Costs and Returns, Migratory-Sheep Ranches, Utah-Nevada, 1972

Net ranch incomes in 1972 on migratory-sheep ranches were about 10 percent below a year earlier, but nearly double the 1960-64 average. Lambs born per 100 ewes, lamb market weights, and wool clip per animal were record high. Lamb prices were the highest since 1951 and wool prices, though still low, were above a year earlier. Death loss of sheep in 1972 was about average but death loss of lambs was a record high, having trended upwards since 1967. The higher than normal loss of lambs reduced 1972 operator returns by about 12 percent. Operators of migratory-sheep ranches have relatively high fixed costs. These continued upward in 1972.