First Place:  4

Entry number: 954

Exhibitor: EmsoffLambs

State: CA

Sheep name/number: Pagliaro 902 "Ambition"

Breed: Hampshire

Website: www.emsofflivestockcompany.com
www.pagliaro-bohanclublambs.com
www.cedarhillclublambs.com

4 is an easy placing to start the class as he simply over powers the other ram lambs in the class.  I could write two pages of reasons why he wins the class; however, I will make it as brief as possible and at the same time cover the main features of this outstanding stud ram prospect.  The first step in successfully breeding and selling club lambs is to produce lambs that have the “Wow” factor...to capture the full attention of the prospective buyer when they walk into the pen or pasture.  If he is bred to ewes of comparable quality he will produce such lambs.  If they are not of his quality, then his offspring will get you to that next step in a hurry.

On the profile he possesses all the attributes that modern day judges look for, such as style, balance, structural soundness and breed character, with a boat load of prettiness thrown in.  First, let’s start with the long neck properly placed on top of the shoulder.  That long neck is a direct correlation with length of rack and hind saddle. Cool fronted!  About as “cool” in design as you will find on a ram that still has an abundance of muscle and power.  When I talk about clean at the shoulder points let this young stud serve as your ideal.  He’s very clean in the brisket with no evidence of excess fat or breast plate.  He appears wide through the chest floor and when viewed from the rear he brings this width toward the rear.

When I state he is extremely balanced if you will compare him from the top of the shoulder to the chest floor with the hip/loin juncture to the top of the rear flank he is about as balanced as you will find.  He is extremely correct on his feet and legs, with the dimension of bone that I like and the fullness of his forearm suggests a wide, full rack and loin.  He is about as level in his top lines including rack, loin and hip, as you will see in any of the top stud ram producers’ pens.  He’s full in the rear flank and has the proper shape to the rib.

From the rear the first thing I notice is how the base of the neck ties into the top of the shoulder.  This is how it should tie together.  Also, from the rear I notice that the angle from the points to the top of the shoulder lies in at the correct angle.  This will be appreciated in the lambing barn because it suggests easy birthing.  I appreciate the width and flatness over the rack and loin and the hip.  This trait alone passed to his progeny will greatly aid in their selling.  His hip design and muscle type and pattern are all correct for today’s modern breeder.  The width through the dock and pins, the depth of the twist, the ample muscle through the lower third are heritable traits that are in demand.  If shag is your thing, he’ll pass it along because he possesses an abundance and his ample testicular development  is proper in size to a ram lamb of his age.  Congratulations to the breeder and owner of this outstanding young stud ram prospect.

Second Place:  3

Entry number: 953

Exhibitor: DonD1

State: MN

Sheep name/number: Drewry 11580

Breed: Hampshire X

Website: myplace.frontier.com/~don.drewry/index.html

I believe 3 moves into the second hole in this class with just about as much ease as 4 slid into first.  Hey, he’s a good prospect...just not as over powering as number 4.  This ram lamb can and will work in a lot of breeding programs, especially, in those flocks  where breeders want to add Hamp influence to their breeding program. 

When viewed on the profile I appreciate the neck placement on top of the shoulder.  He is acceptable at the points and he is really balanced in his skeletal make-up.  He has great length from flank to flank, is full in his rear flank and has proper shape to his rib.  The fullness of his forearm suggests a large rack and loin, and, when viewed from the rear, this is true even in his thin body condition.  He is long in his rack, loin, and hip; however, I would appreciate him more if his dock was a tad higher.  He stands correctly on his feet and legs, is strong in his pasterns, with correct dimension of bone. Some might argue that he needs more testicular development, however, he’s young, probably serviced a few ewes and the weather was probably cold when picture was taken.

From the rear the first thing I noticed is how correct the neck ties in to the top of the shoulder.  The second thing I notice is how expressive he is in the size and shape of the top muscle. At first glance he might appear to be a little narrow behind the shoulder and over the rack; however, I believe that has more to do with body condition than breeding. He might be a tad rough at the hip/loin juncture and might be a little low at loin’s edge; again, I believe this observation is based on body condition rather than genetics.  Thirty days on full feed will make a tremendous change in his overall appearance and muscle shape.

One skeletal weakness is the slope of the hip.  I would like to raise him at the dock.  Although he will show more leg muscle with condition, he will never have as much lower leg muscle as the ram that placed above him in class nor will he ever have the width of dock and pins as the first place ram.  Overall I would rate him as a good prospect that could work and improve a lot of flocks.  Example, he would do wonders to improve the flocks of the breeders of the ram lambs that placed in the bottom of this class.

Third Place:  1

Entry number: 853

Now, to the bottom pair.  Do you prefer a Hamp ram lamb with skeletal flaws or a Suffolk with similar flaws?  I’m taking the Hamp over the Suffolk. I see major flaws in the skeletal design of both the third and fourth place rams in this class, however, I see less problems with 1 than 2, therefore,  1 will place third in the class. 

From the profile I see a slight defect in the placement of the neck in that it’s not placed on top of the shoulder.  I would like to see more length to the neck because shortness of neck suggests shortness in length of rack and hind saddle and when viewed from the rear that will prove to be a true factor. He is not balanced in his appearance as he is too deep fronted.  He shows too much roundness at the shoulder points, and bred to similar ewes with this flaw it will lead to problems in the lambing barn.  I prefer rams with a frame score of at least medium, however, he is on the low side of medium, bordering small framed.  If you will notice the shortness to the canon bone, that will make this a true statement.  He is rough in his top line and his hip/loin juncture ties together roughly.  He is full in his rear flank and he does have rib shape, however, when viewed from the rear he is too round in his hip and leg muscle.  He is narrow over the rack and loin and neither has the shape desired in today’s top show lambs.  He does have depth of twist, however, is really lacking in testicular development. and is both short and sloping in his hip design.  I do not see a ram of this type breeding competitive market lambs.

Fourth Place:  2

Entry number: 881

Now, to discuss the Suffolk ram lamb that placed at the bottom of the class.  On the profile I see him on the negative side of medium frame.  I would like to raise the neck placement by at least one inch.   He is just average in length from flank to flank.  He is clean through the brisket area.  When observing his top line you will notice just how un-level he is in this critical area.  He does have shape to his rib, however, he cuts up in the rear flank, and, his dock sits at least three inches too low.

From the rear, I would say he is average in depth of twist and I would like to see more evidence of muscle in the lower third.  Hey, his testicular development is sufficient. He is too shallow in dimension of bone.  Again, I would not recommend a ram lamb of this type if my purpose was to breed competitive marketable club lambs.

Again, I placed the class 4, 3, 1, 2 with cuts of 7, 5, 1.

As usua,l discussion of the class is welcomed and appreciated.  I hope each of you have a happy and joyous holiday.   I’m looking forward to a great new year... OG