North Dakota brothers become shepherds through starter flock program

MEDINA, N.D. — Cattle might dominate North Dakota’s livestock trade, however North Dakota State College and the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Affiliation want to add some range to the four-legged creatures within the state’s pastures and barns.

For 14 years, NDSU Extension and the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Affiliation have teamed as much as assist North Dakota youth get extra concerned within the sheep trade. They provide a starter flock program to youth ages 10 to 18 that acts as a mortgage to assist recipients buy 10 open Rambouillet ewes every. The recipient is accountable for paying again a few of the mortgage, although not the complete value.

“So the muse of our North Dakota Lamb and Wool producers Starter Flock is honestly getting younger folks concerned and impressed in our trade. So very first thing is we’re capable of present that likelihood with reimbursement again of 70% of the worth of these animals over a 3 yr interval,” defined Travis Hoffman, NDSU Extension sheep specialist.

This program permits those that might not have seen a future within the sheep trade to get an inside perspective and an opportunity to lift a flock of their very own. Josh Moser was a 2022 starter flock recipient and mentioned this was the right alternative for him to get began within the trade.

“It was a extremely great way of beginning off to have sheep,” he mentioned. “It is a actually good alternative for a youngster to have the ability to get began at a reasonably low cost value on this market and you actually be taught loads in all of the lessons you soak up this system. They’re at all times open for questions should you ever want to speak to them. So it is a fairly straightforward studying course of and it is an ideal program to undergo.”

The recipients are paired with a mentor to assist them with any questions or points they might have with their new flock. Lessons are additionally supplied in regards to the species.

Whereas this will likely have been Josh Moser’s first yr in this system, he’s no stranger to it. His brother, Jared Moser, obtained his personal starter flock from this system a yr prior. Now the pair have a flock of twenty-eight Rambouillet ewes which they breed to their cousin’s ram. They then promote a few of the offspring proper out of their barn.

“I had a couple of mates who have been within the sheep trade, and it has been two years in the past, I suppose, since we bought into it. The sheep market was fairly excessive and good; it was one thing to earn cash off of,” Jared Moser mentioned.

Each brothers are in highschool; Josh Moser is a senior and Jared Moser is a sophomore. The pair mentioned they’ve realized lifelong classes by means of this system, together with time administration expertise, report holding and cash administration.

It additionally opened up a brand new space of curiosity for Jared Moser: sheep shearing. He will likely be attending a sheep shearing seminar at Hettinger Analysis Middle subsequent month. Whereas he isn’t certain he would be the one shearing his sheep subsequent yr, he thinks it is a crucial talent to be taught now that he and his brother have their very own flock.