REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The number of sheep and lambs on Ohio farms on Jan. 1, 2012, totaled 126,000 head, down 2 percent from the 2011 estimate, according to the Ohio office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Total breeding sheep inventory at 102,000 head, was unchanged from the previous year. Ewes one year old and older were estimated at 78,000 head, down 3,000 from last year.
Rams one year old and older were estimated at 6,000 head on Jan. 1, 2012, unchanged from last year.
Replacement lambs were up 3,000 to 18,000 head on Jan. 1, 2012. The 2011 lamb crop was estimated at 100,000 head, down 4 percent from the previous year.
Total market sheep and lambs, at 24,000 head, were down 11 percent from one year ago.
National numbers
All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States Jan. 1, totaled 5.35 million head, down 2 percent from 2011.
Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 3.98 million head on Jan. 1, 2012, down 3 percent from 4.08 million head on Jan. 1, 2011. Ewes one year old and older, at 3.16 million head, were 2 percent below last year. Market sheep and lambs on Jan. 1, 2012, totaled 1.37 million head, down 2 percent from Jan. 1, 2011. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Twenty-two percent were lambs under 65 pounds, 12 percent were 65-84 pounds, 22 percent were 85-105 pounds, and 38 percent were over 105 pounds.
Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory.
The 2011 lambing rate was 109 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older on Jan. 1, 2011, an increase of 2 percent from 2010.
Wool production
Shorn wool production in the United States during 2011 was 29.3 million pounds, down 4 percent from 2010. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 4.03 million head, also down 4 percent from 2010.
The average price paid for wool sold in 2011 was a record high $1.67 per pound for a total value of $48.9 million, up 40 percent from $35 million in 2010.
Goat inventory
All goat inventory in the United States on Jan. 1, 2012, totaled 2.86 million head, down 4 percent from 2011.
Does one year old and older, at 1.78 million head, were 3 percent below last year’s number. Market goats and kids totaled 487 thousand head, down 5 percent from a year ago.
Kid crop for 2011 totaled 1.88 million head for all goats, down 2 percent from 2010.
Meat and all other goats totaled 2.36 million head on Jan. 1, 2012, down 4 percent from 2011. Milk goat inventory was 360 thousand head, unchanged from Jan. 1, 2011, while Angora goats were down 15 percent, totaling 146 thousand head.
Mohair production in the United States during 2011 was 865 thousand pounds. Mohair price was $4.12 per pound with a value of $3.56 million.
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