| |
Through a cooperative agreement between the University of Idaho, Animal
and Veterinary Science Department and Washington State University, Animal
Science Department, the University of Idaho Sheep Research and Teaching
Center provides sheep, facilities and supervision for the conduct of a broad-based,
comprehensive, research, teaching and outreach/public education program
for the sheep industry in Idaho and Washington.
The
Sheep Center consists of ~ 126 acres located ½ mile North of campus.
Dave Casebolt, M.S. manages the Sheep Center and employs 4-6 part-time
student workers per year. In addition, as part of the curriculum in AVS
176 and AVS 476, 20-40 undergraduate students per year assist the Sheep
Center with lambing. The Sheep Center Manager coordinates Sheep Center
activities with Dr. Troy Ott, the AVS faculty in charge of the U of I
Sheep Program. This includes management program, facility needs, procurement
and marketing of animals, and research and teaching priorities.
Current
animal inventory includes 250 breeding ewes and 8 rams. The breeding ewe
flock consists of purebred Suffolks, Columbias, Dorsets, Panamas, Arcots
and Cheviots and a cross-bred commercial ewe flock. The flock is enrolled
in the National Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (enrollment
year 99) and all breeding animals are genotyped at codons 171 and 136.
In addition the flock is tested regularly for ovine progressive pneumonia
virus (OPP).
The
Sheep Center welcomes visitors year-round. Larger groups (>5 persons)
should contact the Sheep Center Manager to request tours. Lambing generally
starts in mid-March and again in late August.
Click
here for more information about the Sheep Center.
|
