dan interviews multi-generational Petaluma, CA ranching legend Fred Groverman
Jul 17, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Dan and Ryan talk about shepherding tools of the trade.
Jul 09, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 14
This week guest host Joe Fischer, @bruin_ranch, joins Ryan to discuss family values and how the ranching lifestyle influences their family life.
Jul 04, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Dan and Ryan talk about traveling the country and world in search of sheep. Also hidden among the travel discussions is a sub-conversation on the logistics of buying, freighting livestock and the reasoning behind a 'fair weighing condition/payweight.
Jun 25, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Dan and Ryan get to sit down and interview Mr. Emigh. Richard 'Dick" Emigh has run sheep his whole life and over his 91 years seen it all. Such a blessing to listen in on the wisdom acquired over a lifetime of experience.
Jun 17, 2020•49 min
Dan educates Ryan on LGD basics. how to choose them, qualities they should express, and why they are such an essential part of so many ranches.
Jun 12, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Dan and Ryan discuss some of the best available tools for collecting, storing, and using information about individual animals to inform operational decisions. Then, most importantly, how investment in tech returns value back to a ranch.
Jun 04, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode Dan and Ryan talk about some of the basics of vaccines and antibiotic usage in sheep and the necessity of having a relationship with a veterinarian.
May 30, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 8
After a quick recap of the CFAP industry relief program Dan and Ryan talk about the roll of a feedlot in the sheep production system.
May 21, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This week Dan and Ryan discuss pasture management. Grazing rotations, nutrient supplementation, noxious weeds, and the difference between sheep and chickens are explored.
May 15, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 6
