Saskatchewan's sheep industry is currently enjoying good times, says a producer and Vice-President of the Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders Association.
Trevor Bigoraj says there are a few reasons for why the sector is doing well.
The 2026 Grasslands Sheep Exhibition – presented by the Sheep Breeders Association in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board – was held July 17-19 from the Humboldt Uniplex in Humboldt.
The event generated a ton of interest, he said.
"There were somewhere in the neighbourhood of 120 to 130 producers, plus we had a trade show and then an auction on Sunday where we sold roughly about 150 head of purebred and commercial sheep and lamb." Bigoraj said.
"We see a lot of young families out there, and the walkthrough traffic was really good. It was probably one of our best years."
Demand for lamb has increased over the last few years, he said, aided by holidays throughout the year, such as Christmas or Ramadan, as well as people looking for alternatives to beef as beef prices remain high.
Bigoraj notes prices for lamb around the holidays will jump to around $4 per pound then decrease throughout the summer before rising again around November.
"We are really seeing some really good prices right now. Like in the 10 years that I've been in the industry, this is the best the pricing has ever been." he stated.
Another positive in the industry is the amount of young people getting involved.
"Every January at the AGMs for the Sheep Development Board and Sheep Breeders Association, that room is full of young people," he said, while also recalling several youth at the Sheep Exhibition.
"We had 53 juniors showing in the junior shows. It's so fantastic to see those kids out there in that show ring and to see them put all that work into those animals."
For anyone wanting to learn more about the sector, Bigoraj says the Sheep Breeders Association and Sheep Development Commission websites are a good place to start.
"If you look on any of those websites, they'll have a list of the directors. Each area of the province is broken up into a district, and their contact information is there. They're great people to reach out to."
The Sheep Breeders Association and Sheep Development Commission also have Facebook pages people can follow.
