Small Ruminant Development Research
Drs. Alejandro Relling and Anthony Parker are examining improving lamb performance through fetal programming. Fetal programing is a practice in which nutrition of the dam affects her offspring. Supplementation with different types of fatty acids at different stages of production can change growth rates, the composition of growth and can be used as a tool to improve farm profitability. Also this opens up a new line of nutrition research in which fatty acids may be used not only as an energy source, but also as possible regulators of animal physiology.
Wooster Sheep Research Center
Located three miles south of the Ohio State Wooster campus is 63 acres of pasture and houses a flock of 300 ewes. Dorset and Hampshire sheep are used in a crossbred flock for research projects that benefit sheep producers in Ohio and throughout the U.S.
Columbus Sheep Research Center
Located west on main campus is 56 acres of pasture and supports a flock of 65 ewes. Suffolk and Hampshire sheep are used for Extention and teaching purposes. Reseach in nutrition and reproduction is conducted by graduate students and their mentoring professors.