Northern Oklahoma College Sheep Center

In the summer of 2007, Northern Oklahoma College decided to take the initiative and start a sheep program on the Tonkawa campus. Bart Cardwell, who has been actively raising sheep with his family since 1981 in Lamont, Oklahoma, was hired as the shepherd to be in charge of taking on the task of building this program from the ground up.

NOC purchased a portion of the Cardwell Flock and received a portion of the flock through donation from the Cardwell Family. Theflock consists of Suffolk and Hampshire Registered ewes and rams. The flock has been recently expanded to include Dorsets with the purchase of ten ewes from Superior Farms of Yukon, Oklahoma. A Dorset ram purchased from and raised by Hewlett’s of Independence, Kansas and owned in half interest with Gunsmoke Dorsets of Stillwater will be used on the Dorset females and a few black faced ewes. A Suffolk ram was purchased from Double S Suffolks of Glencoe, Oklahoma and Hindman’s of Iowa in partnership with Bolenbaugh’s of Hunter, Oklahoma and Gunsmoke Dorsets.

The focus of the NOC sheep breeding program is to raise club lambs and breeding stock for the growing club lamb industry. The goal is to select animals that are not only reliable as production animals, but also meet the industry’s quality standards. A strong foundation for the breeding program has already been attained as the Cardwell Flock exhibited and sold the champion Suffolk female at the Midwest Stud Ram Sale-the nation’s largest sheep sale-this past year.

The black faced herd consists of genetic bloodlines from the following breeders in Oklahoma and across the nation: McGolden Club Lambs, Ott Club Lambs, Hindman Club Lambs (IA), Skipper W Club Lambs, Hancock Hampshires (KY), Cabaniss Club Lambs, Bolenbaugh Club Lambs, Britton Club Lambs, and Garvie Club Lambs.

The NOC Agriculture Division has high expectations for the sheep program with endeavors to produce elite sheep flocks while training students for their future goals in Agriculture.

Each semester NOC offers a sheep production class. Students have the opportunity to work with sheep and to learn the various management systems involved in sheep production. This class is required for all Agricultural Education majors. Students are trained in marketing, health, nutrition, breeding and lambing management. With the cooperation of Dr. Brent Pitts, students learn about semen collection, artificial insemination and embryo transfer in sheep breeding and selection. They also acquire handson use of ultrasound to evaluate pregnancy in sheep.

Additionally, students obtain hands-on experience in all aspects of exhibiting sheep through preparing and showing the flock at the Kay County (Oklahoma) Fair, Tulsa State Fair, North American International Livestock Expo, Ft. Worth Livestock Show and Houston Livestock Show. Sheep raised in the flock are also marketed at the Black and White Club Lamb Country Sale, Midwest Stud Ram Sale and Corporation Sale. The Division of Agricultural Sciences hosts a Sheep Fest on April 30th in which there will be a club lamb sale that the commission goes for OSU Animal Science and NOC Ag Division Scholarships. Look for more details coming soon!