BROOKINGS – Three families were named as 2019 South Dakota Master Lamb Producers during the South Dakota Master Lamb Producers Association awards program luncheon on Sept. 28 in Spearfish. The luncheon took place as part of the 82nd Annual South Dakota Sheep Growers Association convention.

The 2019 South Dakota Master Lamb Producers include the Craig and Deb Kukuchka Family of Belle Fourche, Van Dyke Suffolks – Jim Van Dyke Family of Wessington Springs, and Van Well Sheep LLC – Trevor and Travis Van Well and Family of Watertown.

Over the past 30 years, the Van Dyke Suffolk flock has become a nationally-recognized source of superior Suffolk sheep genetics for both seedstock flocks and the commercial sheep industry. Currently their registered Suffolk sheep program consists of 180 mature ewes with the production focus on post-weaning growth performance, carcass merit and structural soundness. More than 100 Suffolk rams are sold annually. Elite Van Dyke stud rams can be found in purebred Suffolk breeding programs across the United States, yet the majority of the rams serve as a terminal cross in commercial sheep flocks located in the Midwest and western states.

Program sponsors include: Agri Tech of Brookings, Big Gain Feed Inc., Center of the Nation Wool, Inc. of Belle Fourche, Farm Credit Services of America of Pierre, Hamlin County Farmers Cooperative of Hayti, Hubbard Feeds, Menno Livestock, South Dakota Livestock Foundation, South Dakota Sheep Growers Association, Sioux Falls Regional Livestock of Worthing, Sisseton Livestock Auction, Inc., Sydell, Inc., St. Onge Livestock and Newell Sheep Yards, and Van Well Livestock, LLC.

To learn more about the South Dakota Master Lamb Producers Association contact Dr. Jeff Held, Executive Secretary of the South Dakota Master Lamb Producers Association, Professor and SDSU Extension Sheep Specialist at Jeffrey.Held@sdstate.edu.

…See a photo in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!