Welcome to Mountain State Lamb

Mountain States Harvests 1,500,000 Lambs

By year end, Mountain States Lamb Cooperative will have harvested 1,500,000 lambs since the Co-op was formed. This is a milestone for our dedicated member producers, the Co-op, Mountain States Rosen and the lamb industry.

In six years, the Co-op has marketed over $200 million in carcasses and more than $12 million in pelts for its producers. Every producer has been paid on time and in full for their lambs.

MSLC pays on a quality marketing grid and through the years we have seen producers and the feedlots become very proficient in sending lambs that “hit the grid”. The natural program has also grown significantly since the Co-op’s inception. Annually, the producers typically earn more than $1,000,000 in total natural and grid premiums.

The recent purchase of the remaining second half of Mountain States Rosen has sparked more interest in the Co-op. We are getting requests for information from producers across the country, many of whom have followed Mountain States Lamb Cooperative’s growth for a number of years. Currently, there are still delivery shares available for purchase from Co-op members, although the Co-op itself does not have shares available.

With the purchase of Mountain States Rosen, the Co-op plans to expand its numbers and ultimately hopes to deliver about 400,000 lambs a year to its meat company. The growth of the Mountain States Case Ready and Natural programs makes the Co-op’s consistent supply of superior quality lambs, , more critical than ever.

Oxarango and Nuckolls Top Grid

Oxarango Lamb and Wool, Soda Springs, ID topped the October grid with a load of natural lambs fed at Double J. The load was 98% yield grade 2’s and 3’s and earned an average premium of $7.73 on the marketing grid, in addition to another $5.03 in natural premiums for a total premium average of $12.76 per head, The average lamb marketed through the Co-op in October earned $5.22 in grid premiums. The average pelt returned $9.05.

Nuckolls Ranches, Inc. out of Hulett, Wyoming, sent the top load of November lambs. With 99% of the load being yield grade 2’s and 3’s the lambs earned $7.24 in grid premiums. The lambs were fed at Mountain View. The average Co-op lamb earned $4.07 in grid premiums during November and the average pelt brought $8.26.
Colorado Check-off

Bonnie Kline would like to remind you to get your December requests for Colorado Check-off refunds in as soon as possible. She will need to have those by the deadline in order to issue a refund.

ASI

For those of you attending this years ASI Convention., you are invited to stop by Frank Moore’s room for drinks and snacks prior to the ASI function on Friday evening.

Documentation

Before you send lambs in 2009, please make sure you have the following documentation:

If you are sending natural lambs you will need a 2009 Natural Producer Affidavit. This needs to be presented to your feedlot when lambs are delivered. If you feed your own lambs this must be faxed to the office and presented to Swift when lambs are delivered to slaughter.

Also, remember if you buy natural feeder lambs from other producers you must have them complete a producer affidavit also. Remember, anyone who has had custody of the lambs, whether it is a producer, feeder, feedlot or trucker, must complete an affidavit verifying that these lambs were kept natural while they were in their custody. We believe the quality of our natural program is unequalled. Please do your part to help us keep it that way.

All producers need to complete a Country of Origin Affidavit. These only need to be completed once, so if you submitted the affidavit during 2008 we have it on file and you are covered. You do have the responsibility of notifying us of any lambs not born and raised in the USA.

Each producer must submit a quality affidavit on a yearly basis. This covers chemical residue and animal protein feed material concerns. Again, if you filled this out this fall you are covered for one year.

Please call the office if you need any of the three documents and we will mail or fax them to you.

Also, if any of your payment information has changed for 2009 please contact us. This would include address, lienholders, or mailing preferences.

Again, anytime you have a question or a concern do not hesitate to give us a call. This is your organization and we work hard to exceed your expectations.

Horizon

As 2008 comes to a close we look toward 2009 with great anticipation. There are no doubt risks and challenges ahead, but there are also significant opportunities.

Thank you for your loyal support of Mountain States Lamb Cooperative through 2008. Our family of producers is a fantastic group to work with.

The Staff and Board of Mountain States Lamb Cooperative wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009!