Suffolk
The Suffolk is a large, polled meat sheep developed in eastern England from Southdown rams crossed with the old Norfolk Horn. Its clean black face and legs, open head, and white body wool make it easy to recognize, and the breed has become one of the standard terminal-sire choices in commercial lamb production. Suffolks are selected for rapid growth, muscular loins and legs, and lambs that finish well on good pasture or grain-supported systems.
Flock managers commonly use Suffolk rams on crossbred or hill ewes to add frame and market weight to lambs while keeping replacement ewes from a separate maternal line. In purebred flocks, attention goes to lambing ease, feet, mouth soundness, and avoiding overly large birth weights. Their short, dark hair on the head and legs keeps them tidy, but the white fleece still needs regular shearing, and high-growth lambs require nutrition that matches their performance.
Colors: Badgerface, Black, Blackbelly, Black Face and Legs, Brown, Gray, Gulmoget, Katmoget, Moorit, Piebald, Red, Silver, Spotted, Tan, White, White with Black Points, White with Brown Points, White Wool
