The phrases youll hear most often is either mutton or lamb. Coat & Color: Has a variety of color ranging from black and tan through yellow with variegated mottled pattern. The ewes are also heavy milkers with excellent maternal instincts. It was a fairly bold move at the time since it meant giving up on the customers who bought breeding stock from me, and since I also didnt know how well my market lambs would sell. Your email address will not be published. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. As a result, the Katahdin is the most common hair sheep in America. He is a native of Germany and lives in the US since 1995. 2023, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Raising Sheep For Profit: Milking Sheep Offer a Small Farm Alternative, Raising Sheep: Buying and Caring for Your First Flock, Raising Sheep For Profit: How to Sell Raw Fleece, Raising Sheep For Profit: A Cattle Man's View. As hair sheep breeds become more popular, it will be important for breeders to ensure the future integrity of the breeds. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. We saw their ad and went to look at their Dorper rams. Selling Price: $325.00 / Head. Plans for the future include a larger lambing/working shed-currently under construction, later lambing to reduce cold weather losses (10percentdeath loss for everything combined, stillborn, drowning in water tank, mashed, runts, etc. They were significantly more reasonably priced and for practical matters were the same. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. This information is important to producers and extension agents with an interest in hair sheep. Keeping Boer Goats: 5 Biggest Disadvantages, 4 Best Places with Sheep for Sale in Missouri, They are easy to breed and commonly give birth to multiple lambs, They arent great for milk or wool production, They dont require shearing, tail docking, or crutching, Lambs take a little longer than some breeds to reach market weight. Good luck! In addition to being a smaller breed, the lambs tend to mature slowly, not reaching ideal market weight until around 2 years of age. Dorper Sheep. It is a very hardy breed and is disease resistant. There are many great options for meat-producing sheep. People in the Midwest or southern states see this and make a trip to Alberta to purchase a super ram. One of the oldest breeds of sheep, the Tunis is still a favorite breed for meat production. We have members from Mexico to Northern Canada and have exported to Ecuador, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom, Chile, and Central America. This is not a true hair sheep. Im sorry I cannot help you. Westexas. My Texel sheep had served me well with their ability to finish on pasture, with their excellent meaty carcasses and with their lambing percentage of over 200 percent. In South Africa, the Dorper is likewise most commonly found in arid and semi . A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. Our paddocks are grazed for 5-7 days followed by 25-34 days of . Origin: This mutton breed was developed in South Africa in the 1930s from Dorset Horn and Blackheaded Persia for the extensive regions of South Africa. They also do well eating the vegetation that other species reject. We find its seldom necessary to trim hooves. Hair sheep have some attributes that make them admirably suited to fill market niches or fit varying production systems in Florida. The Dorper is highly adaptable and does well in harsh conditions. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. Will they settle into a seasonal pattern or will they breed continually? Weight Gain/Daily: 0.57 lbs under intensive production. Hello! Lambing %: Average lambing rate is between 150 and 250%. "We liked their look," Ruby puts in. Jacksonville, FL 32254. They are attentive, protective, and make excellent mothers. That's interesting! Are Llamas Dangerous? Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. As well as a hand full of peanuts every day. (A friend with Polypay and Katahdin sheep has had the same experience. We just started raising Katahdins this year. A maternal breed, Katahdin ewes breed well with the Dorper rams to produce a meaty but feminine lamb. Lambs are efficient producers of meat. You must log in or register to reply here. Libyans prefer old worn out buck goats for their stronger flavor. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Just remember that Dorpers do have multiple births.. we raise some dorpers and they start off with the first time lambing with twins then after that triplets. These are some of the best reasons to raise Katahdin sheep - though the list is by no means exhaustive! A ewes wool will pay her winter feed bill. In our operation, that sheep breed is the Katahdin sheep. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. As you can see in picture Spike has some tiny horn buds; they have never grown . The second reason I chose Dorper over St. Croix is desirability. while letting some lambs reach weights up to 100+ lbs. Variance in RT in periods 3 and 4 ranked St. Croix < Dorper < Katahdin. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. In fact, when we have pot roast from a culled ewe I can still fool my wife into thinking we had lamb for dinner. They are excellent mothers. A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. As we said in the introduction, if youre looking to earn multiple income streams from your sheep, youll probably find Katahdins to be the better option. As we train border collies for sheep and cattle trials and we need a few different types of sheep. At lower latitudes (down south), summer daylight periods are shorter, the temperature higher, grass growth is slower and is lower in protein and higher fiber. Like most of the sheep listed here, Texel lambs reach market size quickly, by 5-6 months. The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. As mentioned earlier, hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds. All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, buildwithmaple.com. The entire belly is black including areas between the legs, nose and forehead. This breed produces rapid-growing lambs, with most lambs being considered ready for market at 12 weeks of age. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. I have some St Croix and they are quite large. Katahdins have hair and not wool, which means they are a low-maintenance breed that will shed their hair naturally. let me know! After being in the business of raising wool sheep of various kinds for two decades, I decided in 2005 to start with hair sheep. The coat is a mixture of hair and wool and will shed from animal in late spring/early summer. The American Sheep Industry recognizes 47 different sheep breeds in the US, with hundreds more recognized internationally. I shear myself and since I wanted to increase the size of my flock I was not looking forward to shearing even more sheep. Thank you. Dorpers DO NOT shed their coats as well and consistently as katahdins. You will want to take into account the mature size of the animal (you can expect to yield 40% of an animals live weight in meat), the quality of meat, and whether it will tolerate your climate. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. History tells us our present-day sheep are derived from the wild Mouflon sheep, among others, that grew coarse hair with a downy undercoat. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. The Dorper have a black head extending in the neck, with a white body. While I cant speak for other hair sheep breeds, Katahdin sheep are often more flighty than many other breeds: Several producers of both hair and wool animals have found coyote losses are considerably lower with Katahdins. Technical Abstract: Tunis are solid breeders and excellent mothers. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. That is normal. Produce large amount of milk. This site is owned and operated by Wild Wire Media, LLC. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. We currently have about 100 ewes. Featured Listing. The percentage of 15/16 is considered purebred. 7/8th exhibit all the traits of purebreds like out-of-season breeding and even many 3/4 look like purebred and shed as well. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. Relative resistance of Dorper crossbred ewes to gastrointestinal nematode infection compared with St. Croix and Katahdin ewes in the southeastern United States. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. It is also exceptionally low-maintenance. Fact: In central Missouri, raising sheep for wool has been a losing proposition for a number of years. They still dont take a huge amount of time to reach it, but it is something to be aware of if you are looking for fast production. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. They are excellent foragers. Materials and methods Feeding these breeds too much grain can result in an overabundance of internal fat. Manage Settings so so far we are separating her and letting the pus drain Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. The Royal White sheep shed their wool naturally, it saves the cost of shearing. This may or may not be the case in other states. Four years ago we began converting all our cropland into pasture and expanded the flock. While there are far fewer cons than there are pros for keeping Dorper sheep, you do need to consider the potential downsides. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. Like the Dorper, Dorset ewes are able to breed year-round and are not limited to a typical Fall/Winter breeding season. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. Ewes weight approximately 200 pounds, and rams average out to around 260 pounds. The Dorper originated in South Africa from crosses between the Dorset and the Blackhead Persian. Half of the group thinks it is okay to feed hot sheep, the other half disagrees. Ultimate Guide. These White Dorper female replacement lambs already look very much like purebred White Dorpers Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. Hi just wondering it may be a silly question anyways can you milk Dorper sheep. No Need to Shear One of the most obvious benefits of raising Katahdin sheep is that they do not need to be sheared on an annual or twice-per-year basis. I used purebred as opposed to full blood White Dorper rams to upgrade my flock. My Dorper ram is not really large but he is bigger than her. Breed utilization for meat production in sheep. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. ByBasil Bactawar, UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Service. Im Carmella. Sure enough, hes been trimming hooves. Sheep for sale: young grass-fed butcher ram lambs (Dorper & Katahdin) Just a little more "stingy" than the Dorper (and I am talking more for working them with dogs). Environmental Adaptability: Tolerant of both high and low temperatures. Katahdins are awesome and productive mothers plus they are a very hardy breed and the Dorper will put more size on the meat sheep. They are well adapted to a variety of climatic and grazing conditions. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. The lighter weights are the result of hot weather reducing forage intake (occurs with all grazing animals) and lowered nutritional quality of cool-season forages. A unique characteristic about the Dorper is that they do not breed seasonally, instead they are able to breed year-around. The Dorper grows more wool but self-sheds annually. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes have good mothering ability and lamb easily unassisted. In another study conducted by Gamble and Zajac for the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA and Virginia Tech, the scientists found that St. Croix "demonstrated high levels of acquired resistance to Haemonchus contortus under conditions of experimental or natural infection." Dorper and Katahdin are medium size breeds. Hi..I have a merino female sheep and I would like to know if its possible to cross it with male dorper sheep to get pregnant .. Do Dorpers only breed seasonally ? Katahdin x Lacaune. The Dorper carcass has a good conformation and fat distribution. They also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. The ability of this breed to put grass into weight gain is remarkable. Because of the wool, the Icelandic sheep do need to be sheared once to twice per year. The Dorper is a South African breed of domestic sheep developed by crossing Dorset Horn and the Blackhead Persian sheep.The breed was created through the efforts of the South African Department of Agriculture to breed a meat sheep suitable to the more arid regions of the country. No difference was noted between the purebred breeds of hair sheep. Please indicate pricing as well. Many Greeks eat lamb for Easter, which is not always the same date as the traditional Easter. The only things to consider include: The fact Katahdin sheep dont produce wool isnt necessarily a disadvantage. I no longer sell at livestock auctions mainly because I dont have to. Average weight for the Cheviot is 130 175 pounds. Hairbreeds have many positive traits that make them an ideal animal for small farms, homesteads, and of course, larger commercial farms. The main questions to ask yourself to determine the answer are: Katahdin sheep come in multiple color varieties, whereas Dorper sheep are white and black. Reaching maturity earlier than many breeds, the Suffolk lamb will reach an average of 116 pounds by 100 days of age. Your email address will not be published. While you can make a great profit selling meat, if you are looking for multiple income streams from your flock then the Dorper may not be the right breed for you. Though size and time to mature are not the Blackbellys strongest points, there are many advantages to raising this hardy breed of sheep. Anymore (at least in Missouri) its the carcass quality that sets the price. Icelandic Sheep are another popular choice for meat, with ewes weighing an average of 150 pounds at maturity, and rams averaging 200 pounds. Have been buying in feed since the start of 2018. Animal Breeding Abstracts. has anyone had CL in Dorper sheep one of my fav ewes has CL and we are trying to find a way to maybe stop it! This is a very old article and I do not have the contact info for John. Our grass-fed ewes normally go into the fall with a body score of 4-5, which makes flushing difficult: Adult Katahdin sheep can maintain themselves on poor quality forage that had our Romanovs literally skin and bones. I am new to the sheep business so I am concerned that she will never be large enough to breed. In many cases, farmers are adding hair sheep to pastures with cattle to maximize efficiency and for parasite control. Though large in size, Hampshire sheep tend to be a docile and easy-going breed. There are three main reasons to raise hair sheep. This is a very good article to read and understand the secrets of Raising Katahdin Sheep. 4 1. Required fields are marked *. There is the wool type and the hairtype with the hairtype being slightly less meaty but far better shedding. If this same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving an operation. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. In conclusion, based on RT and RR, resilience to high HLI conditions ranked St. Croix > Katahdin > Dorper, with lowest . You can check my blog at Merino sheep for sale. They are also highly resistant to many parasites that can become bothersome to other breeds of sheep. While both breeds are exceptionally popular in the US, there are some differences between the two. A caution when breeding is to choose the right size ram for the ewe. In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they are both excellent options. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. Thirty percent of the ewes were first-time lambers, having an average of 1.2 lambs/ewe. He experimented with breeding them to meat breeds, finally reaching a point, in the 1970s, where he named the breed, Katahdins after a nearby mountain in his home state of Maine. The Katahdin sheep breed was developed in Maine to help clear brush in powerline corridors. There are without a doubt breeds that surpass White Dorper sheep in one or the other trait. If I took the chance and had her bred would she be able to carry her lamb/s? So, what about littering the pasture with wool? I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. If there were a hair Hampshire or Suffolk that would do a better job, wed be raising them. I have noticed that some lambs are showing caramel patches. Dorper lambs tolerated the infection more so than Suffolk (wool) lambs when fecal egg counts were low. For us, the Katahdin sheep breed fits our operation and our philosophy quite well. To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Fact: Katahdin sheep, at least, will thrive from hot, humid Florida to the western provinces of Canada. Katahdin Pedigrees Public Area Members List. Nick. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. If ewes are fed well, lambing rate approaches the higher end. Here is a list of the top 10 sheep breeds for meat:if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'savvyfarmlife_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Sheep are one of the most versatile livestock animals you can find when it comes to the number of different products they are able to produce. The wool and hair comes mainly off in such small pieces that it is like a cow or a goat shedding you dont worry about their hair littering the pasture either. Dorper ram purchased from Juan Navarro of J.N. Ta Paul.5. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. The breed was created by crossing Dorset and Blackheaded Persian sheep. We had the idea of crossing a Dorper with their 60 Katahdin ewes. An older, fat sheep is likely where the reputation of nasty mutton comes from. In addition, there is almost no incidence of flystrike with hair sheep breeds. If you plan on raising lambs for meat, youll need to know everything that comes with taking care of baby sheep. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Have good flocking instinct. Members List; Customize Search Results Format: Quick Search: Flock ID: Member Name: Farm Name: State: Records 1 - 100 of 1770 records found matching your criteria: All Records : Page 1 of 18 Go To Page . Royal Whites are more recent in the hair sheep scene and development is still ongoing. Looking forward to reply. When youre raising sheep for meat, the wool is a by-product. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. However, if you are not intending to feed grain and if you dont intend to grow your lambs beyond 100 lbs. They reach sexual maturity early, and will remain fertile for a longer period of time than many other breeds. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses At Stoneheart Farms we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. i love the dorper sheep breed! I love lambs Does lambs has less cholesterol than goat? (Weve heard them all.). The Royal White produces more mea t than Katahdin sheep and Dorper sheep. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/Accursed/Smileys/waiting-bored-waiting-boy-smiley-em.gif, Birthing, Weaning, and Raising Young Sheep. Get Shipping Quotes Opens in a new tab. You can find out more about lambing Dorper sheep through the American Dorper Sheep Breeders Society. Fencing. They have woolier coats and are slower to shed (most of them). ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_3',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');Being native to Iceland, this breed is exceptionally cold-hardy, and is an excellent and efficient forager making it able to thrive and find food in harsh environments. Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal. Average Birth Weight (Lbs): 7 lbs for small lambs, 4-5 lbs for twin lambs. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. Katahdins are medium size, hardy, low-maintenance, and have a high-quality carcass weight. The Blackbelly is a smaller breed of sheep, with ewes maturing at around 100 pounds, and rams weighing on average 120 pounds. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. HARDINESS Most Muslims prefer intact ram lambs without tails being docked. One needs to do a detail review of the information related to the hair breed one wishes to raise. Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. While Dorper sheep are considered a hair breed, Ive found a large number have quite a bit of wool or curly fibers in their coat. The katahdin//dorper crosses are noticeably bigger than the pure katahdins. It improves from year one to year two of age but can again be reduced by external factors like disease or weight loss. Breed ideal for pasture lambing and grass/forage based management systems. I belong to a herding club in Hawaii. Why they are Crossed Waco Childbirth Education 74 subscribers Subscribe 127 Share. Id recommend getting in touch with the author of this article- he might have some good insight for you. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. In colder zones they produce a very heavy winter coat that is shed in spring. I have found that the Katahdin can be a little taller than many of the Dorper but then it will also depend on what bloodlines. Early maturing Terminal cross lambs. Black color covers belly, inside legs and thighs and extends up to the neck. Ewes will weigh an average of 190 pounds, with rams reaching up to 300 pounds. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. This is down to the fantastic range of benefits they deliver. (Allardt) "Spike" is a 3 year old ram. We let them be sheep and just help them along. The breed is actually very good for meat production, and it produce more meat than Dorper and Katahdin sheep. Blackbellys often breed easily and well, usually birthing multiple lambs in one breeding. Katahdins are docile, medium-sized sheep; ewes weigh 125 to 185 pounds, rams 180 to 250 pounds. Although the breed was created in the 1930s, it is still fairly new to the US. It is more flighty than Dorper, Kathadin and St. Croix breeds. People converting to hair sheep breeds all notice certain things. (Grabbing a Romanov thats been walking through cockleburs is like wrestling with a 130-pound cocklebur.). Dorper fullbloods, Katahdin fullbloods and St Croix fullbloods, We have a nice big fullblood dorper ram that we are putting over the St Croix and the Katahdin. Hair coat becomes thick and long as cold weather sets in and the length decreases. The Barbados Blackbelly got its name because of the characteristic black belly on an otherwise red brown coat. Its important to have an animal thats pure or unaltered for sacrifice in observance of many holidays. Dorpers Our goal is to develop a flock of productive, easy-care sheep that are scrapie resistant, require no shearing and that reach market specs on grass. He can be reached by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com or by phoneduring calling hour specified on his answering machineat 585-554-3313. The major disadvantage is that they grow slower and produce a lighter weight carcass than most breeds of European origin. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. As one of the most populous sheep breeds in America, the Suffolk is a popular choice for meat producers. Twice a year my friend with Polypays shows up at work doubled over as he shuffles around in pain. Market Weight/Live/Age: 70 90 lbs / 7 8 months. Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. These slaughter lambs sell comparable to pure Katahdin sheep per pound unless theyre full of cockleburs and briars. We have an 18-cell planned grazing system with 10,000 feet of electric fence and 5,000 feet of underground waterline on 35 acres. Katahdin-sired lambs typically produce carcasses that are heavier in weight and more muscular than St. Croix or Barbados Blackbelly when harvested at a similar age. Dorper sheep do well in warm, arid climates, but can tolerate cold as well. The only problem with colesterol is that the big pharma found a new drug to sell. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. The breed was created by crossing Dorset and Blackheaded Persian sheep. I've seen some really nice Dorper/Katahdin crosses.