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Even though I spent my career in beef cattle production, sheep have been a part of life ever since I can remember as Dad always had some ewes around the farm in Missouri where I grew up. While in high school and a few years in college I had a small flock of registered Corridale ewes and showed them at the local fairs. My first job was in Lexington, Nebraska where I served as an Extension agent with the University of NE in Dawson County. While living there we had a small acreage and had a few Suffolk and Romney ewes and had a Hampshire and Dorset ram. From here I worked in Colombia, South America where I served as an Extension Specialist and headed up the National sheep program for one year.

I was without sheep for several years until our two daughters started showing market lambs. We purchased lambs from the Otto Uhrig family and our daughters started showing market lambs. Our daughter, Cynthia was fortunate to have the Champion lamb at the Scotts Bluff County Fair and a few years later Angela had the Reserve Champion lamb that went on to win the Champion at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City. The daughters learned that if they had ewe lambs or heifers they may avoid some heartache at the sale and could bring them home. So we again started a small ewe flock of Suffolks.

In the more recent years I have increased the ewe flock to around 60 - 70 ewes where I have stressed performance and in the last couple of years purchased rams with more show ring appeal. My most recent purchase was a ram from Slack's Club Lambs in Indiana that went through the Midwest Stud Ram Sale in Sedalia, Missouri. We will see how he produces. I have also purchased rams from Cregos in Colorado and Drudiks in Grand Island that have done well. This year I have purchased a few ewes from Pam Haar in Douglas who partners with Mark Overman in Colorado and also I have a few ewes from Judy Hoffman of Kearney. It may appear I am a sheep trader but hopefully I am improving my genetics as far as club lambs are concerned. Even though I realize we must have some eye appeal in our lambs that the judge likes, I am very committed to producing sheep with performance both in gain and efficiency and also in carcass quality. I strive to produce lambs with lots of volume and muscling. As a result my lambs have consistently performed very well in rate of gain and ultrasound contests with many purple ribbons.

This is gratifying to see as this reflects true economics in the livestock industry and for someone that spent their career evaluating and advocating economical traits I feel it teaches our youth the most important aspects of livestock production. Unfortunately some parents in our youth program feel that winning the champion ribbon based only on live appraisal is the only important part of the 4-H program.

The majority of my sheep are used for commercial production. I lamb in February and finish all lambs on a corn-alfalfa pelleted ration on self-feeders to around 140 - 150 pounds. They are sold directly to JBS in Greeley on a grade and yield basis.

I also enjoy training Border Collie dogs partly because of the pleasure of watching them think and work but also as I get older I need all the help I can get to get the work done. I also enjoy riding good Quarter horses while working with my cowherd. I raise my own irrigated alfalfa hay and a small amount of corn that I use to finish my lambs. I always enjoy talking livestock with you so feel free to call or stop by.