have utilized the USSA’s percentage program to produce ewes like the one pictured. She is a 25% Suffolk pictured as a two year old (2021) and weighed between 200 – 225 lbs. She lambed late, April 8, 2021, with twin ewe lambs by a full blood Suffolk ram. These 50% Suffolk daughters, because they were born late, will not produce
Our best percentage registered have went on to be part of my girl's show string for 4-H. They have been very successful and we have been happy with the direction we are headed. This past year we sold 3 100% registered Suffolk ewe lambs and we are very proud how they have represented the Suffolk breed in the show ring. I have not offered up any of my percentage genetics for sale because I wanted to retain them but have had plenty of inquiries and requests to purchase. I might not be so stingy in the next couple years! We invested a lot of time and money into our previous unregistered flock, and I was very picky that I try and keep the breed characteristics true to breed standard. I was unwilling to let these genetics go and when I realized that I could incorporate them into the registered flock and 'breed them up' to full registered status I was
this year it will definitely be next year! Good things come to those who wait, that I know for sure. Currently I have 2 fully registered rams, 3 100% registered ewe's, 2 75% registered ewes and 4 50% registered ewes and 8 unregistered ewes. I cull hard and believe in quality over quantity. I had a very heavy ram lamb crop year this year so will have no ewe lambs that I sell but I have 1 percentage ewe lamb that did make it to my girls' show string. This is important to me because we can still represent the breed at a state level. I really love the Suffolk breed and am passionate about representing them correctly. I intend on adding new genetics this year as well by purchasing a few ewes/ ewe lambs. I am open to registered or percentage registered genetics. - Carrie Hill, Hill Show Lambs, Kansas
their 75% Suffolk offspring until 2023. It is a step by step process to get where you want to be. If your approach to the percentage program is from the sire’s side, as mine is, make sure you know a detailed background on this less than full blood ram that your going to use. The ram should also have phenotypic Suffolk type and his ancestors should also exhibit Suffolk type. Lastly be patient and be selective. - Ron Alves, California We started utilizing the percentage program in 2020. We purchased 5 100% registered sheep that go back to Reggy and McLaughlin/Griffin genetics at the end of 2018 with a hope to start getting into registered Suffolk club lambs. I had been raising unregistered Suffolk club lambs since 2016. In April of 2020, we purchased our first registered Suffolk buck from Jeffrey Bollinger (Emily Bollinger) that went back to Russell Sheep Co. We met the Bollinger’s at the All-American Junior Sheep Show in Hutchinson, Kansas the previous year and really liked their sheep that were shown. We purchased our second registered buck in 2021 from Tom Slack. We have tried to sell a few of the fully registered ewe lambs and retain the percentage ewe lambs. My intent is to incorporate my previous unregistered Suffolk genetics and slowly 'breed up'.
interested. It may take a few years to accomplish what I want but I know that it is worth it to keep the qualities I want from my unregistered flock, all while incorporating new registered genetics. This year I might be getting close to bumping that green paper up to a white paper ---with 1 ewe lamb. I'm not too good at the math but I think we are close (Haha). If it's not
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