Wyoming sheep and lamb producers lost 36,000 animals to weather, predators, disease, and other causes during 2024, representing a total value of $8.25 million, according to a survey conducted by Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This study was undertaken at the request of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association who also provided funding.
The total number of sheep and lambs lost was 9,000 head less than last year and the total value of inventory lost was 18.2 percent less than a year ago. The January 1, 2024, inventory totaled 320,000 head. The lamb crop for 2024 was estimated at 215,000 head. Lambs lost before docking during 2024 equaled 14,000 head. Sheep and lamb deaths for 2024 amounted to 6.6 percent of the 2024 sheep and lamb supply (inventory plus lamb crop plus lambs lost before docking; 549,000 head).
The number of sheep and lambs lost to all predators totaled 22,400 head, up 1,100 head from last year. Lamb losses by all predators amounted to 18,400 head, down 6.6 percent from last year. The number of sheep lost to all predators totaled 4,000 head, up 2,400 head from a year ago. Predators caused an estimated $5.1 million in losses in 2024, up 8.3 percent from the previous year. Losses due to predators amounted to 4.1 percent of the 2024 sheep and lamb supply and 62.2 percent of all sheep and lamb deaths.
Coyotes remained the largest predator for both sheep and lambs, accounting for 65.6 percent of the predator caused losses and 40.8 percent of all death losses in the state. The value of losses attributed to coyotes was $3.35 million. The second leading predator of sheep in Wyoming was eagles, followed by bears, ravens, mountain lions, and foxes. 2024 marked the largest loss of sheep and lambs to predators in Wyoming since 2009.
The total value of non-predatory losses was $3.15 million in 2024, compared with $5.37 million in 2023. Non-predatory losses accounted for 37.8 percent of all losses. The largest known non-predatory cause of losses was due to weather conditions, at 4,200 head. Sheep lost to non-predatory factors totaled 13,600 head, down 42.6 percent from 2023. Non-predatory lamb losses came in at 7,600 head, 5,700 head less than a year ago. Lambs lost to all unknown causes totaled 2,500 head, compared with 1,900 head last year. Unknown causes claimed 1,000 sheep, compared with 400 head last year.
