Why they are Crossed Waco Childbirth Education 74 subscribers Subscribe 127 Share. Non selective grazers that perform well under both extensive and intensive production systems. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. Request PDF | Signatures of selection in sheep and goats infected with Haemonchus contortus | Host genetic variation for resistance to Haemonchus contortus allows selective breeding of animals for . Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Ta Paul.5. HARDINESS best beef in the word is lamb,i like lamb beef spesialis sate.. Amazing sheep, been breeding the Dorper for sometime now and i must say their adaptability is really outstanding. The lambing rate is not as high as other hair breeds. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Its also possible that some pieces of wool or hair remain along the back or on the hind quarters or arm pits. The Gayogoh:n are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. Breed is mainly free of wool and do not normally require shearing. They reach sexual maturity very early, with ewes able to breed between 7 to 9 months of age. Feeding small quantities throughout numerous feedings helps reduce the incidence of bloat and/or diarrhea. They also are not limited to a breeding season, conceiving year round. The SNPs in NOS2, TGFB2, and IL2RA genes were also observed with high genetic differentiation in the Katahdin and St. Croix vs Dorper analysis. While weve missed out on export sales the last several years because of retaining ewes to increase flock numbers, Mexican buyers will be coming by this spring. At that weight there are no problems with too much fat cover whatsoever. Ewes will breed back before the lambs are weaned. View Details. If you plan on going into the meat production business, its important to know the difference between types of sheep meat. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');This breed is also exceptionally hardy, able to thrive in both the cold, and the hot, humid climates in which many farmers struggle to raise sheep, making it a good choice for almost any climate in the United States. This market presented difficulties such as lambing in the dead of winter, having lambs large enough (especially when Passover comes early) and pooling with your neighbors to find enough lambs for a truckload. In addition to being a smaller breed, the lambs tend to mature slowly, not reaching ideal market weight until around 2 years of age. Hair sheep breeds are growing in popularity as consumers look for economical ways to raise homestead meat animals. The Kasteel White Dorper Stud farm lies in an arid area of the Republic of South Africa, called the Great Karoo. This behavior causes problems with maintaining desirable trees unless protection is provided. The Dorper Sheep is a hardy resilient South African breed of sheep that can withstand various harsh climates, environments and intensive operations. Mostly Katahdin hair ewes exposed to Dorper and Katahdin bucks. 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. Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. Sold all our cattle. Whether youre looking to be more self-sufficient or to make some income selling meat to local restaurants, raising sheep for meat can enable you to do both. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. Photo courtesy of:Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. As mentioned earlier, the Katahdin breed has served us well. a From the review: Notter, g. 1978. The coat is a mixture of hair and wool and will shed from animal in late spring/early summer. Katahdins are docile, medium-sized sheep; ewes weigh 125 to 185 pounds, rams 180 to 250 pounds. 3 year old Dorper Katahdin Ram. Thirdly how long after separation to market. This increases the risk of falls and injury, which can be expensive to fix. Plainview, Tx. This breed tolerates both heat and cold making them a good choice for most climates. It is a very hardy breed and is disease resistant. The mild and yet rich flavor of these culled ewes is remarkable and does not at all remind anyone of mutton. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. Hairbreeds have many positive traits that make them an ideal animal for small farms, homesteads, and of course, larger commercial farms. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. the last time the ewe had triplets she would not take care of the tiny black one but at first she did.. but my husband ended up bottle feeding the last one born. Katahdins are awesome and productive mothers plus they are a very hardy breed and the Dorper will put more size on the meat sheep. 2023, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Extract Natural Dye for Wool from Goldenrod Plants, Why Teach Classes on How to Knit, Spin, Weave or Felt, Use This Sweater Mitten Pattern to Bring New Life to Old Clothes. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If ewes are fed well, lambing rate approaches the higher end. As a result, the Katahdin is the most common hair sheep in America. Dorper sheep originated in South Africa and were the result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian sheep. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. They have less subcutaneous fat on average and are a bit leaner because there is less feathering in the muscles. The Dorper grows more wool but self-sheds annually. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. There are lots of Dorper breeders in NC also, as well as "commercial" crossbreeds: You can search this site by States to find Scrapie-free certified breeders of sheep and goats: I bottle fed him for three months and give him grain 2x a day, and free choice hay as well as pasture grass. This is true for Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix in particular, because they have not been subjected to selection for size and growth rate of the woolen breeds. With a high rate of multiple births and a gentle temperament, this is a good choice for people looking to start a hair sheep business, particularly in warm climates. (A friend with Polypay and Katahdin sheep has had the same experience. You will find the occasional larger patch of wool in your pasture and you will definitely find wool and hair on the trees where the sheep rub. Although the breed was created in the 1930s, it is still fairly new to the US. Now you have a good idea of the pros and cons of both Dorper and Katahdin sheep, which one is right for your homestead? To appeal to ethnic buyers, it often requires a change in flock management. You must log in or register to reply here. Katahdin would adapt best under humid, warm conditions, while Dorper would be best suited for dry arid and semiarid rangeland conditions. In winter puts on coat that is shed as temperatures increase. Coat & Color: Most of the individuals are white, but tan and spotted ones exist. Early maturing Terminal cross lambs. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. The saving grace are our Dorpers. That is normal. We currently have about 100 ewes. 2 are Katahdin and 2 are katahdin/dorper crosses. These White Dorper female replacement lambs already look very much like purebred White Dorpers Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. Dorper-sired. He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Dorpers are theoretically better muscled, meatier carcass, faster growing, but we haven't seen that to be true. or you can contact me at- ~Ann, Your email address will not be published. The first generation grows quite well due to the heterosis effect, but nearly always has a wool coat. The Dorper sheep has gained popularity in the last decade for meat production, with ewes reaching a weight of 170-250 pounds, and rams up to 250 pounds. And does anyone have experience with katahdin ewes on dorper bucks . 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. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses At Stoneheart Farms we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. Dorper and Katahdin are medium size breeds. Docking tails is unnecessary, although you still see some old timers that dock just because they always have. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. Due to its heavily muscled carcass, the Texel sheep is a very popular meat breed. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. "Shearing the wool was tough," he recalls, but the price paid for wool nearly covered feed costs. You can overcome this by making sure your walls are high enough, and that there is nothing in their enclosure that they can climb onto. In South Africa, the Dorper is likewise most commonly found in arid and semi . Origin: Developed in the Virgin Islands for crosses of West African hair sheep and Wiltshire Horn. Tunis sheep are able to thrive in a variety of climates, and tolerate both heat and cold well. The ancestry is believed to be of both African hair sheep and European breeds. This is a very good article to read and understand the secrets of Raising Katahdin Sheep. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. study was done that showed the parasite resistance. Wondering whether to add Dorper or Katahdin sheep to your homestead? Demand for Dorper breed, and specifically the black head Dorper, is experiencing an unprecedented surge here in the USA. An older, fat sheep is likely where the reputation of nasty mutton comes from. This breed is adaptable and can live in many different climates. This has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with the latitude in which the animal lives: Things being equal, our weights will be lower than the weights of similar Katahdins raised in Canada, but higher than ones raised in Florida. If this same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving an operation. They also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. The percentage of 15/16 is considered purebred. As one of the most populous sheep breeds in America, the Suffolk is a popular choice for meat producers. The carcass of the Cheviot tends to be plump and meaty, with just enough fat to produce a succulent meat. We have just over 1200 breeding ewes & aim for around 2000 when things get better. Environmental Adaptability: Tolerant of both high and low temperatures. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic . Vet. At that weight the fat cover did indeed get too much. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. I used to want a Dorper cross over Katahdin but finally got to see the results of this cross and was not very impressed with the results. McKinney. Cheviots are easy to breed, meeting a 90% lambing average without assistance. Libyans prefer old worn out buck goats for their stronger flavor. Originally bred for their meat, the Katahdin tends to have a wider variation of milk production - some ewes producing significantly more (or significantly less) than the average. Between their size and their courage, llamas may seem intimidating at first. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. You can check my blog at Merino sheep for sale. 2. I no longer sell at livestock auctions mainly because I dont have to. Dries Wiese, the owner and Studbreeder, was 9 years old when his father bought him his first . The purpose of the breed is to efficiently produce meat. Lamb comes from a sheep under the age of 1 year old. Nitrogen retention by lambs fed oscillating dietary protein concentrations. These are some of the best reasons to raise Katahdin sheep - though the list is by no means exhaustive! Our young Katahdins can be difficult to move. Typically, the 75 percent Dorper crosses will exhibit the Dorper coloration and conformation. The Dorper X Katahdin are very popular and providing you use a good quality ram, I would suggest fullblood or purebred, they do tend to really stamp the babies with their type. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. The breeder from whom I purchased the lambs said she is breeding in dorper with the katahdins to "beef" them up a little. Westexas. The Cheviot sheep is best suited for northern, colder climates, and does not tolerate heat as well. With an annual rainfall of approximately 175mm (7 inches), the grazing is mainly scrubland with a stocking rate of 1 LSU per 32 hectare. Dorper and Katahdin are medium size breeds. In general they have low maintenance requirements. 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. They were an excellent choice for this as they seldom bothered the pine trees. What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. . We are in the process of installing another 10,000 feet of electric fence on 25 acres that will result in another nine paddocks. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. Being aware of the pros and cons of each breed will help you to make a better-informed decision over which one is right for your setup. American Blackbelly Flock owners with less than 50 animals have a difficult time getting someone to shear unless they pool their animals with neighbors. Farmersville. You will always need to make compromises if you choose to have a purebred flock. Sheep and cattle have different grazing needs and preferences, and the sheep will clean up the growth that doesnt appeal to the cows. 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. Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. 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. Katahdin Pedigrees Public Area Members List. Like most of the sheep listed here, Texel lambs reach market size quickly, by 5-6 months. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes are docile with good mothering ability. Dorpers grow a combination of hair and wool, and shed naturally meaning no shearing is required. I have seen many Dorper X Katahdins which are small and the only sign they have Dorper in them is the fact that they have black heads, if they had been crossed with a white Dorper, one would assume that there was no Dorper in there at all. Dorper Sheep - Sheep Breed Series 22,946 views Mar 15, 2020 417 Dislike Share The Grass-fed Homestead 75.8K subscribers Shepherdess Tess talks about her Dorper sheep breeding program and how. This matters up here as our point of having hair sheep is to eliminate useless shearing. The Katahdins in the study had a consistently less barber pole worm infestation rate compared to the Dorper and Dorset crosses. We both work off thefarm; therefore time is a commodity in short supply. Dorper ram purchased from Juan Navarro of J.N. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. If you are interested in bringing a herd of small livestock to your homestead, you will want to look into both sheep and goats. The Katahdin sheep breed was developed in Maine to help clear brush in powerline corridors. After lambing season, most of our sheep time is spent managing our pastures so that we can provide our animals with the best quality forage possible. Animal Breeding Abstracts. Have good flocking instinct. Since todays hair sheep breeds are developed from hardy ancestors, they are considered easy keepers because they have a natural resistance to disease and parasites. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. They do produce wool, and will need regular shearing. People converting to hair sheep breeds all notice certain things. Manage Settings Some Ewes shed coats after second lambing. Dorper's are by far the closest hair sheep to the wool breed. Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. I think that we are asking for bloat. Mutton is meat that comes from mature sheep over the age of 1 year old. I used purebred as opposed to full blood White Dorper rams to upgrade my flock. Nick. In conclusion, based on RT and RR, resilience to high HLI conditions ranked St. Croix > Katahdin > Dorper, with lowest . In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. Environmental Adaptability:They are adaptable to all climates. There was only the body fleece that needed shearing. We are currently using rams with high shedding scores, while culling heavily on production traits. Hi just wondering it may be a silly question anyways can you milk Dorper sheep. Bred to produce less back fat, their meat is lean and flavorful. Unsave Save. Good milkers, and is suggested not to wean lambs before three months. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. . Average Birth Weight (Lbs): 7 lbs for small lambs, 4-5 lbs for twin lambs. They are seasonal breeders, conceiving in the Fall and Winter. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 120 - 160, Ram = 180 250. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact | About Us | Sitemap, As one of the most populous sheep breeds in America, the. Difference in color is a matter of preference. The Dorper sheep is a meat sheep breed. These include: Dorper sheep dont produce much milk or wool, which means raising them for meat is your only option. 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. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. its ok to wean the lamb as soon as possible. Katahdins tend to birth twins, with triplets and quadruplets occurring often with good flock management. The Katahdin sheep is listed as a Recovering heritage breed on the ALBC Conservation Priority List. Because of their hair, like the Dorper they do not produce lanolin which will give their meat a milder taste. While there are far fewer cons than there are pros for keeping Dorper sheep, you do need to consider the potential downsides. Interested in raising sheep for wool? Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. What Needle Felting Supplies Do You Use for Sculpting? 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. Blackbellys have hair and not wool, making them a low-maintenance breed. What You Need To Know, link to Goats vs Sheep: Profit, Care & Behavioral Differences, Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. Hi Qazi, When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. 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. Myth #2: Hair sheep don't bring as much on the slaughter market. They are also well suited to survive in the arid extensive regions of South Africa. I would say try the dorpers.. we only raise a few for there is only us out here. Any of the sheep breeds thats considered to be one of the true hair sheep breeds has an advantage in that cockleburs, briars, stick-tights and so forth dont become entangled.