Welcome to Valais Iowa - Valais Blacknose Sheep
Valais Iowa’s GOAL is to BREED, RAISE, AND SHOW ELITE VALAIS BLACKNOSE SHEEP, adhering to the SWISS breed standard.
Valais Iowa is a partnership between Aimee Rueber, DVM & Jesse Stayner, and Scott & Tina Starkweather. Valais Iowa’s Valais Blacknose journey started in 2019 with Breed Up.
We started our Breed Up program with Scottish Blackface foundation ewes and two F1 ewe lambs. In 2021, we imported our first purebred embryos. We have sheep reproduction experience utilizing AI, IVF, sexed semen, ET, & recipient ewes, and are happy to share what we have learned. In our quest to admire, learn and select high quality genetics of Valais Blacknose, we have traveled to Blacknose Beauties Grading and Show in Carlisle, England; US states - Alabama, Wisconsin, Nevada, Maine; Widdermarkt (Ram Grading) in Visp, Switzerland; Scotland and New Zealand. We never could have imagined that within three years we would have our own amazing Purebreds, and in four years we would have multiple champions at the first National Show in Des Moines!
Valais Iowa has a unique team, each with our own skills and talents.
Check out our website for more about the breed and our programs!