Hukeley Suffolks

History of Breed

The Suffolk came about by mating the Norfolk Horn ewe with a Southdown ram, the sheep that this produced was known as  Southdown Norfolks, or as they are some times called today “Black Faces.”

 

The first known record of them was in 1797 by Arthur Young .

He stated :

“These ought to be called the Suffolk breed, the mutton has superior texture, flavour, quality and colour of gravy”

 

The first classes for Suffolk Sheep were at the Suffolk Show in 1859. The first flock book was published in1887. This contained 46 flocks ranging in size from 50 to 1100 ewes.

 

Suffolks developed around the rotation system of farming in East Anglia, grazing on grass and clover in the summer. After weaning the ewes could be put on the salt marshes or stubbles.  Swedes and turnips were grazed in the winter and the system was labour intensive. Lambing was in February or March and was outside in the fields, straw and hurdles were used as shelter.

 

The breed expanded rapidly, with the first flock established in Ireland in 1891, in Scotland in 1895 and Wales in 1901. From the earliest days, the Suffolk was exported around the world to Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, the Americas and the Colonies.

 

Today the Suffolk has turned into the most up to date terminal sire.