Dan joins UC Cooperative Extension wildlife experts Dr. Carolyn Whitesell and Breanna Martinico to talk about all things critters - predators, beneficial (and potentially problematic) birds, and livestock protection tools.
Ryan and Dan get caught up and talk about the unspoken rules of ranches
Dan and Dr. Busch reminisce over various feasts they’ve prepared. Discussing different cooking methods and favorite cuts of lamb. Then they talk briefly about difficult but very real impacts of predators on flock behavior and performance. New research idea? I think so!!
Don’t they say the one thing that is constant is that everything is always changing? Today Ryan and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about how this year looks different from last year. How does that impact our ability to measure environmental impacts on a large scale?
All you would ever want to know about foot rot and foot health in your sheep. Dr Busch helps Ryan understand footrot through this episode. We hope it helps you too.
Dan Macon and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about how important and challenging it can be to balance such a small part of a ruminant diet… trace minerals.
Ryan Mahoney and Dr. Rosie Busch have a casual conversation about conspiracy theories, cultural norms, and lots of random stuff. Rosie has had way too much time traveling alone and has been thinking a lot about the incredible unique qualities of the places and people she gets to work with. What did you take away from this conversation?
Ryan and Dan talk about flushing ewes and what affects it has on a lamb crop. Then they discuss what we’re the causes of Ryan’s early lamp crop and when/if he should make changes to the breeding program.
Dr Busch and Ryan sit down in the lambing barn and discuss a variety of things Ryan has seen over his lambing season. We were planning on posting this next week but due to popular demand(Mr Blakeman) here you go!
Dan and Ryan get caught up about all sorts of ranch and farm things. Even some important sheep things ewe should know. Ryan’s starting lambing so he talks about it a lot. And Dan makes obscure rock-n-roll references…
In todays world less than 2% of the population are involved with agriculture. So just imagine the fraction of a percent involved with raising sheep lamb or wool. Many large commodities connect with the consumer and tell their story with the help of marketing programs. Ryan and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about the benefits of these program and ways to ease the burden on small producers considering certification of their flock.
Dan Macon (much like Alice) daringly and inquisitively follows Dr. Busch (like the white rabbit always running late) down the chaotic rabbit hole of vaccine technology, immune responses, and availability in the US. It’s quite a tale.
After a lively herd check of the Emigh Livestock ewes and super speedy OPP sampling (seriously) Ryan decides it would be a great idea to be outnumbered by UC Davis SVM alumni. Meet the new Mill Station Vet associate, Dr. Katie McFarren, and enjoy the stories of Dr. Jason Bravos.
Dan and Ryan discuss the current negative market conditions. During last years markets record highs, we all knew they would come down. Now that they have, we are wondering why. They could have gone deeper and left a lot unsaid, but they discussed some key points we all should consider.
Rosie and Dan catch up on the California Wool Growers annual meeting and take a deep dive into EID technology
Ryan and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about what Ryan learned at the wool mill in North Carolina! Then we go down a major rabbit hole of the value of American wool to the infrastructure and the hard working people that make it happen. Enjoy
Ryan visits with Sam Kennedy of Columbia TN, and they talk about Sam’s family legacy and how he’s using sheep to rejuvenate and rebuild his family’s farm.
Dr. Rosie Busch and Dan Macon talk about ways to learn from your experiences, both successes and failures, and build a full story for what may have happened. Feild necropsies, the ultimate diagnostic test, may be a useful tool to add to your strategies for capturing information.
Ryan and Dan talk goals, goal setting, and how to not overachieve. Enjoy
Dan and Ryan discuss multi species grazing and get a little detailed on how and why it works in Ryan’s ranch. Could it work for Dan? Listen and find out.
Dr. Rosie Busch talks with special guest, Dr. Holly Neaton, about the impacts and opportunities for controlling Ovine Progressive Pneumonia or maedi-visna virus in your flock.
Travis Kropf from Ozan Creek Farms joins Ryan for a discussion about livestock production in Arkansas. Travis is a multigenerational rancher with a passion for grass management. Follow Travis on Instagram @ozancreekfarms to see more about his farm
Dan and Ryan talk about the different associations they belong too and work with. They discussed what and how they should work and why it’s important for growers to get involved and give their time to ensure good decisions are made.
Dan and Dr. Rosie Busch discuss preparing for various disasters, the importance of early communication, and having not just a plan, but contingencies, too!
Ryan and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about the different sheep operations they’ve seen and what makes them so unique. It’s very clear more sheep vacations are needed for Dr. Busch.
Dan and Ryan discuss two issues that American Lamb producers have been dealing with for years. Aged out heavy lambs (known as old crop lambs) and imported lamb. We hope this inspires some thoughtful industry debate on these challenges.
Dr Busch and Ryan sit down with Dr Ehrhardt from Michigan State University to discuss the basics of accelerated lambing. We dive into the basics of how and why it can work. Even if you’re not utilizing accelerated lambing, many of the principles discussed work in any production system. To learn more about Dr Ehrhardt and his work check out his site at https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/richard_ehrhardt
This week we are so fortunate to get to speak with Dr. Andrea Mongini. She is a highly respected veterinarian, owner of an incredible sheep dairy, manager of a large goat dairy, and mother of three boys. We are so grateful to Dr. Mongini for sharing her time and expertise with us. Enjoy!
Ryan and Dr Busch talk about feeding lambs and feedlots and how they fit into the larger lamb production system
Where do sheep get their wool cut? At the baa-baa! 😂 Ok, but in all seriousness. Dan Macon and Dr. Rosie Busch talk about one of the most important events in the sheep production year… shearing! Shearing is an art, a science, and a sport. It can be noisy in a shearing shed and feel a bit chaotic, but settle in and watch the incredible craftsmanship of harvesting wool and caring for the animal. It is truly mesmerizing. We hope this episode inspires thought and appreciation.
