A Comparison of Fall vs Spring Lambing Performance of Hampshire and Columbia Ewes (Progress Report)

Seasonality of lamb production continues to be a major hurdle for the sheep industry. The lack of a continuous supply of fresh lamb impacts both the processing and retail segments of the industry. The seasonal fluctuation in supply and quality results in sporadic buying patterns by consumers and ultimately less shelf space and therefore less product in the meat case. Often lamb cuts are not available in retail outlets or only on a seasonal basis making sustained consumption levels difficult. In many cases seasonal production also results in inefficient use of facilities, labor and management for the producer. This study was initiated to evaluate the effectiveness of selection for fall lambing in a population of purebred Hampshire and Columbia sheep