A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. This breed tolerates both heat and cold making them a good choice for most climates. The Dorper is not a true hair sheep, but is included in this fact sheet because it is used in cross breeding programs involving hair sheep. 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. Katahdins are medium size, hardy, low-maintenance, and have a high-quality carcass weight. Weight Gain/Daily: 0.57 lbs under intensive production. Difference in color is a matter of preference. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. Purebred Dorper rams can reach a live-weight of 90-120 kg and ewes 50-80kg. I would say try the dorpers.. we only raise a few for there is only us out here. The ability of this breed to put grass into weight gain is remarkable. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. FLAVOR Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. Required fields are marked *. A list of the breeds of sheep that are thought of as being good ewe breeds would start with (1) Rambouillet sheep such as there are in Texas (2) several kinds of Whitefaced Western sheep, (3) the Dorset breed, which is a white-faced meat breed . Suffolk ewes reach between 180-250 pounds, while rams can top out at 350 pounds. Hello! Unsave Save. Well, at least Katahdins, St Croix and barbs. In our city the sheep are raised very much because the grass is still fertile, Kita wajib menjaga kesuburan tanaman agar domba bisa makan dengan cukup dan bisa berkembang biak dengan baik oleh peternak, In addition to the delicious meat, lamb can also be made of skin for a high-value jacket material, Dorper Sheep: Truths and Myths Tempat jasa sablon kaos murah Kaos sablon Bandung Pusat tempat Pembuatan Kaos sablon Baju Distro di Bandung Konveksi Buat Kaos Kelas Reuni Polo Bandung kawasan Jakarta pusat Berkualitas cetak Screen Printing sablon Digital Custom manual Rubber Plastisol komunitas Reuni Jaket satuan grosiran Kemeja ~ Alamat Tempat Sablon Kaos. They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. The purpose of the breed is to efficiently produce meat. Q. However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. The Katahdin breed was developed in the United States by Michael Piel. To learn more about how you can make money off of sheep, read my article What Do Sheep Produce? If youre grazing crop-field aftermath, their coat will pick up trash where a Katahdin wont. One of the first breeds to be recognized for its commercial production, the rams can reach more than 250 lbs. Some of the main pros of keeping Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep are one of the easiest breeds of sheep to care for. Tunis are solid breeders and excellent mothers. Required fields are marked *. They are excellent foragers. The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. I have a pet ram lamb, texel dorset cross I was told. How do you decide which breed is right for your needs? Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? View Details. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. Looking forward to reply. The ewes are also heavy milkers with excellent maternal instincts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing information on this website or need materials in an alternate format, please contact Cornell University via email at web-accessibility@cornell.edu for assistance. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. In a second study, Dorper or Dorset sired lambs were compared to Barbados Blackbelly x St. Croix or Katahdin lambs. The customers, including the many ethnic customers, caught up and appreciate the milder flavor of hairsheep. 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. How about Field Corn! ByBasil Bactawar, UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Service. for info and videos along with books and much more! Suffolk ewes are excellent mothers and prolific breeders. This information may be used to compare breeds of hair sheep. Many of the Dorper you see have been crossed with Katahdin sheep for several reasons. Just like the Katahdin, you do not have to shear them as they shed their winter coat in the spring. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. For registered breeding stock, permanent wooly fibers are a no-no. 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. Apparently, Momma Kathadin doesnt wait around to see what happens when Mr. Coyote shows up for dinner. This information is important to producers and extension agents with an interest in hair sheep. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. We are currently using rams with high shedding scores, while culling heavily on production traits. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. That is normal. Breeding Season: They breed throughout the year. But the dorpers always have say ten % that need shearing still. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');Considered to be the 2nd most popular breed of sheep in the US, the Dorset sheep is another solid meat-producer. To appeal to ethnic buyers, it often requires a change in flock management. Its important to have an animal thats pure or unaltered for sacrifice in observance of many holidays. I'd go with Dorper ram on Katahdin ewes. Cheviots are easy to breed, meeting a 90% lambing average without assistance. When the price of raw wool fleece is below the cost of shearing the animal, this is not cost effective. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 170 200 (can be less than 170lb), Ram = 220 250. Check out my article Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. For a number of years, there has been a good export market for ewe lambs going to Mexico. 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. As with any young growing animal, the weight gains of a Katahdin lamb increase as the protein and digestibility of the forage increases. A unique characteristic about the Dorper is that they do not breed seasonally, instead they are able to breed year-around. At that weight the fat cover did indeed get too much. This breed was developed after 20 years of breeding and selection. This makes them one of the more profitable breeds to specialize in. 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. May 23, 2011 #3 Beekissed Herd Master Joined Aug 3, 2008 Messages 3,634 Reaction score 5,536 Points 453 Location mountains of WV Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. The phrases youll hear most often is either mutton or lamb. Wondering What to Feed 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. They are also well suited to survive in the arid extensive regions of South Africa. Staking livestock to a rope and expecting them to clear vegetation is ineffective and can result in . 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. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Your email address will not be published. Question is this common? In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they are both excellent options. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. Coat & Color: Coat can be any color or color pattern. They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. They are prolific breeders as well, often producing twins. The Cheviot sheep is best suited for northern, colder climates, and does not tolerate heat as well. Like most of the sheep listed here, Texel lambs reach market size quickly, by 5-6 months. These slaughter lambs sell comparable to pure Katahdin sheep per pound unless theyre full of cockleburs and briars. My customers are also distributors of various sizes who sell mainly at restaurants and their private customers. After 22 years they are well rooted in South Paris. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. Weve found that while genetics play an important role in weight gains, flock management, parasite control, forage quality and forage availability seem to be more important when it comes to the bottom line. 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. Dorpers DO NOT shed their coats as well and consistently as katahdins. If my product would be poorly finished or wouldnt taste good, I surely would lose customers. Average Birth Weight (Lbs): 7 lbs for small lambs, 4-5 lbs for twin lambs. Some are calling these shedding sheep. It is common to have ewes lambing twice per year. The carcass of the Cheviot tends to be plump and meaty, with just enough fat to produce a succulent meat. Though the breed produces wool (and lanolin), it is known to have a particularly mild taste. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. Hair sheep have some attributes that make them admirably suited to fill market niches or fit varying production systems in Florida. However, in older hairsheep the flavor is still impressive due to the genetic factor. They have woolier coats and are slower to shed (most of them). Due to its heavily muscled carcass, the Texel sheep is a very popular meat breed. $300. . (I know, Im not a good farmer) Hair sheep breeds simply shed their hair covering and fleecy undercoat when the weather warms. The Dorper carcass has a good conformation and fat distribution. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. As they say, the proof is in the pudding eating. While Hampshire sheep are seasonal breeders, they tend to have a longer breeding season than others. I dont want him to get unhealthily fat. Sheep will eat woody vegetation but prefer grass and weeds on the ground. However, Texel sheep breed strongly seasonal, are heat sensitive, have at times problems lambing due to the broad head and shoulders, and they need shearing. After 13 years of medical education and military service they landed in Maine to put down roots. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Im very new here currently living in Virginia. Very interesting and informational! Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? Though large in size, Hampshire sheep tend to be a docile and easy-going breed. We have eight foot Scotch Pines that look like a girdled palm tree and have seen them strip an old dried Christmas tree of its needles. Libyans prefer old worn out buck goats for their stronger flavor. 80 pounds at 90 days can be expected. An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. LMAO!!!! 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. Like the Dorper, Dorset ewes are able to breed year-round and are not limited to a typical Fall/Winter breeding season. Owning Goats vs. Sheep We figured the combination would be a meatier sheep." They bought the ram in 1996 and some ewes the following spring. Of the ewe lambs exposed, 95 percent gave birth at the age of 11-13 months. If you combine all traits I have not found a better breed for a farming system based on pasture and direct marketing. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility. The Dorper Sheep is a hardy resilient South African breed of sheep that can withstand various harsh climates, environments and intensive operations. In this area, hair sheep often sell higher than wool sheep. Several myths still surround hair sheep. For instance, they have extended breeding season, and can be used to produce lambs to be marketed when lamb prices are usually high thereby reducing marketing risks.