Chief Shepherd’s Message

Future of Finnsheep

Welcome to the new Millennium and I trust you all had happy and enjoyable holidays. As we move into a new era, the theme of  this Short Tales is the ‘Future of Finnsheep’.  What we have endeavored to do is provide a short history of Finnsheep in the USA from the inception to present day and then outline the potential direction for this prolific breed of sheep.

Our editor has once again done a great job in researching and interviewing breeders for information and material for this newsletter. On behalf of all members I thank Grace  for her time and efforts.

My messages over the last few issues have been factual and not always what breeders wanted to hear. However, this time I have some really good news. Elizabeth our Secretary advises me Finnsheep registrations for 1999 are more than double 1998 and many more than immediate preceding years. The  total registrations for 1999 at writing of this message is 361 compared to 180 in 1998.  If this trend is maintained perhaps we have turned the corner in preserving the Finnsheep as a viable and profitable sheep.  A few new members have joined since I last put pen to paper and I welcome them to our Association.

Where should the Finnsheep Breeders’ Association (FBA) go from here?  Perhaps I can put this in some sort of context for you.  In the macro sense the FBA is a seed stock producers organization principally  providing a national recording system for pedigree Finnsheep and a focal point for Finnsheep breeders at large.   Additionally, through our newsletter, published three times a year, our web-page: www.rockbridge.net/finnsheepusa/finnsheep8.htm  and numerous press releases the FBA endeavors to provide, the membership, timely information on the sheep industry and what is happening with the breed.  Furthermore the FBA is anxious to promote animal health and proliferation of the breed across America.

The purebred Finnsheep are noted for their prolific breeding, good milking and excellent mothering characteristics.  These paramount traits are just beginning to influence the global sheep industry.  I was in New Zealand and Australia recently (home to 45 million and 117million sheep respectively) where the Finnsheep is being used in the cross breeding of traditional English breeds such as Romney, Dorset  and the comparatively new Texel.  One farm I visited of 3,200 head (all breeds) had sold over 1200 Finn/Romney rams. The aim of using the Finn in this cross is to raise the lambing percentage.  The national lambing percentage in New Zealand is some 108% (in the US less than 100%).  By increasing output a farmer can reduce the number of breeding ewes, a significant overhead in sheep farming, thus reducing production costs.  Another farm I visited has a lambing percentage target of 200% (survival rate) using the Finnsheep across traditional breeds.  I heard recently from the farm manager that they ‘had a breakthrough and achieved 230% this season’.  They do not want big litters but rather the consistent production and survival of twins, possibly triplets, by all ewes while reducing the number  of ‘dries’ (unbred ewes).  Similar use of the Finn is underway here on ranches in California and on sheep stations in Australia as articles further on will illustrate.

As for the beautiful soft lustreful wool the Finnsheep produces, much work has been undertaken in Sweden on improving this quality.  Over the last eighty years they have refined the fine wool characteristics (20 -22 micron) and now using them with the Merino.   There is always a good market for consistent fine wool in Europe and elsewhere. 

The Finnsheep can be an all round sheep if you look for the market. There are niche markets for the small carcass like the ‘ethnic community’ who relish very much the tender small Finnsheep.  Likewise the home spinning market is always interested in Finnsheep wool.  It depends on what market the individual breeder wishes to target:

·        provide healthy prolific seed stock to the macro sheep industry to increase productivity while reducing overheads,

·        seek the niche ethnic markets (of over 10 million) for small lambs,

·        explore the local and international fine wool commercial market,

·        pursue the local ‘cottage wool industry ; or, 

·        any combination of the above.

It seems to me the way ahead for the FBA in the future is to develop a business plan with a robust marketing strategy for strong healthy Finnsheep.  The strategy as I see it should be all encompassing and include such elements as:  a recognized voluntary health protocol, a serious wool measurement guide, guidelines for breeders on entering and developing new markets, information on government initiatives regarding sheep and many more topics.  Some work has started on this plan with the development of a Mission Statement (see separate article).  Currently the FBA has limited resources to market Finnsheep but fosters collaborative activities among willing breeders, such as joint advertising.  However, to expand beyond this requires resources i.e. money!  I believe this is a topic for the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) and would like to have your input to the discussion.  While on the topic of meetings, in the last edition of this newsletter I indicated the next AGM would be held with the WI shepherd’s symposium.  The dates for the symposium do not work for the FBA and the Board has agreed to hold the next AGM in conjunction with the OH Sheep Day, Wooster, OH July 8, 2000.  Please mark your calendars accordingly.

Before I conclude, I would like to remind all members annual fees are now due and those not paid before March 31, 2000 will not be getting another newsletter.

With Spring not far away I hope your lambing is going well, you have a profitable year and shepherding brings much enjoyment to you all.