Dear Sheep Producer
I am writing you in the hope that you may consider a membership in the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association and the American Sheep Industry Association. Please consider this your personal invitation to attend our Annual Convention, December 6th and 7th in Mandan, ND. Take a couple minutes to review why I believe each sheep producers should be represented.

The NDLWPA is a voluntary group of producers, and industry representatives brought together by common interests and goals for our future. We publish a bi-monthly newsletter and hold an annual meeting and convention to highlight developments in the sheep industry. During the course of several monthly meetings the board of directors analyze and set policy, place priorities, and plan for the future of our industry.

Our organization is not unlike the rest of the agriculture's demographics, in that we see our numbers declining. That is why our voice on issues that affect us must be strong and unified. This is one of the reasons we here in ND have aligned ourselves with National organizations that share our interest, views, and concerns about the future of our industry and agriculture. NDLWPA has chosen as part of our structure to join forces with the American Sheep industry Association. We believe in doing so gives us the much needed voice and credibility in Washington DC and at state forums. Our two organizations have a history of success on many fronts but much more needs to be done to improve our industry's economic health.

Over the last three years 3 million dollars in assistance has been delivered to the state of North Dakota producers through these two associations. Of which you have been the benefactor. This assistance has come to you in the form of eighteen dollar a head ewe lamb retention payments, four dollar and fifty cent disaster feed assistance payments, three and five dollar a head feeder and fat lamb payments, one hundred dollars ram purchase payments , and a twenty percent cost sharing on facility improvements and new construction projects. In addition we received a forty-cent per pound deficiency payment on last two years wool, while quietly the wool program was reinstated back in the new farm bill. All of these benefits are the result of organized leadership and representation on your behalf by NDLWPA and ASI.

When I do the math for myself the return on my twenty five-dollar membership to ASI and my twenty-dollar membership to NDLWPA is well worth the investment in time and resources. If each of us is truly honest with ourselves we cannot dispute the return on investment was substantial. I hope each of you analyses the alternative of no representation and decides to join both organizations. Looking forward to meeting each of you on December 6th and 7th.

Tuition is $25 per person or $35 for two people from the same operation. Tuition includes noon meals both days. Participation will be limited to the first 25 operations to enroll. The enrollment deadline is Friday, November 29.

To receive a registration packet or for more information on the school or housing, contact Tim Faller, Hettinger Research Extension Center, Box 1377, Hettinger, N.D. 58639, (701) 567-4323. Or contact Roger Haugen, NDSU, Hultz Hall, P.O. Box 5053, Fargo, ND 58105-5053, (701) 231-7645.

News from the State

Old Business
Bills Payable
There was a bill for $110 for 1000 pages of literature for the ND Ag in the Classroom. Moved and seconded to pay the bill.

New Business
2002 Convention
Topics for the Convention: Hettinger and NDSU DNA test results; CRP - Making it work; Your Wool and the 2002 Farm Bill; USDA Wildlife Services Update; Removing Stress From Sheep; Handling Living Up in a Down World.

Registration Costs: Adults:$20; Adults (no meal):$10; Children:$10.

Steve moved Brent 2nd to offer Dr. Edwards $300 + mileage to act as motivational speaker. Motion passed

Nomination Committee
The nomination committee will be made up of Ula Widdel, Don Lawson and Rodney Hickle. The following district representatives terms expire this year: Steve Wentz, Dave Merwin, Steve Copenhaver and Ula Widdel.

2002 Bred Ewe Sale
It was moved and seconded to allow up to $200 to advertise the sale. Motion passed. The clerks for the sale will be: Roger Haugen and Brent Stroh. Auctioneer: Burdell Johnson. Lyle Warner and Dave Pearson will be responsible for setting up the panels and sales block.

MIYWW
At the present time there are 19 entries in this years contest. Jane has procured sewing machines for each category. It was moved, 2nd and passed to give Jane $900 to purchase 3 plane tickets to the National contest.

Dakota Lamb Growers
The annual convention will be November 8 & 9. Kill numbers have been steady with 80 - 100 going out each week as natural.

Awards committee
The awards committee will be made up of Roger Haugen and Burdell Johnson.

Insurance
Brent moved and Ula 2nd a motion to spend $106.50 to purchase liability insurance to cover activities sponsored by NDLWPA. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned

The drought has prompted sheep and cattle ranchers to de-stock their properties, and is currently affecting shearers' ability to find work. Luke Wilkins reported that members of his shearing team expect to shear about 1,500 sheep this year, compared to 7,000 last year. Furthermore, the task will be quite different from that of years past thanks to sand storms that have dumped a lot of dust into the wool.

"It's getting really bad. You're going through twice the amount of cutters and combs, and even putting wear on your hand piece," said Wilkins in an Oct. 11, 2002, ABC interview. "Normally, it'd last me two years back home. Up here it will last you eight months. Probably you'd need about 120 cutters and they're about six bucks each, so $600 to $700 bucks just to get the cutters. It adds up to a fair bit in the end."

REGISTRATION FOR SHEEP SHEARING SCHOOL Brookings, SD -- December 4-6, 2002

Name:____________________________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________________________

Work phone:_________________________ Home phone:__________________

Fee: $125 per person. Registration deadline: November 27, 2002. FIFTY DOLLARS MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM. Mail to: South Dakota Sheep Shearing Program, Box 2170, Brookings, SD 57007.
Phone: 605-688-5433. E-mail: jeffrey_held@sdstate.edu.
Sponsored by SDSGA, Wool Committee with cooperation from SDSU Extension Service.

Residues from grain sorghum are best used by grazing. The stalks can be grazed following snowfall since they remain upright. Composition of dry matter will be around 54% TDN and 5% crude protein.

Soybean and dry bean residues can be used to advantage provided a collection device or machine is pulled behind the combine to collect the finer materials, as they will have the better feed values among residues. Stems themselves, particularly of the soybean, are very low in feed value and ewes should not be forced to consume them.

With frost, sheepmen should use caution when either grazing or feeding sudangrass, forage sorghum, sorghum sudangrass crosses, Johnson grass or flax. The poisoning potential is greatest when grazing forage sorghum and lower with sudangrass and sudangrass hybrids. Beware of grazing flax strips.

Two hard freezes will eliminate most Prussic acid from forage. However, the toxicity potential is very high for the first day or two after freezing, so wait three to five days after a killing frost before allowing livestock to graze. Freezing triggers Prussic acid release, so the forage is very dangerous immediately after a freeze.

Visual symptoms of Prussic acid poisoning are rapid breathing, foaming at the mouth, staggering, and severe convulsions. If a large enough quantity is consumed, death can occur within a few minutes. Normally, signs of poisoning will occur 15 to 20 minutes after the forage has been eaten. If an outbreak occurs, contact your local veterinarian.

"Raw soybeans are almost as effective as soybean meal in providing supplemental protein to lambs fed barley-based diets. Although lambs fed diets containing soybean meal grew slightly faster, lambs fed diets containing raw soybeans consumed less feed so that feed efficiency was the same."

What about corn and soybeans? Corn has about 10% crude protein on a dry matter basis. Soybeans have about 40% crude protein on a dry matter basis and about the same energy value - or a little higher because of the fat - as corn. You can assume corn and soybeans have the same DM value. If you want about 15% CP in the diet, then use about 15% soybeans and 85% corn.