The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) is an

agricultural experiment station An agricultural experiment station (AES) or agricultural research station (ARS) is a scientific research center that investigates difficulties and potential improvements to food production and agribusiness. Experiment station scientists work with f ...

focusing on

domestic sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated ...

(''Ovis aries'') which is run by the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

's Agricultural Research Service. Its stated mission is "...to develop integrated methods for increasing production efficiency of sheep and to simultaneously improve the sustainability of

rangeland Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, sava ...

ecosystems".

Geography and facilities

The station is located roughly six miles north of

Dubois, Idaho Dubois (, ) is a city in Clark County, Idaho, United States. The population was 511 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Clark County. The city was named in 1892 for Fred Dubois (1851−1930), a prominent politician in Idaho's ...

, and its lands span both Idaho and

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

. Its headquarters are on of land owned by the Agricultural Research Service, including research facilities, animal facilities (such as

lambing Domestic sheep reproduce sexually much like other mammals, and their reproductive strategy is furthermore very similar to other domestic herd animals. A flock of sheep is generally mated by a single ram, which has either been chosen by a farmer ...

pens and dry lots), as well as residential facilities. The station is surrounded by the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, as well being within two hours of the

Grand Teton Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Grand Teton National Park, in Northwest Wyoming, and a classic destination in American mountaineering. Geography Grand Teton, at , is the highest point of the Teton Range, and the second highest peak in t ...

and

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowst ...

s. It also holds roughly within Montana's

Centennial Mountains The Centennial Mountains are the southernmost sub-range of the Bitterroot Range in the U.S. states of Idaho and Montana. The Centennial Mountains include the Western and Eastern Centennial Mountains. The range extends east from Monida Pass along ...

and near

Kilgore, Idaho Kilgore is an unincorporated community on Antelope Valley Road in Clark County, Idaho, United States. Kilgore is situated next to the East Camas Creek. It is the nearest community to Camas Meadows Battle Sites, a National Historic Landmark A ...

, both of which are used largely for seasonal grazing and rangeland research. The USSES spans several diverse

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

, including

subalpine Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or arti ...

, foothill,

sagebrush steppe Sagebrush steppe is a type of shrub-steppe, a plant community characterized by the presence of shrubs, and usually dominated by sagebrush, any of several species in the genus '' Artemisia''.desert shrubland Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (ancient Greek xērós, “dry") shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this h ...

. The station is the second largest employer in

Clark County, Idaho Clark County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Idaho; its county seat and largest city is Dubois. As of the 2020 Census, the county had a population of 790, making it the least populous county in the state. History Establishment of stage ...

Research

The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station conducts research in the areas of

ovine Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated ...

reproductive efficiency, genetic improvement (especially of

breeds A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slight ...

), nutrient intake and use, ovine growth and development, range/grazing management, and product quality (i.e. meat and

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...

). In addition to lambs and other attendant sheep, the station has a base flock of 3,000 mature sheep. Breeds developed at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station include: * The Columbia, a

dual-purpose breed Dual-purpose is a noun and adjective referring to things serving two purposes. It can specifically refer to: * Dual-use technology ** Dual-purpose gun, a naval artillery mounting designed to engage both surface and air targets ** Dual-Purpose Impr ...

and one of the first originating in the U.S. Early crosses were made in

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...

, but the originating flock was moved to the USSES in 1918. * The Polypay, developed in the 1960s. Known for its white wool and a high lambing rate. * The Targhee, a dual-purpose

breed, named after the adjacent national forest. One of the few areas of conflict when it comes to the station's research is its overlap with grizzly bear habitat. In 2010, the station made efforts to limit grazing in bear habitats, but by 2013 environmental groups sued, claiming that its research activities continue to threaten grizzlies in the greater

Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...

area.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Sheep farming in the United States Sheep Experiment Station Buildings and structures in Clark County, Idaho Sheep Experiment Station Animal research institutes Agricultural research institutes in the United States

Geography and facilities

Research

See also

References

External links