Trillium Family Farms, LLC
Elizabeth Hernandez
West Virginia
The Farm
Trillium Family Farms, a Veteran-owned, family-run farm in southern West Virginia, specializes in St. Croix Hair Sheep breeding stock, meat chickens, and rabbit meat. Managed by Elizabeth, Patrick, and their three sons, the farm also offers chicken and duck eggs year-round, embodying sustainable, small-scale farming with dedication and care.
The Project Funded
The Genetic Testing Grant supports Trillium Family Farms in testing St. Croix Hair Rams for superior genetics. By identifying desirable traits like parasite resistance and growth efficiency, this grant ensures the production of high-quality breeding stock, advancing sustainable sheep farming practices and preserving the integrity of this valuable heritage breed.
Project Impact
A QR ram introduces the Q allele, slowing progress toward full scrapie resistance in St. Croix Hair Sheep. Strategic breeding with RR ewes can minimize QQ offspring, preserving genetic resistance while balancing other traits. Long-term, widespread QR use may hinder achieving universal resistance within the breed.
