Ag Data Commons
Browse
.CSV
MSU_Ewe_DataDictionary.csv (1.36 kB)
.CSV
MSU_Lamb_DataDictionary.csv (2.21 kB)
.CSV
MSU_EWES_1960-2012.csv (3 MB)
.CSV
MSU_LAMBS_1960-2012.csv (4.85 MB)
1/0
4 files

Ewe and lamb body condition, breeding and production data from the Montana Agricultural Experiment station, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT from 1960 - 2012

dataset
posted on 2023-12-19, 15:12 authored by Christian Posbergh, Brent Roeder, Thomas Murphy, Whit Stewart, Rodney Kott, Patrick Hatfield, Verl Thomas, James Drummond

Red Bluff Research Ranch is a 13,750-acre ranch is part of the Montana Agricultural Experiment station, and associated with Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. The ranch occupies most of the once thriving late 19th- to early 20th-century gold mining community in the Hot Springs Mining District, which was second only in gold production to Alder Gulch. The ranch nearly surrounds the town of Norris. Historically about 900 head of sheep were maintained year-round at the research ranch. The livestock, as well as the rangeland, are used for both teaching and research. Sheep nutrition studies included nutrition levels, management practices and sheep behavior. Animal scientists look at breeding as a major way to improve livestock production. Hybridization was studied in sheep to help predict staple length, open faces, smoothness and body conformation related to better and more meat. These data include ewe and lamb body condition, breeding and production data from 1960-2012.

Supported/funded by Montana State University College of Agriculture, Montana Agricultural Research Service, Montana Wool Lab., and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.


Resources in this dataset:

  • Resource Title: MSU_EWES_1960-2012.

    File Name: MSU_EWES_1960-2012.csv


  • Resource Title: MSU_LAMBS_1960-2012.

    File Name: MSU_LAMBS_1960-2012.csv


  • Resource Title: Data dictionary for Montana State University ewe data 1960-2012.

    File Name: MSU_Ewe_DataDictionary.csv


  • Resource Title: Data dictionary for Montana State University lamb data 1960-2012.

    File Name: MSU_Lamb_DataDictionary.csv

Funding

USDA-ARS

Montana State University

Montana Agricultural Experiment Station

History

Data contact name

Posbergh, Christian

Publisher

Ag Data Commons

Intended use

This dataset could be used for analyzing long term lamb and wool production trends in the intermountain west setting, potentially associated with other historical data such as lamb prices, wool prices, and climate data.

Use limitations

None known

Temporal Extent Start Date

1960-01-01

Temporal Extent End Date

2012-12-31

Theme

  • Not specified

Geographic Coverage

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-111.65843778879,45.550475417443]},"type":"Feature","properties":{}}]}

Geographic location - description

Between 1955 and 1958, the Towne, Girvin and Boldt properties, located just west of the Montana State University campus, were purchased for use in livestock experiments and teaching. In 1956, 13,000 acres were acquired at Red Bluff, a ranch 30 miles west of Bozeman. The Red Bluff Range Research facility was used for range nutrition and breeding studies with cattle and sheep in cooperative studies with U.S.D.A. and the Animal Husbandry Department and for teaching opportunities.

ISO Topic Category

  • environment
  • farming

Ag Data Commons Group

  • Long-Term Livestock Production

National Agricultural Library Thesaurus terms

ewes; body condition; agricultural experiment stations; Montana; nutrition; livestock production; hybridization; staple (fibers); body conformation; meat; grazing; cattle; animal husbandry; data collection; wool production; Intermountain West region; prices; wool

OMB Bureau Code

  • 005:18 - Agricultural Research Service

OMB Program Code

  • 005:040 - National Research

Pending citation

  • No

Public Access Level

  • Public

Preferred dataset citation

Posbergh, Christian; Roeder, Brent; Murphy, Thomas; Stewart, Whit; Kott, Rodney; Hatfield, Patrick; Thomas, Verl; Drummond, James (2023). Ewe and lamb body condition, breeding and production data from the Montana Agricultural Experiment station, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT from 1960 - 2012. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/1528462