To meet demand for direct marketed lamb in the greater, The Northcoast Lamb Co-Op was created with the support of a Sustainable Agricultural Research Education (SARE) grant to implement value based lamb production criteria. The co-op will be using carcass scanning for acceptance of lamb to market (as well as for NSIP EBVs). The goal is to provide consistent, high quality lamb to local restaurants and groceries. The co-op will be recruiting producers to participate in selling lamb locally. By implementing carcass scanning, this procedure should reduce the excess fat and inconsistent quality which can damage the quality of the brand. Local producers can take advantage of ultrasound technology to improve the overall quality of their flocks, making carcass scanning available and affordable to co-op producers. The outcome should be better meat quality and marketing, leading to profitability and competitiveness.

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NORTHCOAST LAMB CO-OP
Prepared for OEFFA
This product was developed with support from the Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture — National Institute of Food and
Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or
recommendations expressed within do not necessarily reflect the view of
the SARE program or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.

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SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant
• The Spicy Lamb Farm, a Countryside Conservancy
Farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) in
Peninsula
• The Miller Farm, an Amish Family Farm in
Fredericksburg, near the Mount Hope Auction
• The Northcoast Sheep Farm at The Foundry Project in
Cleveland
 All three are working board members of Urban Shepherds
 All three raise production Dorsets

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The Spicy Lamb Farm
Drive Time of Potential Market
 15-minute drive:
 44,193 residents
 2,748 businesses
 30-minute drive:
 1,201,052 residents
 47,744 businesses
 60-minute drive:
 3,646,208 residents
 136,085 businesses
 2.6 million people visit the
Village of Peninsula where the
farm is located.

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Drive Time
to The
Spicy
Lamb Farm
Number of
Households
Average
Household
Income
Percent
(20%)
Buying
Lamb
Percent
(20%) of
buying at
Farmers
Market
Percent
(10%)
Buying
Direct from
Farmer
15 minutes 19,235 $97,356 3,846.8 769.36 384.68
30 minutes 548,473 $77,563 109,694.6 21,938.92 10,969.46
60 minutes 1,664,575 $73,195 332,915 66,583 33,291.5
The Spicy Lamb Farm Direct
Marketing Potential Market Share

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Miller Farm
Drive Time of Potential Market
Mount Hope Auction
Sale Price Lambs (Feb 10, 2016):
40#-60# $290.00-322.50
40# - 60# $235.00-290.00
60# - 80# $225.00-277.50
80# - 100# $160.00-227.50
100# -130# $152.50-172.50
130# & Up $140.00
Total Head: 747
Live Weight VS Value Based

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Northcoast Sheep Farm
Drive Time of Potential Market
The Northcoast Sheep Farm is using
the Cornell STAR© accelerated
lambing system to maximize
production of market lambs on a
continuous year-round basis. This
even supply of high quality lambs
should allow for improved market
development and enhanced prices for
lambs demanded by discriminating
consumers.
www.TheFoundryProject.com

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Northcoast Lamb Co-op Proposed Site

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Urban Grazing in Cleveland

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Marketing Lamb
Source: ASI Roadmap

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Source: ASI Roadmap

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Auction lambs are shipped to
packers out of state

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Lamb as Local Food
Shift to local food purchases means more
money stays in our communities
Based on a $3 food multiplier that can
generate economic development

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Administrative and
technical support for
the Co-Op will be
provided by Urban
Shepherds.
Open to any
producers to join

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Co-Op Goals
• To provide quality lamb to local restaurants and
groceries.
• To recruit producers to participate in selling lamb
locally.
• To assist members in producing the
required product demanded: consistent quality
lamb.

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• The goal of this project
will be to implement
value based lamb
recommendations,
emphasizing a higher
production criteria
which is expected to
lead to wider product
acceptance.
Source: OSIA Lamb 509

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State of the Lamb Industry
• Lamb is the oldest domesticated meat species in
the world. The American Sheep Industry is the
oldest livestock organization in the county.
However, the average American eats less than
one pound of lamb per year. Of that lamb that is
consumed, half is consumed by the non-
traditional ethic market. Of all the lamb
consumed in the states, 50 to 70% is imported
from Australia and New Zealand. Now, County of
Origin Labeling is an issue.

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Source: ASI Roadmap

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Source: ASI Roadmap

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Source: ASI Roadmap

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The Healthy Red Meat

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Tri-Lamb Group 2013 Study
• New consumers were under 40.
• They had children of all ages.
• Gender made no difference.
• They average household income was $70,000.
• Their activities included personally grill meat;
walking/hiking/running; active online; and entertaining
at home.
• They eat and prepare chicken, fish, beef, alternative
meat products, lamb, duck, venison, bison, and duck.
• Their sources of nutrition information came from
online, magazines, and friends and family.

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Factors in Choosing Lamb:
• An excellent source of protein
• Raised without synthetic hormones
• Nutrient rich
• Lean
• Contains good fat
• Raised with care
• Sustainably raised
• Grass fed
• Contains omega-3 fats
• Organic
• Contains monounsaturated fats
•

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• Health and nutrition are significant drivers.
A consumer taste study found that lamb is
more tender, flavor, and juicy than any
other meats.

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American Lamb Attitude &
Usage Study in 2011
• The average age is 45.
• 68% are female.
• The average household size is 2.8
• 85% are white.
• One in five households (20%) has prepared
lamb within the past year.
• One in six households (16%) eats lamb, but do
not prepare lamb in their household.

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Customers want:
• Easy to follow recipes
• Better understanding of the various cuts of lamb
• Instruction on cooking/demonstrations
Additional reasons to purchase lamb more often for
preparation at home include:
• Learning how to cook lamb
• Knowing it is a healthy choice
• Making it easier or quicker to cook
• Consistent availability of cuts
• Confidence that family/friends like it
• Price

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• Liking that it is unique, that they like the flavor and that
the meat is tender are the most mentioned likes about
lamb. Being too expensive and being difficult to cook are
the most mentioned dislikes.
• Important factors in choosing lamb included:
– Respondents rated humanely raised as most important factor
and being locally grown as least important.
– Other important factors included: grass fed, food safety, eating
satisfaction, how and where lambs were raised, visual checks,
weight and size, lean with less fat, and sheep genetics.
• Lamb cuts were a factor in choosing lamb:
– Respondents were most aware of leg of lamb, rack of lamb, and
loin chops which are the favorite cuts of lamb prepared at home.

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CONSUMER RESEARCH: GRILLING
• Lamb Users who personally grill meat are more likely to
be More Nutrition/Sustainability Conscious than those
who do not personally grill meat.
• Grilling lamb is more likely among those who are More
Nutrition/ Sustainability Conscious
• Loin Chops (41%) is the cut of lamb grilled most often by
Lamb Users
• 71% of Lamb Users who grilled meat this past summer are
“Extremely or Very Likely” to grill lamb next year.
• Two-thirds (65%) of Lamb Users who are less than
“Very Likely” to grill lamb next year indicate they are
“Extremely or Very Willing” to learn to grill lamb.

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American Lamb Consumer
Taste Test Report in 2013
• About half the consumers tested prefer the grass-fed lamb, while
another 45% preferred the grain-finished lamb. 7% reported they
had no preference.
• When asked about the proteins beef, chicken, seafood, pork and
lamb, lamb was rated the highest by these consumers in flavor,
quality, tenderness, sustainability and of being humanely raised.
• Lamb was rated the lowest (along with Seafood) in being easy to
cook and affordability.
• Roasting and grilling are the most popular ways to prepare lamb at
home. Ground lamb, loin chops, stew meat and leg roasts are cuts
cooked the most at home.

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• Concerning lamb, fresh and flavorful were the most important
attributes to these consumers, while healthy/nutritious and grass-fed
were the least important.
• About 77% of those tested reported they could find lamb in their
local stores year-round. 71% would prefer to buy American lamb in
their stores, yet only 47% would be willing to pay 20% more for lamb
from the U.S.
• If these consumers were to purchase lamb, the primary reasons
would be that a recipe called for it (36%) or that they wanted it for a
special occasion (28%).
• 57% reported the high price of lamb keeps them from using it more
often. Sale pricing would increase the use of lamb at home by over
50% of the consumers tested.
• Most of these consumers are getting information and recipes from
websites, cookbooks, and friends and family.

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Lamb Distribution in Restaurants
(MenuTrends DIRECT (MTD) Overview for American Lamb Board)
• Lamb remains a core protein at white table cloth restaurants.
• Lamb is menued most often as a stand-alone entrée item due to its
hearty, bold flavor. Braising has grown in popularity with lamb and
center of plate entrées overall. Lamb continues to increase in usage
as an appetizer at fine dining and US chains and independents.
• American cuisine accounts for the largest share of entrée lamb
menued. A quarter, or 25%, of all entrée lamb menu mentions are at
American restaurants. French cuisine follows with an 18% share of
all entrée lamb dishes. Italian cuisine, mixed ethnicity and
steakhouses all hold a 10% share, or greater, of entrée lamb.

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• Rack of lamb continues to be the most popular cut of lamb on entrée
menus. Of fine dining restaurants with lamb entrées, over 1/3 offer
rack of lamb. Lamb chops are a close second, with just 25%
penetration. Other popular cuts of lamb include lamb shank and
lamb loin.
• Indian cuisine accounts for the lion’s share of entrée lamb dishes. A
strong 44% of all lamb dishes are found at Indian restaurants among
US Chain and Independents. Mediterranean restaurants also
maintain a strong 18% share of lamb dishes. About 19% of lamb
entrées are found at non-ethnic restaurants, most notably America,
Italian, Pizza, Sandwich and Steakhouses.
• Lamb maintains a high average price across all segments. At QSR,
lamb drops to the 6th highest priced protein, as it is more frequently
as a protein in typically lower priced kabob, curry and gyro entrée
dishes.
•

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Traditional Market
Source: ASI Roadmap

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Non-traditional Market
Source: ASI Roadmap

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Higher standards 100%
Would be fresher 50
It’s what’s available 50
Tastes better 50
Have always bought 50
Other 50
Tastes better 78%
Higher standards 67
It is what’s available 22
Have always bought 22
It would be fresher 11
Other 33
Source: American Lamb Attitude
& Usage Study 2011
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It is what’s available 62%
Have always bought 62
Tastes better 50
Higher standards 38
It would be fresher 12
Other 12
Country of Origin Preferred for Lamb
United States
40%
No Preference
23%
New
Zealand
10%
It would be fresher 54%
I support the American Farmer/
economy/buy American 52
It is local/does not travel thousands
of miles 42
We have the USDA/government
to regulate processing 42
Tastes better 36
Higher standards 27
Have always bought 24
Do not trust other countries 12
It is what’s available 9
Prefer United States Lamb
Prefer New Zealand Lamb
No
Answer
13%Australia
2%
Australia and
New Zealand
11%
Prefer Australian Lamb
(N = 2)*
Prefer Australian and
New Zealand Lamb
• Two-fifths of Current Users prefer
lamb from the U.S.
• It would be fresher, support the
American farmer, it’s local and we
have the USDA are the most
mentioned reasons for preferring
U.S. lamb.
While not displayed above, women are
more likely than men to have no
preference. Younger respondents (under
45) are more likely to prefer lamb from
the U.S. than older respondents.

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Need for Value-Based Pricing
• Lamb has the characteristics to be widely
accepted as the “premier meat” – The
Healthy Red Meat --- very desirable flavor
and an extremely positive nutritional profile
• Lamb can strength its position if promotes
its attributes and delivers high quality
product on every eating occasion

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• The industry acknowledges that
excess fat and inconsistency are
the biggest detractions from its
premier status.
• Buying slaughter animals on
weight provides incentive to
overfeed lambs under certain
market conditions -resulting in
fat.
• Buying on weight and yield
provides no economic incentive
to produce high quality lamb.
Source: OSIA Lamb 509

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Needed Growth in the American
Sheep Industry
Source: ASI Roadmap

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In 1840, when the federal census first included livestock numbers,
Ohio, although largely unsettled, was amongst the leaders in
raising sheep. In 1850, Ohio was second only to Vermont. By 1860,
Ohio was in first place. In 1870, Ohio reached its peak with 121
sheep per square mile. By 1880, the sheep population in the west
surpassed that of the east but Ohio still had more than three times
that of any other state. It was not until 1950 when Ohio loss the
lead in sheep per unit area.
Today, Ohio is still the largest
sheep producing state east of
the Mississippi. However, the
average size of a flock is only 40
ewes.

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Too Many Breeds/Producers
• The industry needs to reduce the excess
fat and inconsistent quality which can
damage the quality of the brand.

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Historic selection was based visuals and on feel
for fullness of muscle and fat cover

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New Standard: Muscle Being
Scanned

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Measure Muscle Eye and Back Fat
Source: OSIA Lamb 509

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Value Based Pricing
• Individual quality attributes of the lamb
carcass and its parts and provide a higher
quality consistent product to the
consumer.

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Northcoast Lamb Co-op
• The Co-op will work with a group of urban
and rural farmers whose propose is, to not
only distribute and market lamb at a profit,
but to assist members in producing the
required high quality, consistent lamb
demanded by a more discriminating
marketplace.

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Our Solution
• Set required muscle quality attributes
necessary to produce a higher quality
product.
• Use carcass ultrasound of lamb crops for
market acceptance and to measure
muscle quality deficiencies for
improvement

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Our Goals
• Greater profitability
• Increased market competitiveness
• Wholesome product for the consumers

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The Healthy Red Meat
• Lamb is high iron and B-vitamin complex.
• A 3 oz. serving of lamb provides nearly five
times the amount of the essential omega-3 fatty
acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), compared to a 3
oz. serving of beef.
– 92% of nutrition/sustainability conscious lamb
users said they would be very or extremely
motivated to buy lamb compared to another protein
based on the statement above.

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A consumer taste study found that
lamb is more tender, flavor, and
juicy than any other meats.

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Carcass Scanning for Value-Priced Lamb
• Used for selection of seedstock
– NSIP Certified Ultrasound Scanner
Source: Cup Lab Training

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• Ultrasound images can be collected and
read for rib-eye area (REA), rib fat
thickness (Fat), and percent intramuscular
fat (% IMF) which relates to marbling
levels.

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• Fat Depth
ASBVs describe the value of an animal’s
genes for fat depth at a constant weight –
a negative ASBV means a genetically
leaner animal.

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• Eye Muscle Depth
ASBVs describe the value of animals’
genes for eye muscle depth at a constant
weight – a positive ASBV means a
genetically thicker-muscled animal, and
one that will have slightly more of its lean
tissue in the higher-priced cuts.

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• An ultrasound scan is a phenotypic record
from an animal. In this sense it is no
different than a weight record, and it can
be influenced by age, sex, diet, health and
a variety of other factors.

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PHENOTYPE IS THE RESULT OF THE ANIMAL’S
GENETICS (GENOTYPE), AS WELL AS THE
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT WAS/IS RAISED.
Phenotype Environment
ESTIMATED BREEDING VALUES (EBV)
An EBV quantifies the genetic merit of an animal (for breeding).
It is a mathematical, computer-generated prediction of an animal for
economically-important traits.
EBVs can be calculated for any trait for which data can be collected.
Source: NSIP

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EBVS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
Reproductive traits
Number of lambs born (NLB, %)
Number of lambs weaned (NLW, %)
Scrotal circumference (SC, cm)
Growth traits
Birth weight (BWT, kg)
Weaning weight (WWT, kg)
Maternal weaning weight (MWWT, kg)
Post-weaning weight (PWWT, kg)
Yearling weight (YWT, kg )
Carcass traits
Loin muscle depth (EMD, mm)
Fat depth (CF, mm)
Wool traits
Fleece weight (GFW, %)
Fiber diameter (FD, μ)
Staple length (SL, mm)
Parasite resistance
Worm egg count (WEC, %)
Indexes
Carcass Plus index, %
USA Hair Index, %
USA Maternal Index, %
USA Range Index, %
Source: NSIP

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Purebred producer Commercial producer
• Enroll your flock in NSIP and
use EBVs to improve your
accuracy of selection for
economically important traits.
• Purchase breeding stock,
especially rams, with above
average EBVs or indexes
(enrolled and non-enrolled
flocks; small flocks).
• Establish values for your
breeding stock.
• Purchase males with
above-average EBVs or
indexes.
• Measure the quality of
lamb.
How EBVs are used:
Source: NSIP

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Scanning
• A trained technician can
capture an ultrasound
image in about 30 seconds
with reasonable accuracy.
• Scientists can use the
images to estimate traits
that influence the carcass
value of market lambs—
such as loin muscle area,
loin muscle depth, and
back-fat thickness.

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Lamb Scanning Ages
• Lambs should be scanned at around 5 months
of age and be around 90 lbs, this is to ensure
that there is good variation in the lambs
measurements, especially the fat depth which is
often difficult to measure in the more lean
breeds. The date of births should already be
entered on the database and the breed recorded
when the lambs will be ready to be recorded.

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Random Sample
• Breeders present all their lambs for
scanning even if they do not plan on
scanning all their lambs as the lambs must
be selected at random by the technician,
both males and females. The technician
will exclude any late born lambs or any
lambs that are thriving very poorly due to
some medical or nutritional problem.

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• Farmers must have an accurate weighing create there
on the day and the technician will verify the scales with a
measured weight.
• All lambs must have their ID tags recorded on the
database before scanning can occur.
• Breeders should have their lambing notebooks present
on the day in order to clear up any issues that may arise
on the day.
• Ideally lambs should be housed at least an hour before
the technician starts to scan to ensure lambs are under
as little stress as possible at the time of scanning.

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Results
• Once scanning is complete, producers
receive the evaluation of the scanning.
Source: Cub Lab Training

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• The Co-op will conduct carcass ultrasound
of lamb crops for acceptance (as well as
for NSIP EBVs). The expected outcome,
will be better meat quality and marketing,
leading to increased profitability and
competitiveness for Ohio regional
producers.

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• The outcome will be to develop a
procedure to measure high quality lambs,
reducing excess fat and inconsistent
quality. Producers with poor quality lambs
will be encouraged to improve and will not
be sold through the co-op other than as
stew and ground lamb.

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• The success of the project
will be the use of the
scanning based criteria to
reduce the slaughter rate on
non-conforming animals for
the co-op, using the selective
breeding tool to market
quality lamb, and
establishing the co-op as a
quality source
Source: OSIA Lamb 509

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• The expected outcome
will be successful
distribution of even
sheep, more breeders
using scanning in the
NSIP program, greater
ease in collecting and
analyzing data for
producers, and the
affordable use of
technology.
Source: Cub Lab Training

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Thanks to SARE
• For more information: www.northcoastlambcoop.org
Source: NSIP