U S A: SHEEP INDUSTRY. Revive it or just let it slowly die?

[greybeard]

I don't think anyone is blaming WWII mutton for a serious downturn in lamb consumption.

You don't?

she won’t even try lamb because of stories her grandpa, a marine during WWII, shared about his experience eating mutton in the service. In fact there was a large decrease in sheep consumption following the Second World War because of similar experiences.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day and what "great" responses,"It seems there is still lots of "life" left in the topic ".I hope the latest lot encourage other to add to it as I think its through discussions such as these the industry may be expanded and maybe "saved" in the long term...T.O.R.

 

[Latestarter]

(B-I-L eats it because his wife told him if he insisted on raising them, he was gonna have to eat it)

GB Well, we know who wears the pants in that family huh? B-I-L Hmmm that woman isn't a direct relation to you is she?

 

[Latestarter]

Hey there Old Ram... How are you doing? How is your wife? I hope you're finding some relief time. Always good to see you've posted up.

 

[greybeard]

G'day and what "great" responses,"It seems there is still lots of "life" left in the topic ".I hope the latest lot encourage other to add to it as I think its through discussions such as these the industry may be expanded and maybe "saved" in the long term...T.O.R.

The only way I see it getting expanded much in this country is an en masse immigration of ethnic population the like of which none alive today has never seen in their or our lifetimes or the govt comes in and mandates a certain % of the meat grown/raised in this nation has to be lamb and mutton....or heavily subsidies it and buys the surplus. Even then, you face a huge uphill battle trying to make them eat it.

The bottom line is, you can't make people buy something they don't want to buy or even like something they don't like.
You'd have better luck trying to get me to eat brussel sprouts or embrace all this all natural/100% organic/chemical free/gluten free/grain free/non-gmo mumbo jumbo we see is currently all the new age/modern day hippy rage.

 

[Bruce]

No lamb OR brussel sprouts? I love both

But I know some people just don't like lamb, nothing wrong with them. They just got inferior taste buds Of course people could say the same about me, I don't like hot peppers or spicy food.

Or she, like myself and most of my extended family (one of my b-i-l excepted) .........just don't like it, and I've tried it every way it can be cooked.
(B-I-L eats it because his wife told him if he insisted on raising them, he was gonna have to eat it)

Seems fair ... I guess. But on the other hand if he is raising them to sell to make money, isn't eating your product also reducing your income?

 

[Baymule]

I like lamb. Lamburger makes some awesome tacos!

 

[Mike CHS]

Sheep meat is our primary meat plus we have people over who ask for it if given the choice. We have four neighbors that have cattle that have bought sheep from us to raise for themselves.

 

[greybeard]

Seems fair ... I guess. But on the other hand if he is raising them to sell to make money, isn't eating your product also reducing your income?

He's not...he's forever getting into some new scheme or another. First it was bees...then beagle dogs for chasing birds, then rabbits, then turkeys, then dozens and dozens of chickens (all those went bye bye) then fish, in a big pond that evidently has a porous bottom & now has to have an elec powered water well to keep it full, then pigs..(gone too) , and now it's hair sheep. My sister got tired of having to care for everything. They don't need any more $$ that I can tell, but he has to sell some of them to keep their numbers manageable.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

I can’t lay claim to the WWII hypothesis, that actually came from a professor at Utah State, I was using my wife as an example. To prove his point, the professor asked our class of 60 by raise of hands who had eaten lamb. Few of us raised our hands. When asked why the rest hadn’t, the biggest reply was they had heard it was gross from an older family member, and many had served. Fact is, sheep numbers peaked in 1942 but by 1950 the numbers had decreased by almost half. I’m sure there are multiple factors apart, (new grazing restrictions, less people farming/ranching) but word of mouth can destroy any reputation.
We had that very discussion in a national pork producers meeting in Missouri, insuring the consumer has a good experience so that they not only continue using our product but will encourage others to as well.
I understand that there will be people who don’t like the taste and odor (that goes for any meat) but how do you get people who don’t know any better to try? Pork and beef can get away with commercial advertisements because most people have at least tried those meats (if you haven’t, you’re missing out I promise). For a product that most people haven’t tried, you must find every opportunity to give them that chance.
For example, every year in Utah we have the sheepdog trials at Soldier Hollow. The first booth you pass on entrance is the Utah Wool Growers Association grilling up free lamb samples. Every person who comes in immediately gets that opportunity to try lamb. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t but you at least can now say you’ve had it. Then lunch rolls around and you can get a lamb burger/gyro/taco to really decide.
Of course price is still a deterrent, why buy a lamb chop when a pork chop is a fraction of the cost. Of course I won’t complain if you buy the pork chop, that’s my job security.