The Rural Voice, 1994-08, Page 35Opportunity knocks for
Iamb and goat producers
at Brussels Livestock
It may have escaped the notice
of many in Western Ontario, but
the seven county area from
Bruce and Huron in the west to
Grey, Dufferin, Wellington,
Waterloo and Perth in the east is
the major area for production of
sheep and goats in Ontario.
According to the 1991 Census,
those counties accounted for 34
per cent of the entire sheep
population in Ontario and (32 per
cent of lambs). In goats, 29 per
cent of the population lives in
those counties.
Since the producers of those
animals live within easy distance
of Brussels Livestock Sales, just
east of Brussels, Len Gamble
says they have an opportunity to
build a strong local market right in
their back yard.
The more animals through the
Brussels market, the more buyers
there will be and the better deals
producers will get, he explains.
Gamble offers top facilities to
attract those customers to the
special Thursday sale. Lambs,
sheep and goats have their own
auction building, separate from
the huge cattle auction facility.
Scaled to the size of the smaller
animals, this barn can house up to
1,200 animals at once.
When it was announced over a
year ago that the old Ontario
Stock Yard in Toronto was about
to close, those most affected were
sheep and goat producers. Sales
at OSY totalled more than 61,000
head a year. Producers feared
Toronto's 162 small packers of
lamb wouldn't travel outside the
city.
Gamble says those buyers will
come if the volume is there.
Already, he says, Brussels offers
prices that are competitive
anywhere else but things could
get even better.
"We're just trying to do the best
we can to help producers," he
says. "It's easier for them to get
here and there's less shrink
(because of the shorter travel
time)."0
Using the new to preserve the old at Shillalah
There's nothing old fashioned
about Shillalah Farm even if
Don and Florence Pullen are
dedicated to preserving a piece of
the past.
The Pullens' farm is based around
the flock of Suffolk sheep Florence
bought from her father, Norman
McCully of St. Marys. Mr. McCully's
work with registered Suffolk sheep,
registered Holsteins, teaching and
judging and work with Junior
Farmers earned him a place in the
Agricultural Hall of Fame at Milton.
Florence grew up never knowing a
farm without sheep. Don had sheep
on his farm from the time he was six
years old.
The Pullen flock is one of the
oldest flocks in Canada. Norman
McCully bought imported Suffolk
stock from Britain in 1937. Florence
bought some of her father's sheep in
1963 when she and Don moved to
Huron County where he worked as
assistant Ag Rep, (he later served as
continued on pw'e 32
SHILLALAH SUFFOLKS
• Some of Canada's Oldest Bloodlines •
Bred for Traditional Meat Type
and High Production
• Quality ram lambs available
• Taking orders now for 1994 fall born
and 1995 winter born ewe lambs
• Grain fed freezer lamb cut to your
specifications
• Lambskins
Don & Florence Pullen
Box 715,. Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
(519) 233-7896
AUGUST 1994 31