Letter to Bob Wagner, President of the USSA

I thought I would put my two cents in on slick sheared, production, fitted and wether sire classes at Sedalia. We should be trying to get closer at having one kind of Suffolk. I have been breeding Suffolk's since 1950. That maybe makes me old to a lot but I have seen a lot in all those years. If I reflect on the 1950 through the early 1970 there was one Suffolk type. Ewes were weighing 250 pounds and a lot of ewes that weighted 300 pounds or more. They were functional Suffolk's with bone, body capacity, lived till they were eight to twelve years and milked. We had more Suffolk's during that time period than at any time in the history of the Suffolk's. We had more exhibitors young and old at fairs. We sold more sheep to young kids wanting to have one of the most beautiful sheep there was, a Suffolk. Suffolk's were number one even then. We had large Suffolk shows. In California the state fair had more sheep entered than all the other breeds together. Same with the Cow Palace. That was before we had fall born and four spring lamb classes. I can remember at the Cow Palace I was showing in a class of around eighty to a hundred yearling rams. At Louisville the now split show ring was one ring. There was more breeders that lined the out side of the ring and the stands were full of breeders. Now this year there were a handful of breeders in the stands and at anytime you wanted to stand around the ring you could pick your place! Maybe you were not in the business yet but in the mid 70's I started consigning to Sedalia. The yearling ram class had the whole ring, there were no stands in the middle and the ring was full of rams. I mean the whole ring. There were lines and lines and lines of Suffolk rams. It took from eight am till around mid night to finish all the classes. Breeders hung in there to watch the whole show. Then to top that off I can remember showing Hamps after the Suffolk show that night.

We sold terminal sires to range men and the "WORST THING WAS THE RAMS LIVED SO LONG THAT THE RANGE MAN DID NOT REPLACE TILL THE RAM WAS FIVE OR MORE YEARS OLD". Now the range man will say "WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE LONG LIVING RAMS, WE HAVE TO REPLACE EVERY YEAR WITH NEW RAMS DO TO RAMS NOT LIVING MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS AT THE MOST"!

In the mid 70's came the tall, stylish high profile Suffolk. I will admit they were different and beautiful than our old fashion Suffolk's that had not changed in more years than I can say. With that stylish high profile Suffolk away went the bone, body capacity and live ability and in came the hard doing light milking ewes. We ended having spiders and those spiders that lived were class winners. I could go on but I want to say there is the functional Suffolk that a lot of breeders still breed today that are not the high profile show Suffolk's. There is a place for all Suffolk's but we need to take a good look at why we have lost the numbers and membership. Could it be that the little guy wants a Suffolk he loves to raise but knows he does not have the show type or the money to have one fitted. There is a place for those breeders and if it is in the production class or the slick sheared so be it. But I think that we should combine those two classes together and simplify things. As far as the production class they don't have to be members of the NSIP to be in the production class.

The first year of having anything new is hard to have a great show and sale. If anything there was interest in what was going on in the production classes. The worst thing was we had a judge that did not know or care about the numbers that were on a sheet in front of him. He was more interested in his phone calls and getting out of Dodge. Of course even my self, I brought middle of the road ewe lambs and they sold well. The production show and sale brought breeders who wanted to sell and buy sheep that they could look at slick sheared. Yes the production numbers were hard for a lot of breeders to understand. But this coming year will be easier with more information on how to read the information given to them.

We have lost a lot of numbers to other breeds that slick shear. You may think I am totally for slick sheared which I am not. I think we should be able to show our Suffolk's any way we want. GOD knows we have enough rules and regulations now. Why we have lost a lot of Suffolk breeders and new members, be it young kids or older breeders. First kids don't want to learn or don't have time to fit a Suffolk, their for going to a different breed that they can slick, wash and show. Easy, fast and hit a couple of shows that they are only there a day or two. They can still have time to be in sports or do other activities.

The non shower or older person needs a place that they can fit into. They do not have the money to have someone fit and show. They are raising the type of sheep that they can slick off and take to a show or sale and be able to compete slicked. These breeders can compare their sheep to others that are slicked with out having the wool pulled over their eyes. They can compare production numbers with other breeders numbers. Making it easy for them to see either visually or do their home work on production and what they need to do to improve their sheep.

I AM TOTAL FOR COMBINING THE SUFFOLK SLICK SHEARED WITH THE PRODUCTION CLASSES. MOST SLICK SHEARED SHEEP THAT LOOK GOOD SHOULD HAVE NUMBERS ANYWAY! It would make big and better classes, simplify the sales order and bring more consignors and buyers.

-Lost River Livestock Donna Mays

Dear Suffolk News,

I would like to express my admiration and appreciation for the efforts put forth by Mr. Bob Kimm during his time serving on the USSA board of directors. Not to take away from the time and sacrifices made of the other board members, but I am a very small breeder that is producing a moderately framed Suffolk. That is what I will continue to do. I find it refreshing and inspiring to see someone willing to be a voice for what is mostly a silent segment of the industry.

It has been my personal experience in other aspects of life that when you try to do what you feel is the right thing, for the right reasons, that is when you are met with the harshest opposition and criticism. I’m sure that this situation was no different.

We have so far only exhibited at the county fair level. Most individuals that have bought rams from us don’t care about papers, so I sometimes question why I register them. I have no axe to grind, nor do I stand to benefit from flattering anyone. I just decided to not be quite as “silent” today.
A very dear old friend of mine reminded me of something not long ago that I needed to hear. “Success lies not in what you achieve, but in what you overcome.”

Periodically, I have to do a reality check when making breeding decisions, and ask myself the question, what traits do I need to be adding to my genetics that will have a positive impact, from a performance standpoint. This may not always equate to a purple ribbon, but certainly makes life better in the lambing barn and the feedlot.

At the end of the day, we all choose to raise the type of sheep that work the best for us, whether it be Frame fitted, performance, or wether type. That’s the way it should be.

Sincerely,
Tracy Deemer
Lacona , Iowa

THERE IS NOTHING PRETTIER THAN A FITTED SUFFOLK SHEEP!  I have heard that statement made by countless people through the years.  It's true that for many people, the statuesque beauty, the aesthetic contrast of black points and white fleece, the elegant carriage of the head and ear loyally drew them to the breeding and showing of the Suffolk breed.  And what a canvas for a sculptor is an impeccably clean, white, fully carded Suffolk up on a trimming stand.  Why even cattlemen pay significant amounts of money for show cattle, with hair enough, to be able to fashion the ideal steer or show heifer.  What they wouldn't give for hair, something like a carded fleece upon which to work their magic.  With skillful precision, I can take my shears along the sheep's back and make a top line straighter and flatter than a drive across Illinois.  From there, with an eye toward perfection in conformation, I can sculpt a nearly perfect Suffolk.  I can make the animal appear thicker than it is by carefully and sparsely trimming the wool from it's sides.  I can correct any flaws in the shoulder area by taking that wool off the point of the shoulder and shaping it to lay flatter against the rib cage.  In the likely event that the tail and dock set is less than level, I can create a whole new rump and hip structure on my sheep.  I can give more fullness to the leg by taking off some wool above the hock and blending it into the leg wool above.  The finished product can certainly be appreciated for the attention-getting art that it is.  And I can spend hours and hours and days upon weeks on these sheep getting them to this point.  Sure it's fun and addictive, not to mention the satisfaction that I get from realizing what a beautiful creation I have made.  Doesn't it just make you want to trim out more of them and take them to the shows and show everyone what a great job of trimming you can do (or have someone do for you).  And then ultimately, as the ribbons and trophies flow in, you can be really proud of yourself and your accomplishments as a sheep breeder.

 

Now it occurs to me that I just said sheep breeder, a breeder of sheep.  Through time there have been numerous folks whose vision of a Suffolk sheep has been that of a beautiful, thick, meaty, sound, sturdy, functional beast.  People who were revered as men and women of foresight and thought of by their peers as Master Breeders.  Through an understanding of what the animal was designed to do, they have taken a path to forge an animal that would meet it's potential.  With an understanding of the principles of genetics, these people developed the breed in it's infancy and steered it's progress beyond into the future.  In their minds, the form followed the function and the shows were a venue to exhibit these improved animals.  The improvements were in the genetic abilities of these animals to breed true to the type that they were patterned after.  Breeding stock was acquired by others with similar goals in mind, but with the standard goal in mind of breed improvement.  Isn't it this goal of breed improvement, the meeting of the potential that the animals possess as a group, which sustains their popularity and assures their future in an industry?

 

So, I go back to my pretty Suffolk standing on that trimming stand and contemplate what I have just done.  I have to ask myself, does the sheep that I am looking at really represent itself honestly as a breeding piece in my or anyone else's breeding program?  If I slick shear this animal how will it look in comparison to it's fitted form?  No, it won't change the head or the alignment of the feet and legs.  However, that perfect rump, topline and shoulder placement are now unrecognizable.  Depending upon the skill of the work in fitting, how far from reality have I misrepresented my sheep?  Do I really need to so radically alter and misrepresent my animals in order to sell them to someone else?  If my skill in trimming is only to "slightly change" (enhance) the appearance of an animal does that still honestly describe my animal's ability as a breed improver?  If I am selling breeding sheep, I have to assume that another breeder wants to buy my sheep to make an improvement of some kind in their flock.  Will they be disappointed in the outcome if I have misrepresented my sheep, will they value my integrity as a breeder and buy from me again?  Do I value honesty at all?   Would I like for someone to do this to me in the reverse?  If I and others like me put on a show of highly fitted sheep and then pay someone to come in to judge these sheep for us, does it make sense to present these sheep to this judge, in class, in the most misrepresented form that I can possibly artfully create?  At the end of the show does the judge's placing mean anything if the sheep can't breed on something as elemental as their conformation and type?  Does it look foolish to anyone that we advertise our Suffolk sheep as the ultimate meat breed and yet sculpt our show animals out of wool, making sure we keep enough wool over their bodies so that we can't really see the muscle definition or development underneath?  Is it no wonder that few judges of Suffolk sheep shows comment on the muscle depth, thickness, definition, etc., in the sheep in class, since they can't really, clearly see it?  Live animal evaluation is challenging enough in trying to view the animal under it's own hide, let alone a layer of wool, that varies in depth, depending on the conformational flaw lying beneath it.  Does it not appear that we have done just about all that we can do to keep the judge from seeing this important part of a Suffolk sheep, it's musculature and conformation?

 

Now I am not a rocket scientist and this is not rocket science, but how does a breed of sheep move forward genetically and position itself for the future in a competitive market by putting roadblocks in it's path?  If the foundation of a breed is it's underlying unique purpose to exist, then shouldn't all breeders be on the same page?  We are talking about a meat breed of sheep in a meat industry not a fancy poultry or a dog show.  Do you get many requests for pet lambs?  Suffolk sheep offer a unique set of very useful, quantifiable and measurable traits, very much needed in a changing and growing sheep industry.  The declining numbers of registrations tell us that the ship may be sinking.  If as breeders of Suffolk sheep we can seize the opportunity to meet the new realities of the market we have a bright future.  Why are we not capitalizing on our early lean growth superiority, carcass merit or maternal traits such as the high milk flow of our ewes?  Suffolk sheep have tremendous genetic merit and a potentially large genetic base from which to improve and excel.  As a group we don't measure it or use it to our advantage!   Shouldn't we  be setting the pace and standards for other meat breeds in the sheep industry not watching it pass us by.  Do we really need the fluff of a falsely represented show sheep to skip ignorantly into the future of sheep production in this nation?

 

While we all have our own markets to sell to with demands that may differ slightly from each other shouldn't there be some common and fundamental goals shared by all Suffolk breeders?  While some see fitted versus slick shearing issues as mandates, maybe we should view these as wake up calls that may ultimately become mandates as we are phased out of an industry that very well may take itself more seriously than we do.  If we are being honest with ourselves, can't we see the beauty of an honest Suffolk without fitting that is level rumped, straight lined and laid in correctly that shows the stoutness of its constitution and muscling on it's own?  Can't we get excited about this Suffolk's ability to pass these improved genetics on to it's offspring through future generations of sheep?  Will we look back and be glad that we made the needed changes that it took to keep our beloved breed in the lead and positioned for the future?  I think that the honest, slick shorn sheep is looking prettier all the time.

-Bill Zwyers, IN

Our dear and long time friends Bob and Shirley Chapman convinced my wife Thelma and I to take off in the middle of corn and soy bean planting, to attend Bob Kimm’s production sale. Shirley, like my wife, had all things planned from the motel, to where to eat and how to get to Bob’s farm. I couldn’t help but think how lucky Bob and I were, or maybe how brilliant we were to pick such special ladies to look after us and with which to share our lives.

I have been in the purebred livestock business all my life, but never have I attended such an outstanding event or been more impressed. I just felt good being a Suffolk breeder that day. Nobody tells me what I should write about in our Suffolk news, and I’m like an old man on an isolated island. This case was different. The first person I saw at Kimm’s sale was our Suffolk Association president, Bill MacCauley. His remark about the sale was that, “If the great sheep and huge crowd didn’t impress me, nothing will.” He felt I should write about it… so of course I will.

Many things amazed me at Bob Kimm’s 17th annual production sale. I’m not sure it was the huge crowd from 23 different states, or the barn full of “middle of the road” Suffolk sheep that looked like peas in a pod. He had 72 or 73 rams that were going to sell in the sale, then probably 50 more rams in a different barn that you could buy for 250 dollars. You can be sure that many breeders were picking these rams out, especially the commercial breeders. Bob is by far our largest Suffolk purebred breeder. He’s registering 271 sheep, so of course he has many sheep to pick from. He probably sold 40-50 ewe lambs plus maybe 20 yearling ewes. Never have I seen such an intense crowd, trying to pick out the sheep that they were going to buy. Bob had so many data records on his flock. Breeders were doing a lot of reading plus judging the sheep. Many or most of them were repeat buyers so of course they were checking the pedigrees very closely. The sheep all looking alike did not help. One thing that impressed me was the nice heads and big feet with plenty of bone. These rams were not standing on their toes, they actually had pasterns to help them get out and do a lot of walking.

The sale amazed me the most. Talk about a low key approach to a sale- this was it. All sheep had been sheared by a professional shearer probably two weeks before the sale. These sheep had not been put on a trimming stand like the wether sheep are. They had enough wool so that the flies would not bother them. None of them had been washed, yet they were very clean. The sheep had been fed that morning and they were not sucked up like some other show sheep. The auctioneer looked like he had just gotten off a tractor.

Mr. Kimm is a very intelligent man. The teacher and former college judging coach gave a very short talk. He thanked the crowd for coming to his sale, having faith in his genetics and told them he would stand behind every sheep sold. He then said society had not accepted him, meaning the show sheep people wanted nothing do with “middle of the road” sheep. In short, that was his speech. This articulate man hardly said another word during the sale. The 72 or 73 rams sold in an hour or just as fast as they could get them in and out of the ring. The remarkable thing was that only 3 rams sold over $2,000 and none over $3,000. Most of the other rams sold between a $1,000 and $1,500. The 70 or 80 ewe lambs and yearling ewes sold even faster. It was a truly remarkable sale, and a special day for the Suffolk sheep business.

-By George K. Buckham, Sr
Excerpt from Story Telling Time
August/September 2005
Suffolk News