University holds Rafter 7 Ram and Ewe Sale in Eureka, September 13

Sale also available virtually and features sheep internationally recognized for their fine wool quality

LAS VEGAS – Over two hundred Rafter 7 Merino sheep, internationally known for the quality of their wool and developed and raised by the University of Nevada, Reno, will be sold as part of an annual event that attracts livestock producers from around the country.

The Rafter 7 Merino Ram and Ewe Sale begins at 1 p.m., Sept. 13, at the Eureka County Fairgrounds in Eureka, Nevada, off U.S. Highway 50, about 250 miles east of Reno. Animals will be available for inspection there beginning at 8 a.m., and there will be a welcome luncheon featuring lamb at noon. At 1 p.m., the Rafter 7 line of Merino X Rambouillet and purebred Merino rams will be sold. Immediately after the ram sale, a select group of 30 of the purebred Rafter 7 Merino ewes will be auctioned. Those who can’t make the sale and auction in person this year will be able to participate virtually.

Eureka veterinarian Dr. Darla Baumann will be in attendance to provide health certificates if needed. Catalogs with the latest information on the animals for sale will be mailed and available online in late August. The information in the catalog will provide pertinent data to aid in selection choice for conception, mothering, weaning weights and wool.

The Rafter 7 are grown under range conditions in the high‐desert mountain ranges of Nevada and based out of the University’s Great Basin Research & Extension Center, a 644-acre ranch where research is conducted. The Rafter 7 were initially developed over 30 years ago by the University’s Experiment Station, which is a unit of the University’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, under the direction of Hudson Glimp, professor emeritus, and Tom Filbin, herd manager from which the original Rambouillet seed stock was purchased.

“Our goal is to provide high-quality rams for the sheep industry that are adapted to rangeland conditions,” said Scott Huber,” senior assistant director with the Experiment Station and leader of the Rafter 7 Merino Sheep Program. “With the Rafter 7 Program, we strive to constantly provide profit-building genetics for the sheep industry.”

Huber said that through research, artificial insemination, data analysis and constant focus, the modern-day dual‐purpose bloodlines have proven to enhance sheep industry profits. Emphasis is on quality wool production, lambing rates, hardiness, longevity and herding instinct, among others, as profitable production traits. Proceeds from the sale will benefit continuing research on the Rafter 7, as well as other research conducted at the Center focusing on sustainable grazing management of rangelands, livestock production, water-limited crop production and alternative irrigation strategies.

For more information, contact Huber at 775-682-9808 or shuber@unr.edu. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should contact Paul Lessick, civil rights and compliance coordinator, at plessick@unr.edu or 702-257-5577 at least five days prior to the scheduled event with their needs or for more information.