The Suffolk Sheep Society is looking at the market in a new and innovative way to maximise the potential that the natural ability the Suffolk breed has to meet the demands of the discerning consumer through engagement with the supply chain beyond the farm gate.
The Suffolk Sheep Society is embarking on a programme that looks at all the advantages the breed can offer, putting them down on one page and looking at the demands of both behind and beyond the farm gate.
This exercise is key to the future success of the breed as many of the advantages it offers fits hand in glove with what the consumers determine, will help them make their choice of what to buy. The consumer drives value into the rest of the supply chain and if as an industry we choose not to listen to them, we do this at our peril!
Major influencing factors on the consumer are, farmers are the most trusted part of the supply chain, environmental impact, animal welfare, healthy lifestyle, produced in the UK and it’s got to taste good.
Read more: Look to forage to find out about the health of your ewes
As carbon footprint comes under the spotlight, there is no faster growing breed than the Suffolk when used as a terminal sire. As is well documented in the beef industry, the speed at which a ruminant reaches the correct sale weight is critical to reducing the carbon footprint. The interesting thing about reducing carbon footprint is that it leads to more profitable sheep, with less energy expended in maintenance the faster the sheep reaches market. Therefore, less Greenhouse gases are emitted by each animal.
The performance of many sheep enterprises is challenged by many things, susceptibility to health challenges, parasite challenges, environmental challenges and management practices. The Suffolk, over the years, has developed a resistance to many of these health issues.
Resistance to these challenges help make Suffolks the fast-growing animal that they are renowned for. Reducing the need for veterinary intervention, antibiotic use and the need of many slower growing sheep breeds to have regular treatments for parasite control. The Suffolk thrives under many different management conditions countrywide and utilises the natural resources available in the many different areas that sheep are kept.
There are several other highly desirable traits that the Suffolk breed can deliver to any sheep enterprise. The body capacity means that it will thrive and grow quickly on a grass or forage-based diet, perfect for a ruminant, this also delivers health benefits to the consumer through the nutritional value of the meat produced.
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