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INVESTIGATOR: Wildeus, S. A.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA 23803

STRATEGIES TO RAISE HAIR SHEEP LAMBS FOR SPECIALTY MARKETS ON PASTURE

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Limited resource small farmers can increase farm income by raising hair sheep for meat sales to direct and retail markets. Hair sheep are recognized for their 'easy-care' characteristics of disease tolerance and ability to convert low quality forage into high quality meat. Key objectives are to evaluate growth performance of purebred and terminal sire wool x hair lambs under rotational grazing, determine carcass characteristics and composition of purebred and crossbred pasture-fed lambs, and assess consumer response to local, grass-fed hair sheep lamb through test marketing at specialty food and direct market outlets. St. Croix and Barbados Blackbelly landrace hair sheep will be used to produce either purebred or Dorset-sired crossbred lambs at Virginia State University. Lambs will be raised under rotational grazing and supplemented with different levels of agro-byproducts. Fort Valley State University will process lamb carcasses into cuts suitable for consumer sampling at farmers markets and specialty food retailers. Consumer acceptance will be determined through test marketing conducted by Virginia State University. Nutritional and genetic recommendations for efficient lamb production under a low-input forage-based system and an extension guide to introduce hair sheep meat product in local markets will be developed. Producer workshops, extension fact sheets, and consumer outreach materials will be developed. Valuable experiential learning opportunities in sheep production, meat processing, and marketing will be offered to undergraduate and graduate students.

OBJECTIVES: (1) Evaluate the growth performance of purebred landrace and terminal sire wool x hair sheep lambs under a rotational grazing system with limited inputs except differing levels of agro- byproduct supplementation. (2) Determine the carcass characteristics and composition of purebred and crossbred pasture-fed lambs in response to supplementation. (3) Evaluate the consumer response to grass-fed hair sheep lamb through test marketing in specialty market outlets.