From Ewes To You

When Ste. Anne sheep producer Solange Dusablon set out to earn farm income selling wool and wool products produced from their flock, she knew she’d need to charge top dollar for hand-spun, hand-knit knitwear to make any money – and that it was highly unlikely anyone would pay hundreds for a pretty sweater. So she

Prices High, But Sheep Numbers Still Slump

The latest Stat ist ics Canada numbers show Manitoba’s ewe herd is bucking the national trend – but in the wrong direction. Even though Canada’s flock of 813,600 grew by one per cent in 2010 (and replacement lamb numbers for the whole country grew by 7.6 per cent as of Jan. 1), Manitoba sheep numbers


Agassiz Lamb Co-Op Aims To Boost Shepherds’ Fortunes

Asmall flock of longtime shepherds has hit the road to recruit members for a proposed lamb-marketing co-operative in Manitoba. Proponents of the fledgling Agassiz Lamb Co-op want to get better prices for their lambs and boost the sheep industry’s long-term fortunes in Manitoba. So far, after two of five scheduled meetings in Brandon and Souris,

What’s Up – for Mar. 3, 2011

Please forward your agricultural events to [email protected] or call 204-944-5762. March 3:Manitoba Flax Growers Association annual meeting, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Holland Community Centre, Holland. For more info call 204-638- 5231 or email [email protected]. March 5:Manitoba Sheep Association annual general meeting, 9:30 a.m., Commonwealth Air Training Museum dining hall, Brandon Airport. For more info

Too Much Market, Not Enough Sheep To Fill It

Too much demand, and not enough supply. That’s not often a problem in the livestock business, and if you’re a sheep producer right now, it’s a nice problem to have. However, it has thrown a wrench into efforts to organize a value chain connecting producers, slaughterhouses and retailers, says the treasurer of the Manitoba Sheep


Matching Lamb Production With Consumer Consumption

Most lambs are born on grass, then sold in fall. That means out-of- season breeding in indoor facilities, say in former PMU or dairy barns, could offer strong returns because prices traditionally peak early in the new year up until June because very few finished lambs are available during that period. Lucien Lesage, treasurer of

Letters – for Sep. 23, 2010

Job well done Thank you for once again supporting our industry, which usually goes quite unnoticed and under serviced. The recent articles regarding the Neepawa Gathering of the Flock, Prairie Shepherds’ 4-H sheep event were a very well done and nice addition to the Co-operator,which I feel is the one mainstream publication that has noticed



4-H Reports – for Aug. 26, 2010

TheCo-operatorwill publish 4-H reports once a month. Reports can be submitted by the third week of the month by email to [email protected], by regular mail to 4-H Reports, c/oManitoba Co-operator,1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1 or by fax to 204-954-1422. PRAIRIE SHEPHERDS Last September, for the first time, the Prairie Shepherds club participated at