REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The number of sheep and lambs on Ohio farms on Jan. 1, totaled 128,000 head, down 2 percent from the 2009 estimate.
Total breeding sheep inventory at 103,000 head, is up 3 percent from the previous year.
Ewes one year old and older are estimated at 81,000 head, up 4,000 head from last year. Rams one year old and older are estimated at 6,000 head on Jan. 1, up 1,000 head from last year.
Replacement lambs decreased 2,000 to 16,000 head on Jan. 1, 2010. The 2009 lamb crop is estimated at 105,000 head, up 3 percent from the previous year.
Total market sheep and lambs at 25,000 head are down 17 percent from one year ago.
National numbers
All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on Jan. 1, totaled 5.63 million head, down 2 percent from 2009. Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 4.19 million head, down 1 percent from a year earlier.
Market sheep and lambs on Jan. 1, totaled 1.44 million head, down 4 percent from Jan. 1, 2009. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total marketings.
Twenty-five percent were lambs under 65 pounds, 12 percent were 65-84 pounds, 19 percent were 85-105 pounds, and 38 percent were over 105 pounds.
The 2009 lamb crop of 3.69 million head, was down 1 percent from 2008.
The 2009 lambing rate was 108 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older on Jan. 1, 2009, up 3 percent from 2008.
Wool value drops
Shorn wool production in the United States during 2009 was 30.9 million pounds, down 6 percent from 2008. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 4.20 million head, down 5 percent from 2008.
The average price paid for wool sold in 2009 was 79 cents per pound for a total value of $24.4 million, down 25 percent from $32.5 million in 2008.
Goat numbers
All goat inventory in the United States on Jan. 1, totaled 3.04 million head, down 1 percent from 2009.
Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.53 million head, down 1 percent from 2009. Meat and all other goats totaled 2.54 million head on Jan. 1, down slightly from 2009.
Milk goat inventory increased to 355,000 head, 6 percent above Jan. 1, 2009, while Angora goats were down 19 percent, totaling 150,000 head.
Mohair production in the United States during 2009 was 1.01 million pounds. Mohair price was $2.66 per pound with a value of $2.69 million.
