1. The MSU Sheep Barn:
Trends, Technology,
Tradition, & Teaching
2. • Setting the trends
• Utilizing emerging technology
• Carrying on the tradition of educating
students and the sheep industry
3. 1850 Michigan Constitution
• Called for the creation of an "agricultural
school“
• U-M President Henry P. Tappan tried to
convince the legislature to build the
agriculture school in Ann Arbor
• Secretary of the Michigan State Agricultural
Society, John C. Holmes, argued that the
young farmers would not get the attention
they needed in the established university.
4. • Holmes' argument eventually won out
• February 12, 1855, Michigan Governor
Kinsley S. Bingham signed a bill establishing
the nation's first agriculture college
Agricultural
College of the
State of
Michigan
19. Michigan State University of
Agriculture & Applied Science
July 1, 1955
MSC becomes a university, but not
permitted to legally remove
"agriculture" from its name until 1964
change in state constitution
20. First Suffolk ram at MSU
Bred by Kellogg Farm
Sired by imported ram from England
21. 1959 Henneman goes to the “Short course” program.
Byron Good becomes head of the MSU Sheep flocks.
26. 1963
Chicago
International
1st pen of Suffolk Ram Lambs
CH Ram
1st pen of Shropshire Ewe Lambs
R CH Ewe
Grand Champion Pen of Wethers
1st pen of Hampshire Ewe Lambs
CH Ewe
30. 1970 Sale
• Harold Dingman – auctioneer
• Sold Suffolk & Hampshires
– 49 head average $171.12
• Top selling sheep was a suffolk ram lamb
selling to Rex Heard of CO at $850.00
Suffolk buyers:
Sue Lawton, MI
Dennis Zernhel, OH
Ed Barton, MI
John Stanger, MI
C.L. Miles, MI
Ray McMillen, MI
Frank Williamson, MI
Max Moore, IN
Roy Railer, MI
Ralph Hunter, PA
Gary Glover, MI
Charles Buxton, MI
Ken Petersen, OH
George Bros., OH
Hampshire buyers:
Robert Ladd, IL
Jeff Comps, MI
Larry Hammons, MI
George Woods, ONT
Terry Boyne, MI
Meyer & Taylor, MI
D.L & R.E. Chapman, MI
A.B. Cook, MI
Dennis Dahl, MI
Phil Kurtz, MI
Mike Rodabaugh, MI
Leland Wheaton, MI
Lloyd Baker, MI
Bonnie Weise, MI
Darryl Kleinert, IL
38. 13 Carat – Champion Ram 1978 National Suffolk Show - NAILE
Dr. Ron Nelson
39. “The Sale”
• May 28,1979
• 49 Suffolks average $1,922.12
– Top selling ram $17,500.00
• 76 head grossed $109,500.00
• MSU Block & Bridle club received $16,425 for
managing the sale.
• Eric Murphy – student sale manager
• Harold Dingman - auctioneer
40. “Cameo Queen” – 1979 National Champion Ewe
Sire: “13 Carat”
Dam: “The Queen”
43. 1985 sale sold all
suffolks believed
to be carriers.
Production sale
discontinued
44. • 1985
– Dr. Margret Benson becomes faculty coordinator
for the sheep barn
– 1/3 teaching, 1/3 extension, & 1/3 research
appointment
– MSU rebuilds suffolk flock by purchasing back
“clean pedigreed “ ewes they had sold and with
purchases of yearling ewes from Chapman &
George Bros.
45. •MSU begins to collect &
freeze ram semen
•First ewes are bred using
Laparoscopic artificial
insemination
47. Amount of research increases
• Dr. Benson pursues
research in ruminant
nutrition
– Grazing
– Ewe milk production
• Dr. Banks does research
in selection for loin eye
area
Karen Waite, M.S.
EXTENSTION SPECIALIST,
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE,
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
49. Genetic Scrapie Testing
• First testing in 1997
• Done by University of
Minnesota Department
of Veterinary Pathology
• MSU Suffolks
– 82 head tested at Codon
171
– 17 RR (20.7%)
– 40 QR (48.8%)
– 25 QQ (30.5%)
50. Dorset Flock established in 1998
•Foundation flocks
•McCarthy Dorsets – OH
•Hunter – IN
•Mississippi State University
55. Culham & Stevens 5BR155
Found by
George Good
just months
before he left
for Wyoming
Purchased by
Holly Glomski
in late July of
2005 after
accidental
death to stud
ram
56. 2005 Dr. Benson is awarded USDA
“Value Added” grant
•In order to meet the MSU “cost sharing”
requirement of the grant.
• Dr. Benson negotiates for full time sheep barn
manager position to be restored.
•New manager begins August 8, 2006
61. 2009 Midwest Animal Science Meetings
Undergraduate paper presentations
Elin Westover – 3rd place Jamie Hayes – 4th place
Graduate student at CSU
62. For Immediate Release:
August 19, 2008
East Lansing, MI.
The Sheep Research and Teaching Facility at Michigan State University reports what they
believe to be the “World’s Fastest Growing Sheep”.
MSU 8130 a Suffolk ram was born on February 8, 2008 as a 20 pound single. He was weaned
on April 16, 2008 at an age of 68 days weighing 120 pounds. At 120 days of age on June 7th
8130 tipped the scales at 203 pounds with a post weaning 60 day growth rate of 1.60 pounds
per day.
8130 was part of a research study at Michigan State evaluating growth rate and feed efficiency
in Suffolk ram lambs. Rams are fed for 42 days post weaning using feed intake recording
equipment. 8130 had a feed conversion rate of 3.87 pounds of feed per pound of gain. At 96
days of age weighing 163 pounds 8130 was scanned using ultrasound with a 12th rib fat
measurement of 0.21 inches and a loin eye area of 3.71 square inches. The ram was
purchased by Larry Bugas of Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
66. Record selling ram lamb
at $2000.00
2009 Center of the Nation
NSIP Sale
Results of 2008 ET Flush
67. MSU 7114
Champion Ewe 2008
Michigan Suffolk Classic
Highest postweaning growth
EPD recorded in suffolk breed 2008
14 embryos transferred in fall of 2009
68. MSU Sheep Production Sale re-established May 2, 2009
•Steve George – auctioneer
•Jamie Hayes – sale manager
•30 head of Suffolks & Dorsets averaged $546.67
•Sale top $3,000 yearling ram selling to John Phillips of ID
•Sale managed by the Livestock Merchandising class
