Suffolk
and Data Coordinator
Alan Culham
5108 E Howell Road
Weberville, MI 48892
Phone: 541/521-4870
Benefiting the Entire Sheep Industry
Suffolks are a large breed with a distinctive all-black head and legs that are free of wool. They are an efficient converter of grass, forbs, and forage into quality meat and fiber. Suffolk lambs grow faster than any other breed and yield heavy, high cutability carcasses of the type demanded by today’s health conscience consumers. Therefore, efficiency is indicated by length and dimension of the body. This is the type of body that is robust, complimenting healthy longevity, efficient feed conversion under various conditions, ease of care, and ease of lambing.
In the United States, they are by far the most popular pure breed of sheep, accounting for more than fifty percent of purebred sheep registrations.
The United Suffolk Sheep Association, with outstanding service, economy and efficiency, encourages and supports Suffolk breeders of all ages in their efforts to produce, positively identify and record, and promote Suffolk sheep that are of benefit to the breed and the entire sheep industry. In the United States, they are by far the most popular pure breed of sheep, accounting for more than fifty percent of purebred sheep registrations.
History
The Suffolk breed, an original English breed, was the result of crossing Southdown rams on Norfolk Horned ewes. The product of this cross was determined to be a great improvement over either one of the parents. Although the Suffolk was a recognized breed as early as 1810, the flock book was not closed until much later. Today’s Suffolk derives its meatiness and quality wool from the old original British Southdown.
The first Suffolks were brought to this country in 1888 by Mr. G.B. Streeter of Chazy, New York. During a visit to England the previous year, Mr. Streeter had been greatly impressed by Suffolk sheep. These prize breeding animals had belonged to Joseph Smith of Hasketon, and one 21 month old ewe weighed exactly 200 pounds when she came off the ship. A 9 month old ram weighed 195 pounds and in the spring of 1890, a 7 week old twin weighed 85 pounds. That spring Streeter had a 200% lamb crop.
The Suffolk did not make its appearance in the western states until 1919. Three ewes and two rams had been donated by the English Suffolk Sheep Society to the University of Idaho. Since that time, the University of Idaho has played a great part in developing and advancing the Suffolk in the western states.