A day in the life of a lamb Thursday, September 19, 2013 Gunnison Country Times A day in the life of a lamb ‘Sheep Day’ living history of Western lifestyle Anne Janik Special to the Times A sea of sheep scrambled through the alpine meadows near Engineer Pass in the scenic San Juan Mountains, while a crowd of visitors congregated around a herder’s tent. They chatted with local ranchers and resource specialists early last month during the 15th annual Sheep Day gathering, the brain child of U.S. Forest Service range specialist Edna Mason. The event continues to attract visitors to Colorado’s high country to experience a unique piece of living history at an “open sheep camp.” “This is the only place in the west that I know of that sets up a sheep grazing operation for the public to visit,” said Mason. “This time of year we have a lot of visitors to the high country and it is an added bonus for them to participate in a true Western lifestyle.” Several longtime sheep ranchers are on hand to talk about their livelihoods, and range specialists from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service readily discuss the value of these grazing animals in high elevations. The two grazing allotments near Engineer Pass are part BLM and part Forest Service, but because of proximity and access, Mason oversees the management of both allotments and works with the ranchers. Kelly Liston, range specialist for the Forest Service’s Ouray Ranger District, is responsible for a section of the Bear Creek allotment. “We work cooperatively on the management of these allotments, to make the grazing program as efficient as possible,” she said. “We have a good working relationship with the BLM and with the sheep ranchers.” Earnie Etchart grew up in the business when his father, a French Basque immigrant came to the United States in 1947 as a herder and later had an opportunity to “buy out” a neighbor’s operation. His family has been in the business ever since. “I couldn’t ask for a better office than this — it is definitely a fringe benefit, “he said. “We don’t get rich at this, but we make a good living and I am my own boss!” “Despite the misnomers and rumors about sheep that have perpetrated through the ages, sheep are pretty efficient grazers,” said Forest Service range specialist Mark Hatcher, of Gunnison. “Sheep grazing is managed so the range receives about 15 percent to 20 percent utilization (consumption) of the vegetation while many of the cattle allotments receive 50 percent utilization. “As domestic grazers are concerned, sheep were made for grazing in the high county,” Hatcher continued. “For one, they don’t get altitude sickness like cattle, and because they are much lighter, they don’t impact the alpine habitat like larger heavier animals would.” Longtime rancher J. Paul Brown explained, “Sheep are always herded and with this pro-active management, they are on the move. A good herder can get cues from the sheep when it is time to move on.” A flock of sheep will graze any one area in the high country, near a sheep camp location, for up to two weeks before moving on. This keeps the alpine vegetation vigorous and healthy. Hatcher also added that sheep generally go to water once a day and then move on. “They don’t congregate around watering locations,” he said. Of course, one of the most intriguing attractions of sheep ranching is observing the wellhoned abilities of the dogs guarding and moving the flocks. Guard dogs are usually Pyrenees or Akbash breeds. Each band of sheep has two guard dogs, one or two herd dogs and sometimes as many as six pups “in training.” “Dogs are put in with the sheep early on as pups so they get used to each other and bond,” Etchart described. “Rarely do we get predation by coyotes or bear, but before the use of guard dogs, predation losses were much higher. Occasionally a bear will be in the area and the dogs will bark and chew on them until they retreat.” “We are trying to expose our guard dogs to people and make them more sociable,” Etchart continued. “Recreationists are aware of the potential conflicts and when they pass they stay away from the flocks and generally keep their dogs under control.” Another bonus of using dogs is that there’s no need for fencing. “Because sheep are gregarious, the herder and the dogs can easily keep them under control and on the move,” he said. Etchart’s sheep are a mix of Rambouillet and Merino, while Brown’s herd is of a smaller mix, Rambouillet and Finn. Both ranchers have good lamb survival. Brown usually takes his sheep to Yuma, Ariz., about a month before Easter where they graze on alfalfa. This fattens them up and gets them ready for the market right in time for the holiday feasts. When you consider the chain of jobs associated with sheep — from herder to butcher to packers and finally restaurant chefs — the sheep industry creates quite a few jobs in Colorado and elsewhere. But the best thing about Sheep Day is getting a taste of barbecued lamb provided by the ranchers. The take home message? “Eat more lamb, it’s delicious!” (Anne Janik works in public affairs for the U.S. Forest Service’s Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest office.) (above) Pictured here (l-r) are: ranchers J. Paul Brown, Earnie Etchart, Forest Service range specialist Edna Mason, and ranchers Dominic Inda and Eddie Hausen. (right) This sheep was on hand for visitors to greet during last month’s 15th annual Sheep Day gathering near Engineer Pass, west of Lake City. Courtesy photos This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. 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Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:58:55 +0000
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