White Suffolk (sheep)
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White Suffolk is an Australian breed of meat sheep developed for Australian conditions. Work commenced on a breeding program in the mid 1970s with experimentation conducted by Professor E. Roberts (University of New South Wales). His aim was to produce a breed with the conformation, structure and growth of the Suffolk but with a white head, legs and body. Professor Roberts had observed that despite the Suffolk breed producing clearly the best lambs; it commanded only a small share of the Australian prime lamb market. The main reason for this reluctance was caused by the dark points and the reduced skin values. In the 1980's other breeders also took up the challenge to develop the breed with improved quality and numbers. It was then developed from breeding programs involving the Suffolk breed, initially, crossed with a white breed (mainly Poll Dorsets).
The White Suffolk is proving to be the ideal prime lamb terminal sire in wide-ranging areas and environments of Australia. It is giving outstanding results in the dry, arid, pastoral zones; all types of agricultural, mixed farming areas; and also in higher rainfall districts. White Suffolk sheep are noted for their high fertility and the lambs are ideal for the Elite lamb requirements at carcass weights of 20kg and heavier. The Australian White Suffolk Association was established in 1985 and aims to produce a breed that has all the Suffolk characteristics except the black points, while maintaining the superior growth rate and ability to produce carcases ideally suited to all sections in the meat industry. Artificial insemination is used by breeders to source superior genetics that are available to association members.
In 1992 U.S. genetics became available and have now been infused into a percentage of White Suffolk studs.
[edit] References
Handbook of Australian Livestock, Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation,1989, 3rd Edition
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/whitesuffolk/index.htm
