While some industries are struggling to sell products and turn a profit, the sheep industry is doing the exact opposite.
There has been an increase in demand for lamb and wool, which has resulted in all-time high prices, according to the American Sheep Industry Association.
“The markets are great for raising sheep because they are a very profitable commodity because of the high demand in the U.S.,” said Roger High, executive director of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association who also works with Ohio State University’s animal sciences department. “We have an abundance of grass and grains to produce the best quality of lamb.”
Don Van Nostran, the owner of Athens’ Will-O-Wood Farm for 52 years, said sheep farming actually gleans higher profits than other livestock farming.
“If I have a 600-pound cow and it sells for $1.50 a pound, I would get $900 for that cow,” he said. “But if I have five sheep, which equals one cow, and those sheep produce eight lambs, weighing a total of 100 pounds, and they sell for the current market price of $2 (a pound), I get $1,600.”
Both international and domestic factors are affecting the usual supply of sheep, turning Appalachia into an even better region for the business.
“The drought situation in Texas has caused a shortage of lamb and wool, so states like Ohio are trying to produce more to keep up with the demand in the local market,” Van Nostran said. “There’s also the demand from China and India, which are some of the biggest importers of wool in the world.”
Daryl Clark, vice president of OSIA, said that even though there might be a relatively high start-up cost associated with raising sheep, their maintenance costs are relatively low.
“In Appalachia, we have land with a vast amount of hills and foliage that makes it difficult to grow corn here, so raising sheep is ideal,” Clark said. “Sheep are less damaging than cattle because they don’t destroy trees and we can produce a higher yield of lamb within a smaller space as compared to cattle that need many acres.”
Will-O-Wood Farm works to make lamb available to the Athens community, which began with its partnership with Kroger in January 2009.
“I started to work with the local manager of the Athens Kroger and asked if he would be interested in selling my lamb in his store,” Van Nostran said. “After a 10-12 month process, Kroger has been selling my lamb on a weekly basis ever since.”
Dave Shull, store manager of Kroger in Athens, said he believes buying local is important because it creates a cycle in which each end is supportive of the other.
The economic benefits take a back seat to passion for Van Nostran who, despite having retired, continues to raise sheep.
“I have had an interest for 52 years and I still enjoy raising livestock and knowing I am helping in local sustainability,” he said.
kh845809@ohiou.edu
