We caught up with the breeder of the Reserve Grand Champion Commercial Ewe at the 2022 North American International Livestock Exposition. We invite you to read our candid interview with Hobbs Show Lambs below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “Breeder Spotlight.”
Tell us about the breeding/genetics/pedigree of your champion:
“Louise” Saban x Crinkle – Congratulations to Olivia Sandy & Family! Special win for a great family!! This Crinkle donor we purchased from Nathan Club Lambs privately has a history of making champions! The popular blue reserve heavy division at Colorado for Mauck’s is a flushmate, the reserve natural at California Youth Expo two years ago was dammed by her as well as the McPhaul family had a popular 2nd place and sale qualifier at the State Fair of Texas.
If you could add anything to your operation, what would it be?
A second farm with a house for our interns! We went from a life with no kids to a life with kids!
Over the last several years the use of Fresh and Frozen Semen AI, as well as flushing has evolved. How does your flock utilize AI/Flushing and if so, how has it affected your flock?
We just built an AI & ET center on our place….we are head first into this on how it has changed our operation, our breeding decisions and how we look at future decisions to be made! We flush 5 times a years, ship fresh semen weekly during breeding season and host multiple AI days for many other breeders as well as ourselves! We have been at this for 13 years now…..in our fall lambs we have 6 generations out of our original donors!
Do you have a job besides raising sheep, if so what?
Megan is the Vice President, Group R&D Leader for Cargill Aqua Nutrition. I’m the full time shepherd!
Do you have a set time you like to have chores done by?
By 8am and 5:30pm…..
Do you have a routine while choring, if so what is it?
The JOE TOOTH….insert my cell phone in my hat or stocking hat and the JOE TOOTH is ready to go!! It’s such a trend all the student workers and interns follow lead.
What do you think has impacted the sheep industry the most within the past 10 years?
Elite Stud bucks and donors are “easier” to find on the internet than if you just got in your truck to go find em
You have a week to go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Rome – history for Joe, wine for Megan!
