Story Created: Jan 18, 2008
Story Updated: Jan 18, 2008
Because with limited lamb in the show-me state, about a decade ago, Hopkins decided to fill the niche, which has turned out to be pretty profitable.
"You can graze about six sheep for one cow and a lot will have twins or triplets, so instead of just one calf per cow, we'll get 1.5-1.6 lambs per ewe per year,” Hopkins explains.
Another reason the business is lucrative is Hopkins’ animals are a hybrid meat-producing breed called Katahdin.
You can forget about the sheers because these sheep shed their own coats.
"There's just no handling to them. We don't do any vaccinations, any parasite control,” Hopkins says.
While sheep are susceptible to disease, Rick raises one of the only chemical-free flocks in the country.
He's a firm-believer in survival of the fittest, “they will develop a natural immunity if given an opportunity."
The ones that live breed more resilient offspring, sustained simply by hay and grass.
The only addition to Rick's flock's diet is kelp, a supplement he imports from Iceland.
He says sheep are the perfect supplement to any family farm, and the perfect replacement for more popular mealtime meats.
The wool from this particular breed isn't sold for profit, but Rick does sell the meat, both out of his farm in Marionville and at the Springfield farmer's market.
If you would like to learn more about sheep, check out Rick’s website at www.americanpasturage.com.