Here are some Polypay News and Sale items:
What's New!!
Here are some Polypay News and Sale
items:
6/19/07 Center of the Nation Sheep Seminars, Sale
set for August 4 in Spencer
“We expect more than
100 top-quality stud rams and breeding ewe consignments from Suffolk, Polypay, Hampshire,
Targhee, Dorset, and Columbia breeders from eight states,” said sale committee member
Deb Park of Woodbine, Iowa. “Interest in this year’s event is at an all-time
high and we’re pleased with the positive feedback from last year’s attendees.”
“The sale includes
outstanding yearling rams, yearling ewes, ram lambs and ewe lambs bred to add value to
commercial and purebred sheep operations through genetic predictability. With the
exception of wool breeds, all entries will be slick-shorn, so buyers can easily see the
animal’s true confirmation, as well as have access to a variety of valuable genetic
evaluation records for traits of most value and importance,” said sale committee
member Kathy Krafka Harkema of Montezuma, Iowa.
The free educational
seminars are an important part of the national event focused on improving sheep flock
productivity and ultimately profitability, through the use of NSIP EPDs. A Friday, August
3 seminar designed for breeders using the NSIP will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the swine barn. Sheep breeders whose flocks are enrolled in NSIP,
or who are thinking about starting are welcome to attend. Dr. Larry Kuehn, of the U.S.
Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center, Nebr., and NSIP Ovine EPD data
coordinator Alan Culham, of Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Mich. will lead
discussion.
Dennis DeWitt, of Iowa State
University, will moderate the all-producer seminar starting at 10 a.m. Saturday August 4.
Dr. Kuehn will highlight how to select both maternal and terminal-cross rams using EPDs to
increase bottom-line profits. Dr. Suelee
Robb-Asterman will give producers guidelines on the care and handling on newly purchased
rams. “These presentations will be of
value to all commercial and purebred producers regardless of the size of their flock,”
said Dewitt. The Northwest Iowa Lamb
Producers will have a lamb lunch available following the seminar as attendees have a
chance to visit with consignors and preview sale consignments.
The Sale will begin promptly
at 1 p.m. “This year, with more sheep with even higher EPDs to choose from, we’ll
start on time to get buyers and their sheep purchases on the road to new homes as quickly
as possible,” said sale committee member Jerry Sorensen of Harlan. “I have had
an opportunity to review the EPDs on some of the maternal rams (Polypay and Targhee) and
was pleasantly surprised. A commercial flock wanting to raise their own replacements can
find some very valuable sheep in the sale.”
Kathy Krafka Harkema said
terminal-cross sheep consignments are also impressive. “With feed and fuel costs
skyrocketing, investing in sheep with excellent EPDs to accelerate you flock’s growth
is more important than ever to get more for your time and money. Buying sheep with EPDs
provides a powerful predictor of the value you can expect from each entry in this truly
unique sale featuring quality rams and ewes from the nation’s leading breeders for
use in all types of sheep operations.”
Al Conover of Baxter, Iowa,
will serve as the sale auctioneer and manager. To obtain a sale catalog, call Conover
Auction Service at 641-227-3537 or request by e-mail at conover@conoverauction.com.
For more information on the
seminars contact:
Dennis DeWitt 712-336-3488
Sale committee contacts:
Kathy Krafka Harkema
641-891-4381 truechamp@aol.com
Mike and Deb
Park
712-647-2492
Jerry Sorensen
712-755-7250
cnnsip@fmctc.com
4/29/07 Albert to Illinois
First of all, thank you to everyone who called or emailed to tell us our website was down. Server problem. During that time we agreed to sell WC516 to John and Colleen Carlson. We will retain a semen interest and have semen in the tank. John was looking for a ram. We discussed what could work for him. The discussion turned to WC516. He had the numbers John was looking for. I started analyzing our flock and really didn't have much I could use him on this year. I will use him in early June for Nov lambs, before taking him to Carlson's on the way to the National. John commented that WC516 was a heavy hitter just like Albert Pujols of the Cardinals. So now he is known as Albert. If you look at the current sire summary, Albert carries a great batting line with his first lambcrop. WW 2.3, PW 5.2, Milk 1.0, M&G 2.1, NB 5.3. He is arguably the best balanced ram among the ram growth trait rams. Albert carries a lot of muscle and volume on a moderate frame. He is extremely correct with lots of bone. Most of the people that have seen him are impressed. We have submitted July lambs, Nov. lambs, and did get weaning weights in on his early March lambs. Keep an eye on Albert in the Spring 07 Sire Summary. Thanks John and Colleen.
3 views of Albert
Mary and I would also like to announce that Ryan Dobratz is buying all our spring born WH435 daughters to add to their new NSIP flock of Polypays. These ewe lambs average over 200 on the Selection Emphasis Index. We probably should have kept them, but the sale opens up some new ram opportunities for this fall. The Dobartz family purchased ewes from Anderson's Lambshire Polypays last year and just acquired a Hulk son from Dale and Lila's Grandveiw Polypays. They could have one of the better NSIP start up flocks ever! If you are going through central MN, take a look.
3/1/07 Boy was I wrong!!!
Ignore the first line of my previous post. It is now March and I am lambing in 16 inch of snow(so far) and 40 mile an hour winds. At least I'm home and not on the road. Yes lambing started. WC505, the triplet sister of WC504 (Harris in Wisconsin) and WC503 (Center Creek in IA), had a nice set of trips right before the storm. Hopefully the rest will hold off for a day or two.
Got a note from Don Drewry. Congratulations to Gordon and Ann Sammons for purchasing Don's ewe flock. Also congratulations to UW for purchasing Hawkeye, the top selling ram at last year Center of the Nation sale. Great homes for all of Don's sheep.
You all know I'm an EPD junky. Mike Park reminded me about a set of triplets that I happen to see the day they were born. He pointed out that WH277, pictured, was high indexing. I started playing with the numbers and she ranks #2 in a balanced index. She is even better on the RSEI. She is a moderate framed ewe with lots of capacity and a beautiful udder.
The sire of the 3 rams lambs is WH435. He is a ram of Mike, Deb and Keeley's that I have always admired. In fact I convinced them to let me used him last fall. I have affectionately dub the lambs Uno, Dos, and Tres. Dam's RSEI 325 and sire's is 209, so the trips should be in the 260 range. That is a higher RSEI than last years top CN NSIP seller. If you ever get to the Park farm take a look at them. With luck we can all bid on one of the trips at the Center of the Nation NSIP sale on August 4th.
2/11/07 Burr!!!!
I am glad I am not lambing here in February. It is cold in Iowa. We start March first. This gives me more time to digest the recent numbers. We were happy with how WC516 came out on his first lamb crop. He made the Sire Summary in WW, PW, and M&G. He ended up with a 201 balanced composite and 278 on a balanced RSEI. Now to get his daughters in production. WC516 and WH435, on lease from Woodhill, will sire our spring lambs. We have decided to sell our spring ewe lambs so let us know if someone is looking for a good NSIP starter flock. We are saving ewe lambs from summer 06 and fall 06. One of our goals at West Cyclone is ewes that will accelerate.
The 2nd Annual Center of the Nation NSIP Sale will be held on Aug. 4th this year. We will be back at the Clay County Fairgrounds again. The National Polypay Sale is in Springfield on the 21-23 of June. Mary and I hope to see you at both of the sales.
Good luck lambing!
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