LINCOLN — All sheep and lamb inventory in Nebraska on Jan. 1, 2025, totaled 74,000 head, down 2,000 from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Breeding sheep inventory totaled 57,000 head, down 2,000 from last year. Ewes one year and older totaled 47,000 head, down 1,000 from the previous year. Rams one year and older totaled 3,000, unchanged from last year. Total replacement lambs totaled 7,000 head, down 1,000 from last year.
Market sheep and lambs totaled 17,000 head, unchanged from last year. The 2024 lamb crop totaled 62,000 head, down 2,000 from 2023. The 2024 lambing rate was 129 per 100 ewes one year and older, compared with 125 in 2023.
Sheep deaths totaled 3,000 head, unchanged from last year. Lamb deaths totaled 8,000 head, unchanged from last year. Sheep and lambs slaughtered on farm totaled 2,000 head, up 1,000 from last year.
Shorn wool production during 2024 was 250,000 pounds, up 5,000 from 2023. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 34,000 head, down 1,000 from 2023.
Weight per fleece was 7.4 pounds, up 0.4 from 2023. The average price paid for wool sold in 2024 was $0.70 per pound, compared with $0.75 in 2023. The total value of wool produced in Nebraska was 175,000 dollars in 2024.
All meat and other goats and kids inventory in Nebraska on January 1, 2025, totaled 30,000 head. Milk goats and kids inventory totaled 2,900 head, down 600 from last year.
