OSMA AGM in Guelph, Ontario

I just got back from the OSMA (Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency) AGM as I am a delegate from District 8.
As usual, there were some interesting speakers on subjects such as sheep predators. Apparently it is impossible to tell the difference between coyotes and wolves in certain parts of Ontario. Wolves are a protected species in some areas.

Other topics covered were the rising price of corn affecting profit margins of red meat, the state of the sheep industry in Ontario, scrapie, and a presentation from the Canadian Wool Growers' Association.
There were many questions about the finances and budget of OSMA, and most were answered to the members satisfaction. They are still without a general manager as they have been unable to find a suitable candidate.

The lamb at the dnner was a bit tough and not a good advertisement for the industry! It should have been cooked much slower. However the lunch on the following day was great. There were lamb skewers Greek style with Greek salad followed by a wonderful selection of cakes and deserts.

Some of our baby llamas

Canadian Katahdin Sheep Association

The CKSA AGM is to be held at the Canadian Western Agribition, Regina ,Sask in the small upper lounge in the Winter Fair Building on Friday NOv 28th at 5.30 pm 2008. Come if you are interested.
Also on NOv 27th at 4pm at the Agribition is the market Katahdin lmab show, followed at 6pm by the junior and costume show.
The next day Friday 28th Nov is the National Katahdin sheep show at 10 a.m.
Saturday NOv 29th at 2.30 p.m. is the Katahdin National Sale.

FOr info: Contact jmish@sasktel.net

Katahdin lamb prices

I just got off the phone from talking to a fellow Katahdin sheep breeder in the Smiths Falls area of Ontario. He tells me he sells the fresh lamb at a local farmers market for $7.50 a lb and that is not for the best cuts even! Apparantly, someone else is at the same market selling "regular" lamb, which has a lot more fat. Customers are simply crossing the street to buy the Katahdin lamb which is obviously so much leaner.
Another Katahdin breeder I talked to recently, tells me that Muslims prefer Katahdins as during the "Halal" kill, (which is similar to the Jewish "Kosher") the meat is less likely to be contaminated by the wool.

As prices at the livestock markets are low right now, it might make sense for us to sell the meat directly to the public. We generally sell the live lambs, rather than having them butchered first.

Did you also know that Katahdin sheep are the only breed where not a single case of scrapie has been recorded? They seem to be resistant, and it does not appear to have anything to do with the scrapie resistant gene types, as even those Katahdins who do not possess the scrapie resistant gene are not getting scrapie after being exposed to it in a provincial study.

Baby llamas

Four new baby llamas were born last week. Two males and two females-all fit and healthy and growing well. One was from a first time mother, but she did not have any problems wtih birthing or feeding. Young llamas are called "crias".

Pictures coming as soon as I get round to taking some!
One is all black, two are black with white socks and "tuxedo" fronts and one is a red brown with a white star.

Hastings Ploughing Match

Today I am off to man a booth for the Ontario Katahdin sheep Association at the Hastings County Ploughing match. This is a big annual event, with nearly as many visitors as the International Ploughng Match. Actually, I like it better because it is more about farming and less commercial. It is great for kids as well, as there are lots of free activities, contests and give aways.

We take some Katahdin sheep and lambs so come and see us at our booth! Its on August 20th and 21st and is located in a farmers fields on the Campbellford Road, North of Stirling, Ontario.

The heavy horse pulls are great to watch.

Lambs to Hoards Station

Took some Katahdin/Suffolk cross lambs to Hoards Station Livestock Market today. The prices were not as good as usual, as we only averaged $110 per lamb. Some of them were over 100albs so this might have reduced the price a bit. Prices for lambs seem a bit lower this summer than usual.
Hoards Station is a fun place to visit and take the kids. Lots of animals including rabbits,birds, chickens, puppies as well as the usual sheep,goats,cows and pigs. The occasional horses and llamas are there as well.
There is a small market place where you can buy produce or antiques, and the local churches put on a great lunch for less than $10 including coofee and pie.