Sheep Update

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The 32nd Annual Virginia Performance Tested Ram Lamb Sale will be held at the Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station near Steeles Tavern, Virginia on Saturday, August 25 starting at 1:00 p.m. The rams recently completed a 63-day gain test. Forty five rams completed the test, including 26 Suffolk, 14 Dorset (fall and winter-born), and 5 Katahdin (fall and winter-born). Rams were fed a pelleted ration containing approximately 70% TDN and 14% CP, and had unlimited access to grass paddocks surrounding the station while on test. The ram test program provides a rigorous health management and vaccination program for all participating rams. Approximately 40 rams will be offered for sale. All rams sold will be evaluated for structural and reproductive soundness, and will be sold as guaranteed breeders. All rams have been genotype tested to be free of the spider gene, and codon 171 scrapie resistance genotypes will be published. Complete performance information will be available, including ultrasound measurements for carcass traits. The Virginia Sheep Evaluation Station is located at the Shenandoah Valley Agriculture Research and Extension Center, 0.5 mile east of I-81 at Exit 205 (just south of Staunton, VA). For sale information and a catalog, contact Scott Greiner, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, phone (540)231-9163 or email sgreiner@vt.edu.

Virginia Tech Sheep Center 8th Annual Production Sale to be Hosted September 2
The 8th Annual Virginia Tech Sheep Center Production Sale will be held Saturday, Setember 1, at 10 AM at the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena on the campus of Virginia Tech. Offered will be Suffolk and Dorset ram lambs, Suffolk ewe lambs, and bred Suffolk ewes. Complete performance data including NSIP EPDs and carcass ultrasound records are available. Proceeds from the sale will be used to support the sheep teaching, extension, and research missions of the Department of Animal & Poultry Sciences. Sale details and catalog are available on the web at http://www.apsc.vt.edu/centers/sheepcenter/index_sheep.htm For additional information contact Dr. Scott Greiner, phone 540-231-9159 or email sgreiner@vt.edu .