| 2013-08-21 |    |
The annual High Index Ram Sale from Hans and Audrey Pörksen’s flocks of Pedigree Suffolk and Texel sheep takes place on 30th August, which follows the now established tradition of having the sale on the last Friday in August.
It is 30 years since Hans Pörksen established his Suffolk flock, which has been recorded by Signet from the start and is one of the leading flocks in the UK. Membership of the Suffolk Sire Reference Scheme, extensive use of ultra sound and CT scanning and modern breeding techniques like AI have all contributed to the incredible advances made by the Suffolk flock with faster weight gains and increased muscularity.
The Suffolk Rams
Sandyknowe Ettrick 07-1 who is still going strong as a six shear. His muscularity score in the loin is exceptional and has doubled the muscularity score in a flock in Devon when they used him by AI.
Hans has selected very sound sheep with tight skins and clean fine hair, which is essential when using Suffolk rams to cross with mule ewes to produce the increasingly popular Suffolk cross female ewes.
The Wallington Texel flock established 5 years ago from the dispersal sale of the Lumbylaw flock has been the highest indexed flock in the UK since it’s foundation. Most of the rams on offer are in the top 1% of the breed and have outstanding growth rates and lean meat yield.
2013 Texel Gimmer Shearlings
7 sons of last years £3000 sale leader Wallington Special Blend are included in the sale and all are in the top 1% of the Texel Breed.
Wallington Talisman, a shearling, who is currently the 8th highest ranked Texel Stock Sire in the UK is included in the sale. He is the son of Wallington Pioneer who topped the Gallowshill sale when sold as a shearling.
Talisman has sired some outstanding progeny and semen is in store for further use in the Wallington flock. Talismans EBV’s are exceptional with +14.03 kg for20 week weight, +6.00 mm for muscle depth, + 0.23mm for fat depth, a gigot score of +8.33 and an overall index of 458 with an accuracy rating 88%.
The sale on the 30th of August will be in the afternoon and for the first time will include female Texels as well as female Suffolks.
Hans
Pörksen said:
” The chance of purchasing shearling females from a flock
of such high indices will give other sheep breeders the opportunity
to breed superior rams on their own farms. Having rams brought up in
the farms own environment has many benefits.”
A total of 99 homebred shearling rams and females are being auctioned from 4pm by Chris Armstrong of Hexham and Northern Marts and a full catalogue can be seen on the farms website www.highindexrams.com
