American Sheep Industry

This episode of the American Sheep Industry Association’s Podcast breaks down what the New World Screwworm means for sheep producers on the ground. Host Jake Thorne sits down with Dr. Rosie Busch, UC Cooperative Extension and UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, to discuss current cases, official regulations, and practical management strategies. Key Topics Covered Outbreak Status: The current state of New World Screwworm cases in Texas and neighboring regions, including the distinction between active and inactive cases. Eradication & Tech: How the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) works, how AI is improving sterile fly distribution, and updates on USDA breeding facility capacities. Regulations & Movement: Rules for infested/surveillance zones, inspection protocols, and direct-to-slaughter requirements. Treatment Options: The role of systemic treatments like injectable Dectomax (and its EUA status) versus topicals, plus guidance on proper herd management to minimize wound risks.

The American Sheep Industry Association podcast with host Jake Thorn features guest Tom Murphy Ph.D., a sheep geneticist with the USDA/ARS Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. Dr. Murphy explores how breed and age impact lamb performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. While producers focus on traits like growth rate and parasite resistance, industry success relies on creating a positive eating experience for consumers. Surveys indicate that consumer satisfaction is largely tied to eating satisfaction, particularly lamb flavor. Dr. Murphy defines how heritability varies across traits, explaining that: Lamb survival has low heritability (less than 5%). Weaning weight is moderately heritable (20–30%). Carcass traits like loin muscle area are highly heritable (~40%). Flavor profiles are on the lower end (10–20%). While terminal sire breeds (e.g., Suffolk, Texel) provide growth and carcass advantages over maternal breeds, research shows no clear, consistent breed differences regarding eating quality and flavor. Dr. Murphy emphasizes that improving these traits requires consistent performance recording, phenotypic data collection, and leveraging genetic tools.

Flushing Ewes: Nutrition and Reproductive Success Dr. Richard Ehrhardt,  Michigan State University

Soil Health & Grazing Systems Dr. Alan Franzluebbers USDA Agricultural Research Service

Nutritional Disorders – White Muscle Disease with Dr. Whit Stewart, University of Wyoming

A Look into AI and Embryo Transfers – Part II with Dr. Daniel Poole, North Carolina State University

Nutritional Disorders – Polio Dr. Richard Ehrhardt Michigan State University

Insights into the New Zealand Sheep Industry with Dr. Whit Stewart, University of Wyoming

U.S. Wool Labs: Research Update Macy Collins, Montana Wool Lab Sarah Linton & Ethan Pope, Bill Sims Wool & Mohair Research Laboratory

New World Screwworm – Overview and Update With Rosemary Sifford, DVM Deputy Administrator, USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services & Chief Veterinary Officer

The Benefits of Crossbreeding with Dr. Scott Greiner,Virginia Tech

Caseous Lymphadenitis, Better Known as CL with Claire Burbick, DVM, PhD Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine

ASI Research Update: Delving into Tariffs with Dr. David Anderson by American Sheep Industry

ASI Research Update: Mineral Supplementation with Dr. Robert Van Saun by American Sheep Industry

ASI Research Update: A Look into AI and Embryo Transfers with Tad Thompson, DVM by American Sheep Industry

Energizing the Sheep Industry with Solar with Reid Redden, Premier Solar Sheep & Loran Shallenberger, Silicon Ranch Corporation

ASI Research Update: Part 2 - Livestock Guardian Dogs Bonding with the Flock with Bill Costanzo by American Sheep Industry

Part I Livestock Guardian Dogs – Evaluating Different Breeds with Dr.Julie Young, Utah State University

ASI Research Update: Bioharvesting Wool: An Alternative to Shearing with Brent Roeder by American Sheep Industry

Delving into Lamb Carcass Quality with Dr. Cody Gifford, University of Wyoming

Nutritional Disorders - Ketosis with Dr. Richard Ehrhardt Michigan State University

Dan Macon University of California Cooperative Extension

Dr. Joan Burke USDA Agricultural Research Service

Shed Lambing Systems with Dr. Bret Taylor USDA U.S. Sheep Experiment Station

Topic: Pasture Lambing Systems Guest: Isaac Matchett Matchett Sheep Farm, Michigan

ASI Research Update: Zoonotic Diseases of Sheep and Goats with Cindy Wolf, DVM by American Sheep Industry

ASI Research Update: 2024 USDA NAHMS Sheep Study with Natalie Urie DVM by American Sheep Industry

ASI Research Update: Sustainability of Wool Textiles with IWTO's Dalena White by American Sheep Industry

Dr. Richard Ehrhardt & Dr. Erin Recktenwald, Michigan State University

Dr. Frank Mitloehner CLEAR Center, University of California Davis

References: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/cattle-disease-information/bluetongue-disease-info https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/np103/OrbivirusGapAnalysisWorkshopFinalFeb2014.pdf https://www.woah.org/en/disease/bluetongue/ https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/fr/Health_standards/tahm/3.01.03_BLUETONGUE.pdf https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/inpract.30.5.242 https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2002/spring/bluetongue.shtml https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/126187.html Alkhamis MA, Aguilar-Vega C, Fountain-Jones NM, Lin K, Perez AM, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. Global emergence and evolutionary dynamics of bluetongue virus. Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 10;10(1):21677. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78673-9. PMID: 33303862; PMCID: PMC7729867. Maan S, Maan NS, Ross-smith N, Batten CA, Shaw AE, Anthony SJ, Samuel AR, Darpel KE, Veronesi E, Oura CA, Singh KP, Nomikou K, Potgieter AC, Attoui H, van Rooij E, van Rijn P, De Clercq K, Vandenbussche F, Zientara S, Bréard E, Sailleau C, Beer M, Hoffman B, Mellor PS, Mertens PP. Sequence analysis of bluetongue virus serotype 8 from the Netherlands 2006 and comparison to other European strains. Virology. 2008 Aug 1;377(2):308-18. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2008.04.028. PMID: 18570969. Rojas JM, Rodríguez-Martín D, Martín V, Sevilla N. Diagnosing bluetongue virus in domestic ruminants: current perspectives. Vet Med (Auckl). 2019 Feb 14;10:17-27. doi: 10.2147/VMRR.S163804. PMID: 30859085; PMCID: PMC6385761. Wilson AJ, Mellor PS. Bluetongue in Europe: past, present and future. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2009 Sep 27;364(1530):2669-81. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0091. PMID: 19687037; PMCID: PMC2865089. Directly from USDA website: At least 26 serotypes of BTV (genus Orbivirus in the family Reoviridae) have been identified worldwide. The status of bluetongue serotypes in the United States as of 2022 follows: • Established: (Serotypes 3, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17) a specific serotype has been reported annually for two consecutive years in a geographic region where vector incursions due to weather events would not be expected; OR there is documented phylogenetic evidence of virus reassortment with previously established strains in domestic and wild animals. • Reported: (Serotypes 1, 2, 5, 9, 14, 15, 18, 19, 22, 24) a detection based on the current APHIS BTV serotype case definitions that has not been detected in the past five years; OR detection in geographic regions where vector incursions due to weather events are expected and have not been detected consecutively for two years. • Not reported: (Serotypes 4, 7, 8, 16, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26) (USDA)

Todd Taylor University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rosie Busch, DVM UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine

Rosie Busch, DVM UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Ron Lewis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln discusses Overview of Genetic Selection Tools

Tyler Cozzens PhD, Livestock Marketing Information Center discusses Lamb Trade Dynamics

ASI Research Update: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Update with Dr. Maggie Highland by American Sheep Industry

Professor Laura Green, OBE of University of Birmingham, U.K. discusses Sheep Foot Health.

Dr. Travis Hoffman of North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota Extension discusses lamb quality.

Parasite management in sheep.

Accelerated lambing in the American sheep industry.

ASI Research Update: Antibiotic Resistance & Upcoming Changes to US Policy with Rosie Busch, DVM by American Sheep Industry

ASI Research Update: Wool Research Update With Dr. Chris Posbergh by American Sheep Industry

Mastitis in Sheep

ASI Research Update: Recording Performance Data During Lambing with Dr. Tom Murphy by American Sheep Industry

Topic: External Parasite Control Speaker: Dr. Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University

Speaker: Dr. Ron Lewis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Lynn Fahrmeier, National Sheep Improvement Program

This week, the ASI SheepCast takes a look at the upcoming Sheep Industry Convention, provides an update on USDA’s Lamb Import Rule, and looks at the Administration’s effort to strengthen our domestic meat supply chain.

Speaker: Dr. Dan Morrical, Premier 1 Sheep Supplies

This week, the ASI SheepCast looks at Lamb Import legislation introduced in the House and Senate, and action this week centered around relieving supply chain issues at U.S. ports and the extension of Mandatory Price Reporting.