Schleicher County Rancher Sees
Opportunity Feeding More Lambs

By Colleen Schreiber

ELDORADO — In the past, thousands of Texas lambs have traditionally been shipped out of state to feed. Now with the opening of the new San Angelo sheep and goat slaughtering facility, Ranchers’ Lamb of Texas, more Texas lambs are staying at home to be fed.

To take up the slack, lamb feeders already in operation are expanding, some who were once in but got out for whatever reason are getting back in, and a handful of new feeders have also cropped up.

Schleicher County rancher Mike Moore is one of those who has gotten into the expansion game. Back in June, Moore began enlarging his existing feeding facilities. Build it and they will come, he thought, and for the most part that’s how it happened, Moore says. As one pen was finished, it was immediately filled up and another was built.

Before long, Moore had gone from feeding only a couple of pens of his own lambs to a capacity that today allows him to feed upwards of 8000 lambs. A few weeks ago he was basically full with 7800 head on feed.

Moore says he’s always wanted to increase his feeding business, and his interest in the sheep and goat slaughtering facility was at least part of the impetus. Expanding his feeding operation, he adds, allows him to diversify with little risk to himself.

Feeding lambs is not new to Moore. Mike and his father, Henry, began feeding their own lambs at the ranch in the early 1960s before it was very popular. Mike’s grandfather even fed a few lambs on whole maize. Back then the Moores shipped their fat lambs to Fort Worth, selling them mostly to Swift.

In addition to feeding his own lambs and those of his son, Brent, who is now in partnership with him, the Moores have five or six other customers. Most of the lambs on feed come from nearby ranches, but he also has some from the Comstock area.

The outside lambs came in weighing anywhere from 52 to 87 pounds. Surprisingly, Moore says, the lighter lambs have been less trouble than some of the bigger, "healthier" lambs.

"There’s not any secrets to feeding lambs," Moore says, "lots of clean water and good feed."

One unique part of his lamb ration is the energy portion. Moore uses corn byproducts like corn chips and tortillas from a tortilla maker in Fort Worth. It’s an inexpensive source of energy that otherwise would be wasted.

Moore raises some of his own hay, but he has to contract most everything else. Most of the grain comes from nearby in Schleicher County. The alfalfa comes either from Fort Stockton or from New Mexico, and what other corn he uses comes from Uvalde. The remainder of his ration is a molasses supplement with all the vitamins and minerals.

The initial ration has a lot of hay and hulls, about 50 percent roughage. Lambs are generally jumped to a higher ration a week at a time. By the fourth week, they’re usually on the finishing ration that has only about 20 percent roughage.

Most of the lambs gain on average about half a pound a day. The best he’s done was six-tenths of a pound. Moore hopes that he’ll be able to consistently beat the half a pound a day during the fall and through the winter months.

In 1975 Moore installed a steam boiler so the maize could be flaked. Grinding is a daily ritual, Moore says, just like at any big yard. The ration is mixed on the truck, and a run is made two to three times a day.

Moore says his cost of gain averages right around 50 cents, and on that basis he believes he can compete with the larger commercial feeders.

Generally the lambs are shorn on arrival and given an overeating shot even if they’ve already received one prior to coming to the feedlot. They’re also drenched at shearing.

Moore says Texas lambs have plenty of good genetics, but marketing them at proper weights is also important.

"My customers have told me that when these lambs weigh 125 to 130 pounds they’re ready for sale," he says. "We are not to keep any big, heavy lambs."

Moore has had a few people ask about feeding goats, and he says he’s willing to do it. He’s fed some Angoras of his own but he thinks the Boer crosses might feed a little better.

He says his facilities will have to be changed up somewhat to accommodate goats.

Moore runs Rambouillet sheep himself. Eagles moved in on him about four years ago. This year he pushed his normal February to March lambing period back to April to avoid the eagles, and he achieved about a 30 percent better lamb crop. In addition to lambs, Moore also feeds some of his own calves.