December 5, 2002

Dedication and Integration Are Hallmarks of 2002 North Dakota Master Sheep Producers

Todd Knudson loves his job. That much becomes clear as he talks about raising and working with sheep.

"I love everything about it, like seeing the newborns and taking care of the newborn lambs and seeing them grow. I enjoy and love everything about what I do," he says.

Knudson grew up on the farm he now runs. When he was eight years old and helping in the lambing barn, his father gave him a bottle lamb. "From there I've been expanding to where we are right now." Where Todd and his wife, Terry, are right now are North Dakota's 2002 Master Sheep Producers. They'll receive the honor at the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers annual convention in Mandan, Dec. 7.

The Knudsons raise sheep in the rolling countryside outside of Dahlen, some 50 miles northwest of Grand Forks. Some of that countryside is nearly useless for producing crops, "but it's perfect for sheep," Knudson says. "They allow us to use all these acres. There's a lot of shade in the summer, shelter in the winter and the sheep get a lot of exercise which is very important for the ewes."

"What impressed us about Todd and Terry was their ability to use all of his resources and to find innovative ways to do things," explains Roger Haugen, NDSU Extension Service sheep specialist and member of the Master Sheep Producer selection committee. "Everything in their operation fits and works together so well."

The Knudson's have about 375 ewes and feed about 600 lambs per year. They plan to gradually increase to about 500 ewes. "Keeping good records is our main key to success," he says. "We have to know what ewes are going to produce a lot of lambs and good lambs and we keep those back for the ewe flock."

Each year, each ewe's lambs are recorded into a notebook. Careful notations on health problems, multiple births and performance provide background for making management decisions.

The lamb crop is about 175 percent. "We're shooting for 200 percent or better," Todd says. He looks for fast growing lambs that are thick-muscled and lean. "The faster they grow, the earlier we can get them to market which generally translates to higher prices."

With an increasing lamb crop last year six ewes had five lambs each Knudson was also looking for ways to cut costs. For that he's employed about 30 nanny goats. "At times we've bottle fed as many as 50 lambs. When you start buying milk replacer for that many lambs it costs a lot. The goats are a better source of milk. It's more like mother's milk. It's always there and it's always warm," Knudson says.

The goats are bred to begin having their kids ahead of lambing so that as the kids are weaned the milk is available for the newborn lambs. The newly-weaned kids are sold to Hispanic communities in Walsh and Grand Forks counties where the meat is favored. The same community purchases older ewes for traditional mutton stews. "Each goat kid sold will pay for a sack of milk replacer, so that added income helps us out if we do need to buy milk replacer," he says. The goats also keep the coyotes away when the sheep are on pasture.

Primary feed for the sheep are buckwheat screening pellets from a Canadian company. It is about 14 to 15 percent protein and guaranteed to be free of vomitoxin. Lambs are creep fed the pellets from birth and because some of them are marketed through the Dakota Lamb Growers Cooperative, the pellets are non-medicated. Ewes receive the pellets as well.

"We've found that the sheep perform better if we just keep them on the same feed from the beginning," Knudson says. "If we provide it to them right away, they get started on it better and there's no problem switching later on." Most additional feed for the sheep flock is raised on the farm. The Knudson's raise about 200 acres of wheat and soybeans, 14 acres of alfalfa and 70 acres of alfalfa and bromegrass mix.

"To be successful, you have to be willing to work with the sheep. You have to be in the lambing barns especially with twins and triplets. When we're lambing, someone's in there every two hours and if things are busy it may be all day or night long," Knudson says. Terry, who works off the farm at a division of Agsco, Inc. in Grand Forks, provides much of the labor at lambing. Todd's parents, Keith and Linda Knudson, also help. Four-year-old twins Trevor and Taylor look to be the next generation of sheep enthusiasts.

"If you're willing to work and take care of them, the sheep will take care of you," Knudson says. "It takes a lot of work and patience, but as long as you love what you do, it doesn't really seem like work."

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Source: Todd Knudson, (701) 384-6298 and Roger Haugen, (701) 231-7645, rohaugen@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

  Todd Knudson

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