The Rural Voice, 1994-08, Page 36... one of the oldest flocks in Canada
continued from page 31
Ag Rep for many years before taking
early retirement). For 12 years while
the couple lived in Clinton, Florence
kept her flock in a rented barn
outside of town. She bought two or
three ewes a year from her father
over the next few years as she built
up her purebred flock. Later she
rented the barn on the farm where
the Pullens currently live, later
buying the farm and renovating the
house.
When her father became ill in
1974 Florence bought the last of the
McCully bloodline. She raised 30
Iambs from the 13 ewes. Historically,
Florence says, it has been a very
productive flock. But productivity is
about 85 per cent management and
15 per cent genetics, she says.
Suffolks are still the most popular
breed in Canada, Florence says,
though, there is a division between
those who stick by the old British
stock, like herself, and those who
favour the long-legged American
Suffolk. "We're into producing a
good meat -type animal for
commercial producers," she says.
The Pullens have operated a
closed flock for several years now,
with no new females since 1974 and
the last new ram, nine years ago.
But to broaden the bloodlines yet
preserve the blocky, British -type
attributes, the Pullens turned to the
latest in genetic technology. Last
year they used artificial insemination
from an Alberta ram with the low -set,
blocky lines. Currently they and two
other western Ontario breeders are
awaiting the arrival of embryos from
Scottish flocks, one near Aberdeen
that Don had visited in the 1980s.
(It's virtually impossible to import live
animals these days and even ewes
being flushed for embryos must
undergo a lengthy quarantine peri-
od.) If all goes well the embryos will
be implanted by mid-September.
"The idea is to incorporate the
new lines into the bloodlines we
have," Florence says.
So the traditional British Suffolk
line will continue at the Pullen farm.
And the Pullens will continue to pro-
vide their proven bloodline to com-
mercial shepherds across Ontario.0
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