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Ask Tom Slack his formula for success and he will reply, “Set your goals high and be willing to work hard to get there.” When Tom graduated from Purdue University in 1976, he had 15 ewes and 12 years experience raising sheep.

By 1979, the flock had grown large enough that Tom initiated the first Formula for Champions Sale held in Warsaw, Indiana. Thirty-three lambs were sold and two of them went on to become Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion at the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, KY.
   
By 1983 the flock had grown to over 100 ewes. Tom showed Champion breeding stock at the Kentucky, Minnesota and Iowa State Fairs. The barn was expanded to over 11,000 square feet. Tom built every gate, corral and pen in the facility. His original hay trolley system continues to fascinate the many visitors to the farm every year. Forty-eight portable lambing pens increase the versatility of the barn.

The Slack flock was one of the first to utilize Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer in 1984. Pure Genetics are maintained though the sire semen bank on over 20 rams. By 1991 Slack Suffolks were the largest registry of Suffolks in the National Suffolk Sheep Association, a spot they held seven more times prior to the Suffolk Association consolidations to the United Suffolk Sheep Association.
   
The ewe flock continued to expand and so did the farm. Pastures and barns are utilized at the old home place and in 1995 a third large barn was added at the corner farm to accommodate the yearling ewes. Tom places emphasis on ewes that milk well, lamb easily and are sound on their feet and legs. Multiple births, length of hindsaddle, and prime legs are also critical to building Tom’s complete sheep.

Dorsets and Hampshires were added in 1988, and Shropshires in 2011 thus forming the foundation for the crossbred, Hamp, Dorset, Shropshire and Suffolk club lamb program. The sires are also tested for both scrapie and spider carrier genes.
   

Lambing over four hundred ewes is a full time job for Tom. Every successful operation has great teamwork and the same is true of Slack Club Lambs. Thad Leininger was a member of the team from 1993 to 2008. He was an integral part of the club lamb success and growth. Brett Slack now works full time and his wife, Kaitlyn, pitches in to help with everything involving the sheep. They keep the hay business on a roll during the summer, as well lambing, feeding and preparing for the shows and sales. Our "Promotion and Smile Director" arrived in December 2016 when Breelyn was born. She keeps Brett and Kaitlyn on their toes already. Breelyn loves the barn and sheep. She is now the owner of a small Southdown flock. In 2020 Kasenn joined the family. He's ready to ride in any tractor on the farm and already likes sheep. Val's job is marketing, farm records, media updates and sale management to the farm.

   

Brett's show career spanned 10 years with Sheep, Swine and Rabbits. He was seldom defeated in showmanship and won the Indiana State Fair Supreme Livestock Showmanship Contest when he was 16.

Kelli's junior show career focused on Rabbits, Goats, and Sheep. She graduated from Purdue in 2009 with a Masters in Agriculture. She became an ARBA judge in 2005 and judges rabbit shows in many states.
   

We appreciate the opportunity to show you the operation and tell
you more about this 4-H project that grew into a full time farm enterprise. Come to Northern Indiana share our enthusiasm for
the “complete meat sheep.”

     
Need ewes? Slack Club Lambs of North Manchester is a one stop shop, if you are searching for long muscular sheep. Need a ram? The next time you need to purchase a stud ram, look no further. We have rams to fit anyone’s needs in both quality and price. We sell over 100 rams, annually from coast to coast. Need a market lamb? The 45th annual “Formula for Champions” Market Lamb sale will be held online March 12,14,16,19,21 2023. Take advantage of our quality and quantity, we have several hundred to choose from! Call us, we always have breeding stock available at the farm.

   


On October 4, 2014, our family grew when Brett married Kaitlyn Verhaeghe. Kaitlyn is no stranger to the sheep world having shown all of her life at local, state, and national shows. We are excited to have Kaitlyn join us. Our daughter Kelli was married in September 2013 to Dr. Aviral Shukla. They now live in Defiance, Missouri where Kelli raises Dutch rabbits and judges shows. Brett and Kaitlyn's first trophy as a married couple.