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.
| Meet Dr. Aimee Rueber, DVM |
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Aimee and her family - Rueber Shropshires - have bred and shown Shropshires (large, frame sheep) for 45 years, as well as Suffolks, Cheviots, Oxfords, and Montadales. They have, and Aimee and Jesse continue to compete successfully at state and national shows, and Dr. Aimee judges purebred Shropshires and showmanship. Dr. Aimee aspires to be a Swiss commissioned Valais Blacknose grader/judge.
Dr. Aimee enjoys breeding and selecting Shropshires for the purpose of showing and advancing the breed. Dr. Aimee’s goal of breeding the best continues for the Valais Blacknose, and she LOVES to show purebred Valais Blacknose!
Dr. Aimee has her own veterinary practice and is our private sheep vet!…There is no better place for a sheep to live than at the vet’s house!
Fun facts: Aimee finds shearing sheep to be therapeutic for her. She is the only Oklahoma State University Poke alum in our otherwise Iowa State University Cyclone alumni partnership.
Her favorite thing is the anticipation and surprise of the differences different matings (mating different ewes and rams) make in the Valais Blacknose characteristics. |
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Jesse prefers to work behind the scenes. He is all things feed/nutrition, facilities, equipment and operations.
Jesse is also the right-hand man (assistant) to his wife, Dr. Aimee, for all veterinary care from the routine to labor & lamb delivery. He is an animal lover too and spoils our sheep with treats. Jesse & Aimee have 3 Border Collies – Roscoe, Rip & Val, a Pomeranian named Gucci, and 4 cats – Melvyn, Kitty Kitty, Bow & Blanche. They also have Belle the goat and Thor the livestock guardian llama.
Jesse works as a Seed Technician and directs seed distribution for Bayer Crop Sciences.
He loves sheep transportation and delivery - driving his truck and 28-foot trailer. Our longest road trip to date to pick up sheep was from Iowa to Nevada and back, picking up a flock of Scottish Blackface.
Fun fact: Jesse likes to cook and encourages people to eat more lamb. Jesse is patriotic and serves as a volunteer firefighter.
His favorite thing: Jesse is always up for a sheep delivery. On his route, he enjoys discovering great food and finding unique beer brands that he can’t find in Iowa.
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| Dr. Aimee and Jesse are the caretakers of the sheep of Valais Iowa! |
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As a kid, Scott raised & showed purebred Suffolks in 4-H. He now enjoys coaching his nephew, Eric, showing Hampshire/Suffolk market lambs for 4-H and jackpot shows, and building Eric’s ewe flock.
Scott enjoys the challenges of sheep reproduction (AI, IVF, sexed semen, ET), the education that comes with it and sharing our experience.
Scott is committed to breeding the best Valais Blacknose, and handles the inquiries and sales for Valais Iowa. Scott is our Show Organizer for the annual USA National Valais Blacknose Sheep Show and Grading in Des Moines, Iowa.
He works for US Bank as a farm manager, and he loves a good spreadsheet.
Fun fact: Scott won a livestock judging contest when he was 10 and the prize was a purebred Suffolk ewe lamb. His family did not have any breeding sheep so when they picked up the ewe, the breeder told him he couldn’t have just one! …And so his sheep flock began.
His favorite thing is networking with other Valais Blacknose Sheep breeders throughout the US and around the world. Scott spends hours on the phone talking sheep and answering questions to prepare the new caretakers of the sheep from Valais Iowa! |
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| Meet Dr. Tina Starkweather, DPM |
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Tina is a farm kid too, raised around horses and a variety of animals.
Tina loves giving pets, treats and lamb snuggles, and watching the lamb antics on the live barn cameras. Tina believes Valais Blacknose sheep ARE THE CUTEST sheep in the world and loves the Valais’ curly white wool! She enjoys taking their photos and writing our posts for Facebook.
Dr. Tina is a podiatrist and has her own practice. Tina & Scott have a “Havashu”, a Havanese – Shih Tzu mix, named Fascia.
Fun fact: Tina was an Iowa FFA state officer and an Ag Education major at Iowa State University. If you see her as a patient, you’re bound to learn something about Valais Blacknose sheep!
Her favorite thing about the Breed Up program is comparing the F generations’ Valais Blacknose characteristics. Tina enjoys traveling and meeting people sharing an interest in Valais Blacknose sheep. Tina helps to organize the annual National Valais Blacknose Sheep Show and writes our Facebook posts. |
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We have over 40 years of experience BREEDING AND SELECTING quality sheep for the purpose of showing and advancing the breed. We enjoy the challenges of sheep reproduction (AI, IVF, sexed semen, ET). We are interested in the process, the science, the technology and the education that comes with it, and then sharing our experience. We enjoy learning and striving to improve, for the betterment of our flock. Sharing our experiences and teaching others is our way of giving back, for the help we have received. In addition to our commitment to breeding the best Valais Blacknose, we plan and organize the annual National Valais Blacknose Sheep Show and Grading in Des Moines, Iowa!
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