Sires & Breeding Ewes
1. Breeding Program
We’ll begin breeding around August 20, 2021. Will breed about 45-48 registered Suffolk Ewes and a few Suffolk/Hampshire cross-bred Ewes — that will begin lambing in late January, early February, 2022.
In 2021 4-H’ers will have a very good selection of 2021 4-H Market Lambs.
Suffolk Ram Breed Show – Kelly receiving the Champion ribbon for Vorac Ram Lamb 1538 RR/NN. 1538 won the late junior ram lamb class — then won the Champion Suffolk Breed Show. Ram 1538 is one of the stud rams that we used, 1538 was then sold.
Our Suffolk brood ewes genetics are heavily influenced by Tom Slack (Indiana), Bill MacCauley (Pennsylvania), Ellerbrock (Illinois), Russell Sheep Co. (Indiana), Bob Kimm (Iowa), and Miller (Texas) Hampshires.
95% to 98% of the 2021 lamb crop will be RR/NN lambs. We keep extensive breeding records and individual ewe lambing records.
We’ll also breed about 10-16 ewes each year for other shepherds, who have small flocks. If you want your ewes bred — you can choose from any of the rams we have — if there is room in the ram’s breeding group. Ewe Breeding Service information is on the “How to Purchase” tab.
We’ll be using these 4 Stud rams in 2021 as Sires for our 2022 lambs — and for the ewes we breed for other people.
1. 2014 MacCauley Ram 3052 RR — born in 2014 — son of MacCauley Suffolks Champion, Slick Sheared Suffolk Ram at the 2013 North American International Livestock Expo (NAILE) in Louisville, Kentucky. We purchased 3052 in August, 2014. This ram has produced many very nice lambs for us from 2015 to 2021. Click on MacCauley’s website: MacCauley Suffolks
2. 2019 Tom Slack Suffolk Ram 9155 RR/NN. In August, 2019 — a new registered Suffolk Ram from Tom Slack (Indiana) was added to our flock. 9155 has great loin, rear leg, level top, is RR/NN. Ram 9155’s sire is Slack “The Hammer”. We expect some great lambs in 2021. Interested, call to reserve a 2021 ewe lamb out of Slack 9155.
3. 2020 Russell Sheep Company Ram 00503 RR/NN. Top selling Ram at the Russell Sheep Farm’s 2020 on-line sale. Ram is long, level, deep bodied. At 151 days Ram weighed 165 lbs. Sire is a Bob Kimm Ram. The Russell Sheep Farm is north of Muncie, Indiana. Check out their website. www.russellsheepcompany.com
4. Ram to be selected. Possibly our Vorac Ram 2018 — had the best adjusted loin at the 2020 PA Ram Test.
2. Vorac Breeding Ewes for the 2021 lamb crop
All our breeding ewes are registered, a few are percentage ewes (crossbred Suffolk/Hampshire ewes), and are registered with Percentage Papers. Most of our breeding ewes have Codon tested as RR, very few are QR. We have no QQ sheep, they were eliminated 20 years ago in 2001.
3. Rams for Sale
. 2020 Ram Lambs. Have 2 very nice, fast growing, nice rear legs, and loin ram lambs.
. 2021 Ram Lambs will be available. Expecting some very good ram lambs out of our 4 rams.
4. 2021 Pennsylvania Ram & Buck Goat Performance Test & Sale — On-Line Sale is the first Saturday in August.
Ram Lamb Performance data is on the PA Livestock Evaluation Center website.
Ram Lambs and Buck Goats are on test for 77 days, evaluated for breeding soundness, weight gain, scrotal size, loin eyes ultra sounded, indexed — and then auctioned at the PA Ram & Meat Goat Buck Sale the first Saturday in August, 2021. Send an email to request information about the 2021 Performance Test and Sale. For more information, contact Greg Hubbard, 1-814-238-2527. Email Greg Hubbard at: [email protected]
For more information and to review the two-week reports and download the Sale Catalog — Click on website: www.agriculture.pa.gov/animals/livestock-evaluation-center.aspx
Click on “Livestock Evaluation Center” — then click on “Ram Testing Program” — for the bi-weekly reports.
Click on “Catalogs” — the past 2019 and 2020 Sale catalogs — listing the Buck Goat, Rams.