University of Wisconsin, Madison to close dairy sheep program

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison plans to close its dairy sheep research program housed at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station later this year. Research on the flock will continue through this milking season, before the sheep are dispersed in the fall.

Ongoing reductions in state support have made it impossible for the college to continue to cover the broad range of agricultural sectors in Wisconsin, says Richard Straub, CALS senior associate dean. With pending retirements and reduced resources, the Department of Animal Sciences will no longer be able to support faculty members specializing in all aspects of all species. The college will continue to support the research sheep flock-studied for wool and meat production-housed at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station.

–American Sheep Industry