What is a Tamarack Ram worth?

It is not surprising that some sheep producers might balk at ram prices over $500. Who can blame them? The majority of sheep in the US have been selected primarily for visual traits that have little or no economic importance to commercial producers. The few performance tested rams available, have been selected using systems that were outdated more than 60 years ago. Rams without any data are scarcely worth the current market price. Rams selected using individual adjusted weights have a very low accuracy for predicting future genetic value. In the past, producers have been reluctant to pay much over market price, because that is all most rams are worth: that is all most rams could hope to produce. Ram selection was really a gamble. Until now...

 

...Estimated Breeding Values ( EBVs) are the future.

Over the past 10 years, I have had the pleasure of introducing many people to the benefits of a breeding program where modern BLUP technology (Best Linear Unbiased Predictor…the math behind EBVs) is used to meet the demanding needs of the commercial producer. This is the same technology that has been used with great success in the dairy, hog, and beef industry, and is widely used throughout the world in the sheep industry (outside of the USA) for selecting genetic improvement.

Selecting rams using ultrasound measurement and BLUP analysis is not cheap. As of 2006, our data set includes over 3,436 animals. Obviously we do have to charge a little more for Tamarack Rams. Still, it is only reasonable that producers, (who have not yet experienced the benefits of BLUP analysis) will ask, "Is the extra cost for a Tamarack Ram really worth it?"

Let's find out.

It is difficult to determine the true total value of over 15 years of using BLUP analysis ( 5 yrs with NSIP & over 10 yrs with LambPlan) plus over 20 years of ruthless culling & selection for hardy, easy care, pasture lambing sheep. Problem or poor producing animals simply do not survive the strict Tamarack culling process. What is all this worth to you? Below is just a partial analysis.

All calculations below assume a 40 ewe flock with the base flock having an EBV of 0 (Tamarack's base starting point in the mid 1990's).

Let's do some conservative math.

An EBV for growth is an estimate of how much of the 150 day Pwwt is due to genetic superiority. The EBV is expressed in Kg's of body weight above or below ( - ) the population's base average. For example: a ram from our flock with a post weaning weight (Pwwt) EBV of 8, means he is 8 kg (17.6 pounds) heavier than our base, because of his genetic superiority. This ram with a Pwwt EBV of 8, will pass on half of his genetic superiority to his offspring. Assuming he is bred to average ewes, his lambs will each produce 4 kg's (8.8 pounds) more growth at 150 days, than lambs sired by another ram with an Pwwt EBV of 0.

While the ewe is usually given full credit for the number of lambs born and weaned, research confirms that not all rams are equal when it comes to the number of lambs sired and lamb vigor or livability. Our buyers are reporting significant improvement in number of lambs born and weaned from Tamarack rams. Based on our own Tamarack data, I believe a 5% increase in number of lambs weaned (Nlw) is a conservative estimate (we have rams with Nlw EBVs as high as 20, that is 20% more lamb weaned above our base!).

How much is this worth to you?

Let's take a flock of 40 average ewes, that normally wean a 165% lamb crop. Breed those 40 average ewes to a Tamarack ram with a Pwwt EBV of 8 and a Nlw EBV of 15. Those 40 ewes may very well wean a 170% crop of lambs weighing 4 kg (8.8 pounds) more. This is an increase of 820 pounds of lamb sold or approximately $738 ( at .90 per lb market price) just for lambs sired by a Tamarack ram. This does not include any premiums one might receive for carcass quality, nor does it include the future genetic benefit through females retained as replacements. ( Note: at a 1.25 per lb market price, that 820 lb increase jumps to $1,025 extra!) (An 80 ewe flock would have a $1476 benefit at the .90 market price)

In the example above, we were comparing the performance of a Tamarack ram with EBV's of 8 & 15, to an average ram with EBV's of 0. However, not all sheep compare very well to Tamarack's base starting point of 0. Visit our genetic selection page and view the table comparing Dorset rams I have very "carefully" purchased ( with out EBV's) in the past, and note how those rams performed in Tamarack's flock.

Those Dorset sires were selected without the benefit of BLUP technology, and often produced negative EBVs for growth, milk, or number weaned. Keep in mind....these were Dorset rams I had very carefully selected using adjusted weaning and post weaning weights, lifetime dam lambing records, and were an excellent representation of the Dorset breed. The sire with a Pwwt EBV of -6.7 for example sired lambs weighing 3.35 kg's (7.4 lbs) lighter than a ram with a Pwwt of 0. Compared to a Tamarack ram with a Pwwt EBV of 8 (17.6 lbs), the negative EBV ram produced lambs that weigh 7.4 + 8.8 = 16.2 pounds less per lamb at 150 days of age than a Tamarack ram with an EBV of 8.  At .90 per pound market price, that is over $14 less income per lamb.

Your bottom line...

Now, back to our average 40 ewe flock lambing 165 %, that carefully selected -6.7 ram LOST the producer $ 924 compared to the Tamarack ram with a EBV of 8. PLUS the producer had to pay the purchase price of that -6.7 ram. ALSO that -6.7 ram has now had a negative genetic influence on your flocks retained ewe lambs reducing future production! Is saving even $500 on the purchase price of an "unknown ram" really worth it?

Now ask yourself again, is the extra cost for a Tamarack Ram really worth it?

Over an 8 year life span, a Tamarack ram with a Pwwt EBV of 8 and 5% more Nlw, has the potential to produce $9,424 more lamb from 40 ewes than a ram with a pwwt EBV of -6.7. That Dorset ram in our chart with the negative pwwt EBV came from a very popular, performance oriented flock that selected by using adjusted individual weights and visual traits, but did NOT use BLUP technology. The results are very painfully obvious.

What about the ewes a Tamarack Prolific Ram ( B+) produces?

A B+ Tamarack Prolific ram bred to non booroola ewes of average prolificacy can be expected to produce daughters of which half will have the added prolificacy of the Booroola gene. With a boost of 1 lamb per ewe in the B gene carrying daughters, and assuming no boost of prolificacy in the non B carrying daughters, the average increase in lambing rate will be 50%. Without factoring in the added value of increased growth, carcass, or livability, the value of just the prolificacy alone will be nearly $50 per year per daughter retained. The first 20 daughters, (or the first ten B+ daughters) will pay for a Tamarack Prolific Ram with their very first lamb crop!

In an average lifetime of 8 years, one Tamarack Prolific ewe with the B gene will produce over $800 more lamb than a ewe without the Booroola gene. But remember, Tamarack Prolific rams pass on much more than just the booroola gene: they pass on the added milk and mothering required to rear those lambs as well as carcass quality, and growth. Strong, solid foundations for your flock's future.

How much is your time worth?

Finally, what is your time really worth? How many more sheep could you handle if they required less assistance? The Tamarack flock has been ruthlessly and rigorously culled for time consuming problems affecting birthing ease, udder structure, milking ability, and mothering ability, to help assure that most of our sheep can raise twins and triplets with no assistance from the shepherd.

The average death loss from birth to weaning for the US sheep industry is about 16 %. Producers struggle, spending many sleepless nights trying to reduce that number; trying very hard to be "better than average." Basically, the harder you work, the more lambs you can save. But what is your time actually worth?

For last 2 years, Tamaracks death losses have been about 3%. This is lambing on pasture with minimal assistance from the shepherd. No lambing jugs here! This is no accident and the proof is in our pasture! We have spent a lot of time (over 20 years), money and effort to get the results we have today. We continue to improve every year. We currently have 97 ewes bred by AI to an outstanding Ile de France ram from Ireland.

Happy repeat customers!

I am pleased to say that many people who took the Tamarack plunge have come back again, and again, when they discovered that the rams they buy from Tamarack are worth every penny. Comments from our buyers have included:

Tamarack rams from the top 20% of the flock sell for an average of $800 to $1000. That is to say our rams will pay for themselves with just the added production in only one year. A cheaper ram without EBVs may very well cost you hundreds of dollars in lost lamb production and will continue to do so for generations to come. Can you really afford that gamble?

Maybe you should be asking yourself, "How much will that cheaper ram selected without BLUP actually cost me in the long run?"

Don't Gamble

Spend a few dollars more for a Tamarack ram and quit gambling with your flock's future! Think of it as "stacking the deck" in your favor!

How much is Tamarack's proven genetic performance worth to you?

Here is another thought...

Now with today's crude oil price pushing $100 / barrel, you have even more incentive to use pasture proven Tamarack sheep!

Corn fed "high octane" sheep are becoming less and less profitable as the price of corn production increases along with the price of oil, and the demand for corn increases with increased ethanol production.  It all means increased expenses for sheep producers who depend upon cheap corn.

Tamarack lambs are raised and finished on pasture. Less cost and much more friendly to our environment!

For more information or questions, please contact:

janet@tamaracksheep.com

 

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Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.

William A. Foster