ABOUT WALKER CREEK RANCH
 
We have been actively involved in sheep production for over 30 years and are very committed to the future of the sheep industry in the United States. We feel U.S. sheep production is at a crossroads but are optimistic about the future. Although there continue to be many obstacles to profitable lamb production in this country, the industry is made up of many resilient, resourceful people and we believe there are still many opportunities to economically produce a quality product by utilizing forage resources. Additionally, studies are showing possible human health benefits from consuming meat from animals raised and finished on pasture. These studies are ongoing but look promising. Through our past experiences we have become advocates of raising sheep that are adapted to environmental conditions and feed resources. By doing so many health and management problems decrease allowing sheep operations to become more efficient.  

We are located in the Northern Sacramento Valley of California and are able to utilize grazing for our source of feed for 12 months of the year by using intensive grazing on irrigated pasture during the summer and grazing annual dry land pastures during the winter. Ewes lamb on pasture in the spring and lambs need to be able to convert forage and gain weight throughout the hot summer. Parasite tolerance and resistance to biting insects are also important in our conditions. The White Dorper and St. Croix breeds have fit very well into this operation and we believe these breeds have many characteristics that can be utilized by other producers.

WOOL vs. HAIR

Sheep have been dual-purpose animals, producing both meat and wool, almost as long as they have been domesticated. In recent years, however, several developments have made some producers question the profitability of wool production.

	Synthetic fabrics have taken a portion of the market and prices paid for many classes of wool have dropped.
	Some climates are not suited for quality wool production.
	Changing requirements in preparing wool for market has resulted in added expense, equipment and labor.
	Securing shearers can be a problem and may be delayed by weather.
	In many areas the cost of shearing has gone up, especially for small flocks.
	Shearing requires labor and facilities for gathering and penning.
	Wool can cause management and health problems, especially in pasture lambing.
	Sheep can be stressed by gathering, holding off feed and by exposure to inclement weather after shearing.
	Soiled wool can be a source of contamination in slaughter plants.
	When selecting sheep for wool quality, progress in other valuable traits may be lessened.

Unfortunately in many cases the wool check does not even cover the cost of shearing and preparation of the wool clip. Besides shearing, the ewes may also have to be tagged and the lambs shorn or tagged before being put on feed or marketed, adding even more labor and expense.

Hair sheep have been raised in many parts of the world where wool sheep do not thrive. Many areas in the U.S. have a climate more suited to raising hair sheep than breeds that originate in Great Britain. Sheep that are suited to their environment generally have fewer health problems and require less input in feed and labor.

Some possible disadvantages of hair sheep for the present US lamb market are smaller carcass size, slower growth rate and, presently, decreased pelt value. Some of the advantages of hair sheep are extended breeding seasons, high fertility, vigorous newborn lambs, low labor requirements, parasite resistance, heat tolerance and increased forage utilization. Most hair breeds are also well suited for accelerated lambing systems and managed intensive grazing. The introduction of the Dorper and White Dorper breeds into the US has increased the opportunities for production of fast gaining, high quality lambs in areas suited for hair sheep.

The decision to change a flock from wool to non-shearing by using rams of hair breeds on wooled ewes should be viewed as an ambitious undertaking requiring several generations to accomplish. In the worst case there could be years when shearing would still be necessary but the wool would have to be discarded. We have worked on the transition from wool to hair in our commercial flock and would be happy to share our experiences with you.

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WHITE DORPER

This breed was developed in South Africa over 50 years ago by crossing Horned Dorset rams with Persian Blackhead ewes. The Dorper and White Dorper have been maintained as separate breeds that differ by color. They have been developed and selected to be productive under severe, arid conditions but also thrive in areas of good feed.

Our initial interest in White Dorpers was to produce terminal sires for our commercial flock. However, we found them such consistent producers of fast gaining, high quality lamb that we made the decision to continue with them as a purebred venture. White Dorper breeding stock is still relatively scarce and expensive in the United States. We strive to have a good volume of White Dorpers and percentage White Dorpers available, ranging from realistically priced commercial animals to stud quality individuals.

By using our top commercial and registered St. Croix ewes as a base for our breeding program, we have maintained and enhanced shedding characteristics, heat tolerance, parasite resistance and ease of handling. We have one of the largest flocks of St. Croix ewes in the US and this has allowed us to be very selective.

Some outstanding traits we stress in our White Dorpers are:
	Easy lambers and excellent mothers under pasture conditions
	Fast gain under a variety of feed conditions
	Excellent muscling and carcass quality
	Solid white pelts
	Aggressive, non selective grazers
	Heat tolerance
	Good insect and parasite tolerance
	Out of season breeding
	Excellent milk production
	Vigorous newborn lambs
	No shearing

Since being exported to many parts of the world, Dorpers and White Dorpers have adapted to a wide range of climates and production systems. They are especially suited for grazing operations in hot climates.

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ST. CROIX HAIR SHEEP
 
The St. Croix or Virgin Island White sheep were developed from animals brought to the West Indies from Africa. In the US Virgin Islands they became well suited to tropical climates and utilizing coarse forage. They are one of the most parasite tolerant breeds of sheep. In 1975, twenty-two ewes and three rams were imported into the United States from St. Croix by the International Sheep and Goat Institute, Utah State University, Logan. These graceful animals have bright white hair coats in summer and develop thick winter coats when raised in cold climates. Some of their valuable qualities are:

	Excellent internal parasite resistance
	No shearing required
	Good utilization of coarse forage
	High lambing rate
	Out of season breeding
	Heat and insect tolerance
	Ease of handling in large groups
	Good flocking instincts

We have built our St. Croix flock from sheep and embryos acquired from Utah State University. Our commercial flock consists mainly of high percentage St. Croix ewes. They've done well in our high summer temperatures and are very easy to manage in large groups. They require little labor at lambing and are hardy and prolific. St. Croix rams are very precocious and can service an amazing number of ewes in a short time. 
 
In our purebred St. Croix flock we stress efficiency, milking ability, rate of gain and maintaining St. Croix type.

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SHEEP FOR SALE
 
We usually have many classes of sheep available for sale but since we are a grazing operation, we need prior notice to bring in sale animals. Rams are usually kept up closer and are more accessible for inspection. We are enrolled in the USDA/APHIS Scrapie Program as a complete monitored flock and are eligible for export to Mexico. We frequently have commercial rams for sale that are sold as unregistered. We specialize in supplying “starter” flocks and offer a discount for volume buyers.
 
This portion of the website will be updated frequently featuring sale sheep. Please email us for more information on what is available.
 
3/4 St. Croix, 1/4 White Dorper commercial hair ewe lambs available October 2001
5 months old - $125 ea. in groups of ten or more.
 
20 - White Dorper/ Suffolk 50/50 cross ewes. Sired by top WD Fullblood rams
Born spring 1999. Some with Suffolk wether sire background  $150 ea. Require shearing.
 
7/8 White Dorper ram lambs. Wiese, Jacobs, Cilliers bloodlines
$450 - $950 ea. Born Feb. - April 2001. Ready for service this fall.