Many of you have phoned me with concerns about the lack of information and knowledge at your local Farm Service Agency when you have attempted to make application. I will work with the state FSA office to see if we can solve this problem. I encourage each of you to share any information you may have with your local office. In some cases, producers have supplied the web site address for a local offices to down load forms. Each of us can be apart of the solution if we choose to be.

The DLGC will be holding its annual meeting, along with the NDLWPA, on October 27&28 at the Seven Seas Motel in Mandan. Everyone is welcome to attend the DLGC meeting and learn more about our coop.

The owners of the sheep will receive fair market value for their animals, which USDA will then destroy to prevent the possible contamination of other livestock.

Two of the better known varieties of TSE are bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle and scrapie in sheep. Unlike BSE, there is no evidence that scrapie poses a risk to human health. Further testing, which will take several years, is required to determine which type of TSE has infected these sheep.

Milk from these sheep was sold and used to produce cheese that also was sold. While none of the original imported sheep were slaughtered for human consumption, prior to imposition of the quarantine and detection of TSE, some offspring of these animals were slaughtered for human consumption. USDA is working with other federal agencies and the state of Vermont to determine if there are any associated human health concerns.

As of July 21, 2000, a total of 59.4 million pounds of imported lamb had been certified by Customs for entrance into the United States since July 22, 1999, when tariffs were imposed. The tariff for this first year, ending July 21, 2000, is 9 percent of the value up to 70.2 million pounds -- an amount roughly equal to lamb imports for the 1998 year. Above that limit, tariffs would have skyrocketed to 40 percent of the value.

As of July 21, Australia had certified the import of 33.4 million pounds -- making up about 88.5 percent of its total quota. New Zealand had certified the import of about 25.9 million pounds -- or 81.2 percent of its total quota.

The Customs Department also tracked lamb imports from all other countries. As of July 21, this category had certified imports of 49,557 pounds of lamb -- or 9.8 percent of the quota for "other countries."

News from the State

Burton Pfliger called the meeting to order. Lyle Warner read the minutes from the last meeting and they were approved as read. Treasures report: Checkbook balance $4,746.01. The treasures report was approved.

OLD BUSINESS
Convention proposal from AmericInn in Valley City for the 2001 Convention.
Rooms:
I I single rooms at $50.00
28 double rooms at $58.00
3 family suites at $70.00
2 meeting rooms provided free of charge

Show / Sale in Valley City for 2000
The show will be held at 8:00 am on Friday December I with the sale at 11:00 am on December 2, 2000.

The NDLWPA and Dakota Lamb Growers will write a letter to suggest having the show and sale on Friday so there would be less conflict with the convention. In 2001, the show/sale will be on November 30 and the convention on December 1.

ASI Communication Program
ASI sent NDLWPA a check for $657.50 to help implement the program. Roger Haugen will submit: Newsletters, Website, News releases, Mailing lists, Other material.

Roger demonstrated the website to all present. He has done a terrific job and is to be complimented on his hard work. As soon as a site can be secured the website will be up and working. Thanks Roger.

State Ram Sale Correction
The State Ram Sale will be held in Hettinger on September 13, 2000.

Unified Membership Program
NDLWPA received a check for $105.00 from ASI for our share of dues collected. The dues sent in have paid the $547.47 cost of mailing with the remainder used to reduce our $3860.00 state dues obligation. Our new dues balance is $1972.47.

Brent Stroh moved and Jim Ostlie seconded a motion to send ASI an additional $1,000.00 to be paid toward our state dues bill, leaving a remaining balance of $972.47. Motion carried.

Dakota Lamb Growers
Submitted a $1 million grant application for 201 money. They should receive word by August 15 to September 1 on outcome. A food broker from Minneapolis will be at the next board meeting. They will be doing equity drive meetings in the near future at the following locations: Minot, Aberdeen, Bowman, Bismarck, East Grand Forks, and Fargo.

Wildlife Services Update
NDLWPA and Stockmens Assn sent a letter to Pomeroy in support of Wildlife services. It looks as though the support is more in favor than it has been in the past.

NDLWPA Lamb Futurity
Bottineau held the first futurity. Others will be Bowman, Hettinger, New Salem, and Beulah. Prizes have been secured and we are hoping for a successful first year.

Northwest Sheep Day at Garrison
Approximately 16 people attended the event. Gary Babb spoke about 201 actions. Thanks to Don and Judy Maston for the fantastic lamb dishes. Hope we can continue this in the future with more participation.

Make it Yourself With Wool
Jane Homer submitted the following report: Visited with the Apparel and Textiles classes at NDSU; Conducted a Wool Vest sewing class in Granville; and info will be in the Dept. of Ag trailer at NDSF.

This will be the last year Pendleton will be a sponsor for the event. If you can help Jane in any manner it would be greatly appreciated.

NEW BUSINESS
ND Footrot Status
NDLWPA recommends not loosening the current restrictions. Brent Stroh moved Scott Bredahl seconded a motion to keep the current quarantine status in effect.

Possible topics for the 2000 Convention are as follows:
Wool sorting; NDSU hair sheep project; NDSU feeding trials; NDSU leafy spurge projects; and Marty O'Conner or Barry Carpenter to speak on 201. Marty is from the USDA and oversees the AMS

THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10:00 AM ON SEPTEMBER 25 AT THE SEVEN SEAS.

Present language: Section 2A - All regular, junior and associate membership dues shall be $15.00 per year.

New language: Section 2A - All regular and associate membership dues shall be $15.00 per year. A junior membership is available for $5.00 per year for anyone 18 years of age and under.

* Ekre Multispecies Grazing to Control Leafy Spurge Trial - an Update by William Barker, Professor
* Update on New Hair Sheep Project by Bert Moore, Associate Professor, Wes Limesand, Assistant Experiment Station Specialist and Roger Haugen, Extension Sheep Specialist
* Multispecies Grazing to Control Leafy Spurge in Western North Dakota and North Central North Dakota by Kevin Sedivec, Assistant Professor/Extension Rangeland Specialist and William Barker, Professor
* Use of Byproducts in Creep Feeding by Greg Lardy, Assistant Professor and Beef Extension Specialist
DINNER at the farmstead served by Carnivore Catering Club advised by Paul Berg, Associate Professor

This program is completely funded by NDLWPA and private donations. However, because of the loss of financial support from our national affiliate and the increase in travel dollars to the national competition, it makes it necessary to ask you for additional support. Please, be a ND MIYWW sponsor. Without your financial support, this program cannot continue. For your contribution, you will be acknowledged throughout the North Dakota competition in all materials describing and promoting the program and you will receive a thank you from a contestant. It is my hope you will help keep the tradition of the ND MIYWW alive.

Feel free to contact me at: NDMIYWW@Yahoo.com or make your checks payable to ND MIYWW and send them to: Jane Horner, ND MIYWW Director, 341 Old Main, Devils Lake, ND 58301. Further information about MIYWW can be found at www.sheepusa.org. Thank you in advance for your generous financial support. It will ensure the continuation and success of this program.

Infection begins when spores from the fungus enter the skin and start to grow. Washing and shearing remove lanolin that helps protect the sheep's skin. Lanolin is a natural body oil found on sheep. Nicks and cuts from shearing allow the fungus to enter the skin and begin infection.

Infection is characterized by hairless, scaly lesions. These begin as spots and expand up to 2 inches n diameter 2 to 4 weeks after infection. The lesions are typically found on the face and ears of open-faced sheep and appear as hairless, scaly spots. When located on the body they look like matted areas in the fleece. The infected portion of the fleece is below the skin. These pustules appear ulcerated if the scabs and wool are removed. Because of the presence of open sores, secondary bacterial infections are common. If left untreated, the sheep will experience spontaneous recovery between 8 and 16 weeks.

This is a contagious disease. The fungus spores remain viable and infectious for several years even when not on a host. Thus, ovine ringworm can be transmitted by direct and indirect contact. People can also contract this disease. Unfortunately it is typical for the symptoms of animal diseases to be more severe when caught by a human. (See a doctor if you think you might have ovine dematophytosis)

There really is no specific treatment for club lamb fungus. It is helpful to isolate the infected sheep so that it won't pass the disease to healthy ones. The infected areas can be treated with general anti-fungal medicines to reduce spreading. Using fungicide stops the fungus from being infectious to other animals if they happen to come into contact with some of the spores. Topical and oral treatments may also be used to help control growth, but not necessarily cure the disease. Remembering to disinfect grooming tools, clothes, and pens will help to reduce the spread of infection. Allowing the disease to run its course is currently the only way to cure it.

The study involved direct chemical stimulation of the brain (of the sheep) by nutritional components as well as orally fed nutrition in a group of lambs who were kept as controlled, milk-fed individuals throughout the study so as to be able to directly monitor and affect nutrient intake almost instantly.

Blood samples were taken every few minutes throughout the study, in all groups, and in addition to the level of glucose, etc. being measured, the hormone levels were measured. In addition to the immediate effects of nutrition on hormone production/ovulation, the study also documented the rates of increases and declines in hormone production as nutrients/chemicals were introduced, maintained, or taken away.

Bottom line: Production of the "reproductive hormones" is directly affected by levels of glucose; thus ovulation is in effect controlled by the lack of or production of glucose in the sheep's system. If you want more ovulations, you MUST establish and maintain for entire duration of breeding season an increased glucose level in the animal. Protein levels and other nutrients were basically moot: plain old carbohydrates-turned-to-glucose-in-the-system control frequency of ovulation.

While good pasture is better than poor pasture and so on, feeds that result in production of more glucose are the most efficient means of flushing. And those levels must be established for a couple weeks prior to and maintained during the breeding season for the glucose levels to rise and be maintained at the level needed for increased ovulation.

Regardless of breed (or even species), where glucose is not available due to starvation, poor diet, etc., ovulation will be low or nonexistent. As in humans, there may be a variability in how glucose is or isn't produced in an individual (think of diabetes, etc.). But in general, mammals who lack the building blocks for glucose production in their diets simply don't produce the hormone that must be produced to cause ovulation.

So culling on the basis of who did or didn't ovulate (or have multiple births) in a bad year isn't as reliable as culling those who single in a good year. And the study also indicates that we can save our money if we were going to feed oats or higher quality hay for flushing, and use corn instead.

NDSU Research, Extension and Teaching
Fargo:      Roger Haugen 231-7645
               Wes Limesand 231-7782
               Bert Moore 231-7651
Hettinger: Tim Faller 567-4324