All sheep and lamb inventory in Michigan on January 1, was estimated at 82,000 head, an increase of 8% from 2015, according to Marlo Johnson, Regional Director of the USDA, NASS, Great Lakes Regional Office. Breeding sheep inventory, at 58,000 head, was up 3,000 from last year. Market sheep and lambs totaled 24,000 head, an increase of 3,000 from last year. The 2015 Michigan lamb crop was 63,000 head, up 3,000 from the previous year. 

Michigan’s sheep and goat inventory climbs while national numbers slide

All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on January 1, totaled 5.32 million head, up 1% from 2015. Breeding sheep inventory increased to 3.97 million head on January 1, up 1% from 3.94 million head on January 1, 2015. Ewes one year old and older, at 3.13 million head, were up slightly above last year. Market sheep and lambs on January 1, totaled 1.36 million head, up 1% from a year earlier. Market lambs comprised 94% of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6% of total market inventory.

The number of sheep and lambs shorn in Michigan, 66,000 head, was up 3,000 from the previous year. Michigan shorn wool production in 2015 was 395,000 pounds, up 4% from 2014. The average price paid for wool in Michigan was $0.72 per pound, a decrease of $0.14 cents from the previous year. The total value of wool was $284,000, 13% below the 2014 value. 

Shorn wool production in the United States during 2015 was 27.1 million pounds, up 1% from 2014. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.68 million head, unchanged from 2014. The average price paid for wool sold in 2015 was $1.45 per pound for a total value of 39.3 million dollars, up 1% from 38.9 million dollars in 2014. 

As of January 1, there were 11,800 milk goats in Michigan, up 500 from a year earlier. The Michigan meat and other goat inventory estimates have been discontinued.

All goat inventory in the United States on January 1, totaled 2.62 million head, down 1% from 2015.

Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.16 million head, down 1% from 2015.

Does one year old and older, at 1.61 million head, were 2% below last year's number. Market goats and kids totaled 459 thousand head, down 1% from a year ago. Kid crop for 2015 totaled 1.68 million head for all goats, down 2% from 2014. Meat and all other goats totaled 2.10 million head on January 1, down 1% from 2015. Milk goat inventory was 375 thousand head, up 3% from January 1, 2015, while Angora goats were down 6%, totaling 150 thousand head.