This issue of Secrets To Their Success features Frank Poling. Frank is originally from Van Wert, Ohio and currently resides in Columbia, Tennessee, with his wife, Holly, of 34 years. He currently runs a flock of 100 Hampshire and Hampshire crossbred ewes and has enjoyed much success in Tennessee and the surrounding states over the last several years.
How did you get started in the sheep business?
Well, I grew up showing cattle and hogs in Ohio. Dad and I never owned any sheep at all. When our kids were growing up, we had some neighbors who owned sheep. The kids started in 4-H showing steers and heifers, but they were always down at the neighbors working with their sheep. So in 1988 we bought three lambs, one for each of our kids. I then bought six ewes.
Where did you make that purchase?
I bought 6 ewes from Mary Ann Nipp who then owned High Hill Farms. I purchased my first ram from Joe Harrel and over the next few years bought rams from Becky Kerr and Bruce Achor.
Which do you think is more important to success in the club lamb industry, the ram or the ewe?
I think your decision on the ram is very important. Generation intervals are so much shorter in the sheep industry than with cattle. I try to turn generations over as quickly as possible. By finding better bucks, I think you can make improvement through the whole flock faster. I do have two or three ewe families that I keep no matter what they look like though because I know they will breed on and have good ones. I’m always looking for the next ram to try so that I can sample one while I’m using a proven ram on the majority of the ewes.
What ram has had the largest impact in your flock?
It would have to be Tank. I’ve used him longer than any buck I have owned and 75% of the ewes are daughters or granddaughters of Tank at this point. I bought Tank from Bruce Achor, and he was out of a Hancock ram that Bruce only got one lamb crop out of before he died. That set was very impressive in 2005. I picked him out at two weeks of age, and as you know, there is a lot of luck involved in buying one at that age. His dam was very high quality though, and the entire lamb crop was phenomenal so I took the chance.
What are some of the challenges of being; shall we say, off the beaten path?
75% of the wethers I sell stay in Tennessee. It’s very hard to get your name out nationally when you are so far removed from most of the lamb shows. I do sell quite a few to Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama as well. I try to advertise to bring in more out of state people, and recently I have had more of that traffic. Several people who have come in and looked at the sheep have been influential in getting our name out and bringing more people in, and I am very thankful for that.
What’s your day job?
I manage a livestock market for Tennessee Livestock Producers in Columbia, Tennessee. We have a weekly cattle sale and two sheep and goat auctions per month. I also work with our monthly video sale of feeder cattle, selling around 16,000 per year. Day to day I buy loads of feeders and ship them to the Midwest direct. This all helps support my sheep habit.
What is one bit of advice you would give people starting out in this industry?
I would tell them to start with a few, top quality ewes that were bred alike from one breeder that you respect. It is a lot easier to make decisions on bucks if you have some uniformity in your ewe flock. I did a little of both starting out, buying a set and also buying individual ewes; and it took forever to get my ewe flock to look alike.
If someone were to make a movie about you, what actor would you select to play your part?
Well two or three people have told me recently that I look like George W Bush. Wonder what kind of an actor he would be?
Did you participate in FFA growing up? If so describe your experience in FFA and how it benefited you?
I was in 4-H from age 10 through high school. I showed steers, Angus heifers, and registered Yorkshire hogs in Van Wert, Ohio. The fairs were always the highlight of my year. When l had kids of my own, l wanted them to have the same experience. None of my children are in agriculture today, but they will tell you showing sheep in 4-H was a life changing experience. Winning or losing was forgotten by the following year, but the work ethic and friends made were there for a lifetime.
Did you compete in livestock judging? If so how do you think that experience helped with your success in the livestock industry?
I judged at the University of Tennessee under Prof. Ed Lidvall. This was certainly the best experience I had at UT, except meeting my wife. [I better add that] The friends and business contacts I made while traveling and judging are truly cherished.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing the sheep industry today?
I think animal welfare is something we all in production need to pay special attention to. We can all do a better job of caring for our stock. Whether at a show, at home, or hauling to the local sale barn; we need to lead by example by doing things the right way.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment to date in the club lamb industry?
Winning the Dixie National, the Georgia National, and the Tennessee Expo are certainly accomplishments I am proud of but these don’t compare to the friendships I have made while raising sheep.
What is your favorite thing about being involved in the sheep industry?
The people!
What is your favorite time of year raising sheep?
Breeding season- hopefully selecting the right ram for each ewe. Lambing season- seeing if I made the right decisions.
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