Valais Blacknose Live Imports & Embryo Imports Status &

Breed Up Program Information

 

Currently ( 05/05/2023)  fullblood embryos from New Zealand and the UK  have been approved to be imported into the United States. 

 

The Breed Up Program is a process designed to create as closely as genetically possible a purebred Valais Blacknose.

 

It'll take five generations to produce a 97% Valais Blacknose sheep which will be recognized as a purebred. The breed-up program begins by using a "foundation" ewe with as many qualities as possible as the Valais Blacknose breed. From our research, the Scottish Blackface is the breed most widely used as a foundation ewe. We encourage you to research this for yourself before making your decision. We started our flock with a few different breeds for reasons based on our experience and knowledge of the sheep industry.

 

The next step is to artificially inseminate (AI) your foundation ewe(s) with fullblood Valais semen. Due to the strict protocol mandated by the USDA there are only a few places in the US where fullblood Valais semen is stored. Visit this link to learn the USDA protocol for semen imports

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information

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First generation is a F1 (50% Valais), second generation is a F2 (75% Valais), third generation is a F3 (88% Valais), fourth generation is a F4 (94% Valais), and the fifth generation is a F5 (97% Valais).

 

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**Please note the Valais Blacknose Breed Up Program has only been in existence in the United States since 2017 and the first generation of lambs were produced in the Spring of 2018. This is a new program and you will find a number of "organizations", "associations", and "breeders", with suggestions and recommendations. Before getting involved in the program we contacted many of them to learn about the program as well as veterinarians from our state and the United Stated Department of Agriculture. We traveled to England and Scotland and learned from breeders and farmers who raise Valias Blacknose Sheep.   We have met many wonderful people offering advice. With that said, we will take that new knowledge along with over 40 years experience of raising livestock and make recommendations based on our experiences.

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