Suffolks are now the most dominant sheep meat breed throughout the world.
About half of the sheep registered in the U.S. are Suffolk. This is due to the breed’s
outstanding growth rate and carcass quality.
Suffolk Rams are the most popular type of Ram to be used in crossbreeding for market
lambs.
Meat: Fine grain. Low Fat. Suburb Muscling.
Suffolk lambs grow rapidly and are famous for lean meat.
Mature Body Weight:
Ram 275-400 lb.
Ewe 200-300 lb.
The History Of The Breed
Suffolk sheep, a relatively large breed, developed in England, well known for its high
quality meat. The Suffolk Sheep has many desirable qualities and is becoming widely
accepted there. Suffolks have bare heads, black faces, and bare black legs but no
horns. They breed aggressively and have upstanding carriage, an active nature, the
capacity for rapid growth, and a good mutton build; they are, however, relatively light
fleece producers. Suffolk rams are widely used with ewes of other breeds to produce
crossbred lambs for slaughter.
The original Suffolks were the result of crossing Southdown rams on Norfolk Horned
ewes. Apparently the product of this cross was a great improvement over either one of
the parents. Although the Suffolk was a recognized breed as early as 1810, the flock
book was not closed until much later.
In 1930, Southdowns were described as large sheep without horns, dark faces and legs,
fine bones and long small necks. They were low set in front with high shoulders and
light forequarters; however, their sides were good, rather broad in the loin, and were
full in the thigh and twist. Today's Suffolk derives its meatiness and quality of wool
from the old original British Southdown.
The Norfolk Horned sheep, now rare, were a wild and hardy breed. They were
blackfaced, light, fleeced sheep. Both sexes were horned. The upland regions of
Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridge on the southeastern coast of England are very rugged
and forage is sparse. It was this dry, cold and windy area in which the Norfolk breed
adapted itself to travelling great distances for food, thereby developing a superbly
muscular body.
It was said at that time of the Norfolk Horned, "their limbs are long and muscular,
their bodies are long and their general form betokens activity and strength." This
breed and its crosses were valued highly both by farmers and butchers. However,
shepherds of that day did not like the long legs, flat sides, nor wild nature of the
Norfolk Horned. They noted that Southdowns crossed with Norfolk produced a
progeny that reduced most of the criticisms of both breeds.
In 1886, the English Suffolk Society was organized to provide registry service and to
further develop the use of the breed. Through selection and careful breeding by many
great English shepherds, the Suffolks brought to this country retained the qualities for
which they were originally mated.