Purdue University and the Indiana sheep industry are launching a new statewide effort aimed at helping producers improve flock health while building stronger connections among sheep farmers across Indiana.
The program, called the Indiana Flock Exchange, is being organized by Purdue Agriculture’s Indiana Sheep and Wool Market Development Program and the Indiana Sheep Association. The initiative will debut this summer with a series of workshops in three regions of the state, focusing on flock health and parasite management.
Organizers say the program is designed to serve Indiana’s diverse sheep industry, which includes producers raising animals for meat, wool, dairy production and show livestock.
“Indiana’s small ruminant industry is vibrant, made up of producers that have been working with sheep for generations and those just starting out,” said Cora Reinbolt, Purdue Extension small ruminant specialist. “Producers are interested in all sectors of the industry, from meat to fiber, show lambs to sheep dairies and beyond.”
The first workshop is scheduled for July 26 at Purdue University’s Creighton Hall of Animal Sciences in West Lafayette. Additional sessions featuring the same program will be held Sept. 13 at the Southern Indiana Purdue Agriculture Center in Dubois and Nov. 22 at the Pinney Purdue Agriculture Center in Wanatah.
Reinbolt said organizers hope the exchange will become an annual event and serve a broader purpose than traditional educational workshops.
“First, we want to provide an educational offering that is beneficial to all of our producers, and second, we want to go beyond a single event toward building a network of sheep farmers across each region,” she said. “This network would be a way for all producers, no matter their level of experience, to be able to rely on one another for support and build events, marketing opportunities and educational offerings of their own.”
A key component of the workshops will be FAMACHA certification training, a management tool used to identify parasite problems in sheep while reducing unnecessary deworming treatments that can contribute to parasite resistance. Participants will also hear updates from the Indiana State Board of Animal Health on current health issues affecting sheep flocks across the state.
The events will feature panels of experienced sheep producers who will discuss flock management practices and answer questions specific to each region.
The workshops are open to sheep producers of all experience levels. Registration costs $10 and includes dinner.
Registration for the event can be found at https://cvent.me/dw5z20 or the ISA website homepage at www.indianasheep.com. If you are in need of accommodations to attend this program, please contact Reinbolt at carter34@purdue.edu by July 17. If you need an interpreter or translator, please contact Reinbolt at carter34@purdue.edu by July 17. General questions about the program should be directed to Emma O’Brien, ISA executive director, at executive@indianasheep.com.
Registration and detailed information for the other dates will be shared at www.indianasheep.com.
