FLOCK NUMBER 2242
“STRIVING TOWARDS EXECELLENCE”
We rediscovered our liking for sheep after being given 2 Suffolk Ewes in Yarra Glen to eat down the midrows in the vineyard. The Suffolk sheep with their shiny black faces and legs have always appealed to us and they look great in the paddock. Then a few more nice Suffolk ewes and we started to realise what a trusting, friendly breed Suffolks were. We now have 22 breeding ewes.
Amazingly all our sheep survived the 2009 Victorian bushfires at Roundstone Winery. Also amazingly 2 pet sheep survived on our neighbour’s property where the owners had perished, so we took them into our flock.
We transported all up to Fox Hill when we moved here, hence there are a few cross breed pets here as well that we are very sentimental about.
After studying bloodline, a ram from the famous “Allendale Stud” in South Australia was chosen to improve flock quality with much success. All ewe lambs have been retained.
Several of the purebred rams have been sold locally as breeding rams. We prefer to sell the boys as breeding stock rather than send them to market; however when the wethers have been sold through the local market, they have achieved very good prices.
Recently a studbook ram called “Percy” from the “Depeller Stud” bloodline in Victoria was acquired to cross with the Allendale ram’s daughters. We look forward to those lambs arriving in September this year.
Fox Hill Stud, having started from very modest beginnings is now a reality.
Why we chose Suffolks
- Suitable for higher rainfall areas. Not as susceptible to foot rot and cold. Traits like sound structure, hardiness and longevity.
- Ewes are very good mothers compared to other breeds with good lamb survival resulting high weaning persentages.
- Placid and friendly natured. Easy to manage.
- High meat yield and good prices for wethers
- Have multiple births and ease of lambing due to body shape
- Suffolk rams add quality and excellent growth rate to any flock.
- The only registered Suffolk Stud in the Southern Highlands
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