This matters up here as our point of having hair sheep is to eliminate useless shearing. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. The Barbados Blackbelly got its name because of the characteristic black belly on an otherwise red brown coat. Many ethnic groups want a much different lamb or goat than has been marketed in the past. Dorpersare known for their fast weight gains as lambs. Difference in color is a matter of preference. Suffolk ewes have an excellent lambing rate of 180%, making them a solid choice for breeding. Though size and time to mature are not the Blackbellys strongest points, there are many advantages to raising this hardy breed of sheep. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. Relative resistance of Dorper crossbred ewes to gastrointestinal nematode infection compared with St. Croix and Katahdin ewes in the southeastern United States. The outside temp is above 85* sheep are heaving and panting rapidly. While Im sure Ill rile a lot of Dorper breeders, Ive seen too many that had been sheared before a sale, which defeats the purpose of a hair animal. Animal Breeding Abstracts. Ultimate Guide. 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. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. No wool to deal with makes perfect economic sense. Hampshire sheep can live in almost any climate, making them a hardy breed. Your email address will not be published. When selecting breeding stock, choose animals with good feet. So, what about littering the pasture with wool? The desire to climb mandates the use of a bale ring to prevent excessive waste. I think this is where the good reputation of hair sheep comes in. "Shearing the wool was tough," he recalls, but the price paid for wool nearly covered feed costs. The Kasteel White Dorper Stud farm lies in an arid area of the Republic of South Africa, called the Great Karoo. Just weaned 530 lambs .If we can get some weight on them worth $200+ in current market. Im sure by now you have an answer. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. Its also common to see animals of up to a year old climbing to the top of a big bale of hay. Not only do they suffer fewer complications during birthing compared to some other breeds, but they also give birth to multiple lambs. While I had no worries about my 1/2 market lambs since the Texel influence was still strong, my anticipation when the first 3/4 market lambs were harvested was great. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. My wife and I feel theres no best breed, but rather which breed best fits your operation. Their main advantage is that they adapt well to hot humid climate where woolen breeds do not thrive well. Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! About. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. JavaScript is disabled. ( From Buckler Farms near Granville TN) His mom is at least 50% dorper and Katahdin. Keep reading to learn more about the best sheep breeds for meat. Carefully breeding only the best stock will ensure that the extreme hardiness and good mothering ability remain. 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. Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. 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. Dorper's are by far the closest hair sheep to the wool breed. The Katahdin hair sheep is the fastest growing breed in the United States. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes have good mothering ability and lamb easily unassisted. BREEDING DORPER SHEEP These are some of the best reasons to raise Katahdin sheep - though the list is by no means exhaustive! I am trying to locate a couple of nice ewe lambs now. They do produce wool, and will need to be shorn annually. Dorpers are theoretically better muscled, meatier carcass, faster growing, but we haven't seen that to be true. Dorper sheep originated in South Africa and were the result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian sheep. As you can see in picture Spike has some tiny horn buds; they have never grown . Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados. To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. Continue with Recommended Cookies. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. I can only put this down to past genetics. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, Mr. Piel did not live long enough to see his breed reach having a registry and breed standards. 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. They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. 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. As with any young growing animal, the weight gains of a Katahdin lamb increase as the protein and digestibility of the forage increases. These include: Dorper sheep dont produce much milk or wool, which means raising them for meat is your only option. Choosing breeding stock with this in mind can avoid this problem. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I cant speak to colder temperatures, taking zero degrees without a problem is good enough for me. 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. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. Cole, N.A. If ewes are fed well, lambing rate approaches the higher end. The second reason I chose Dorper over St. Croix is desirability. Typically, the 75 percent Dorper crosses will exhibit the Dorper coloration and conformation. Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. The Dorper and the Katahdin were derived from very different types of hair sheep. An older, fat sheep is likely where the reputation of nasty mutton comes from. Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. Cheviots are easy to breed, meeting a 90% lambing average without assistance. We also sell breeding stock locally. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. Ewes will weigh an average of 190 pounds, with rams reaching up to 300 pounds. If you consider hairsheep like White Dorpers in the future dont forget to ask the breeder about the shedding ability of their flock! Katahdin would adapt best under humid, warm conditions, while Dorper would be best suited for dry arid and semiarid rangeland conditions. 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. What You Need To Know, link to Goats vs Sheep: Profit, Care & Behavioral Differences, Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. for info and videos along with books and much more! This site is owned and operated by Wild Wire Media, LLC. Katahdins are alert, protective mothers. i want buy texel sheep unit so please tell how can buy it this breed. This increases the risk of falls and injury, which can be expensive to fix. The ability of this breed to put grass into weight gain is remarkable. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. Often, when a new breed or type is rising in popularity, careful breeding can fall to the wayside in the haste to have stock to sell. 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. Its important to have an animal thats pure or unaltered for sacrifice in observance of many holidays. Last but not least on our list is the Cheviot breed. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. Special Notes The Dorper sheep are very hardy animals. That is normal. Origin: Developed in the Virgin Islands for crosses of West African hair sheep and Wiltshire Horn. ), more intense selection for increased body length and a ewe flock of around 160-175 ewes. Tunis are solid breeders and excellent mothers. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. Some of the main pros of keeping Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep are one of the easiest breeds of sheep to care for. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. Katahdin meat tends to be leaner than many other breeds. After slaughter, all thats left is hide, manure and stomach contents. I have some St Croix and they are quite large. Tunis sheep are able to thrive in a variety of climates, and tolerate both heat and cold well. Because of the wool, the Icelandic sheep do need to be sheared once to twice per year. 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. Lambing %: Given an average lambing percent of 150 and 3 lambing in 2 years, Dorper will produce 2.25 lambs on an annual basis. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? Grazing animals put on weight quickly in preparation for the long winters. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 100 130, Ram = 120 150. He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. Tunis sheep are known to have an excellent flavor of meat. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. It is now farmed in other areas as well, and is the second most common sheep breed in South Africa. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. 3 year old Dorper Katahdin Ram. A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. 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. After being in the business of raising wool sheep of various kinds for two decades, I decided in 2005 to start with hair sheep. McKinney. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Piel imported three St.Croix sheep. However, they all shed around the belly, legs, head, and all the other places that would otherwise prolong shearing. Market Weight/Live/Age: 80 110 lbs / 5.5 6 months. 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. They will definitely get too fat. Are Llamas Dangerous? Grading up to Dorper. No difference was noted between the purebred breeds of hair sheep. Any sheep can technically produce meat, but if youre looking to raise sheep for commercial meat production, youll want to make sure you get a good return on investment. If breeding your own sheep for sustainable meat production, you will also want to know the breeding habits of each breed, and whether the sheep produces wool or grows hair this is helpful to know when it comes to maintenance. Origin: This breed is sometimes referred to as Barbados Blackbelly, but it is different from the polled Barbados as a result of crosses with European breeds. The shedding process may take some getting used to but will not litter your pasture with wool Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. His information is given at the conclusion of the article, pasted below. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Dorpers grow a combination of hair and wool, and shed naturally meaning no shearing is required. There is a growing market demand for high-quality, naturally-fed lamb. A maternal breed, Katahdin ewes breed well with the Dorper rams to produce a meaty but feminine lamb. My question is, how much should he weigh. Katahdins have hair and not wool, which means they are a low-maintenance breed that will shed their hair naturally. Crossbred individuals tend to be more vigorous, more fertile . Katahdin Dorper The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand heat and cold well, and part of this adjustment to extremes is behavioral. The number of feedings can be reduced over time to twice a day by 3-4 weeks of age. Like most of the sheep listed here, Texel lambs reach market size quickly, by 5-6 months.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'savvyfarmlife_com-leader-2','ezslot_10',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-leader-2-0'); With an extended breeding season of nearly 5 months, Texel sheep are prolific breeders. An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. The Cornell Small Farms Program is housed at Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) in Ithaca, NY, and works in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension across New York State. its ok to wean the lamb as soon as possible. The lambing rate is not as high as other hair breeds. Market Weight/Live/Age: 70 90 lbs / 7 8 months. Since Missouri has more Katahdin sheep than any other state, the majority of export animals come from here. In this area, hair sheep often sell higher than wool sheep. Vigorous growers, the Icelandic produce lambs that are market-ready at 70-100 pounds in as little as 4-5 months. Lamb chops from Barbados Blackbelly x St. Croix lambs were similar to those from Dorset-sired, Dorper-sired, or Katahdin. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thirty percent of the ewes were first-time lambers, having an average of 1.2 lambs/ewe. Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. We have members from Mexico to Northern Canada and have exported to Ecuador, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom, Chile, and Central America. 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 ? In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. Interested in raising sheep for wool? When youre raising sheep for meat, the wool is a by-product. Most lambs are considered market-ready by 9-12 weeks. 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. The ewes produce vigorous, healthy, robust lambs that have a high survivability. Milk replacers should be fed at 10%-20% of the lamb's body weight, divided into 4-6 feedings/day during the first week of life. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses. Katahdin x Texel. Some of the ancestors of these breeds originated in Africa and were brought to the Caribbean Islands, Central America and northern South America during the 18th and 19th century. Katahdins often breeding out of season. They are the generally more fertile in hot humid regions and show greater tolerance to parasites than woolen breeds. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. Environmental Adaptability:They are adaptable to all climates. They do produce wool, and will need regular shearing. It is common to have ewes lambing twice per year. You can check my blog at Merino sheep for sale. He can be reached by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com or by phoneduring calling hour specified on his answering machineat 585-554-3313. How do you decide which breed is right for your needs? However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. Hi Mary. There are very few disadvantages of keeping Katahdin sheep. The reproductive rate of true hair sheep is excellent. They can mature to be up to 6 tall, can reach over 400 pounds, and they dont back down Goats vs Sheep: Profit, Care & Behavioral Differences.
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