Sheep Center

2425 West Case Road
Columbus, OH 43235-7534
614-442-1538
Manager: Martin L. Mussard
Manager: Gregg E. Fogle
Unit Supervisor: Henry Zerby / Mike Day

The sheep unit provides animals for teaching and Extension purposes in genetics, nutrition, and reproduction. Animals are used in 8-10 courses throughout the school year and in various judging contests and clinics.

Suffolk and Hampshire sheep are used to produce terminal type sires or to produce wethers that excel in superior carcass merit. Black face females are retained in the flock as needed for replacements.

The purebred Polled Dorsets are used primarily for teaching, Extension, and recruitment of youth at a state and national level. Dorsets are unique in that they will lamb in the fall and in turn supply us with lambs throughout the school year.

The sheep unit maintains a flock of 60-70 brood ewes. This number would include 45-50 Dorsets and 15-20 Suffolk and Hampshire ewes in production. Lamb numbers may vary from 0-120 at any one point in time. Two llamas are maintained year round for predator control.

There are 56 acres of permanent pasture (25-30 paddocks) and 20-30 acres that may be set up as intensive grazing cells.