They were called Africans at the time. For more on the differences, plus potential pros and cons between the breeds, read on. In addition to being a smaller breed, the lambs tend to mature slowly, not reaching ideal market weight until around 2 years of age. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. i love the dorper sheep breed! Unlike meat goats, hair sheep are resistant to many of the parasites shed by cattle. The Cheviot sheep is best suited for northern, colder climates, and does not tolerate heat as well. A unique characteristic about the Dorper is that they do not breed seasonally, instead they are able to breed year-around. May-June lambs on pasture alone (10-13percentprotein and 60-65percent DOM) will average 45 pounds. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! Crossbred individuals tend to be more vigorous, more fertile . Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 100 130, Ram = 120 150. 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. Texel sheep do best in colder climates, as they are exceptionally cold-hardy and have been known to be sensitive to the heat. Blackbellys have hair and not wool, making them a low-maintenance breed. The outside temp is above 85* sheep are heaving and panting rapidly. If youre grazing crop-field aftermath, their coat will pick up trash where a Katahdin wont. The Royal White produces more mea t than Katahdin sheep and Dorper sheep. 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. 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. 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. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Extremely reactive to dogs and cats usually as though they wish to flee. Suffolk ewes reach between 180-250 pounds, while rams can top out at 350 pounds. Of the ewe lambs exposed, 95 percent gave birth at the age of 11-13 months. Dorpersare known for their fast weight gains as lambs. The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. Variance in RT in periods 3 and 4 ranked St. Croix < Dorper < Katahdin. For us, the Katahdin sheep breed fits our operation and our philosophy quite well. In general they have low maintenance requirements. I'll be using my Barbados Blackbelly ram on my BB ewes and also a few Kathadin ewes. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Hair sheep primer . The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. Lamb meat is known to be more tender and tasty. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. Coat & Color: Solid white or white with black head. Dries Wiese, the owner and Studbreeder, was 9 years old when his father bought him his first . Thank you. When the pastures are poor, hair animals hold their body condition much better. Like the Dorper, Dorset ewes are able to breed year-round and are not limited to a typical Fall/Winter breeding season. Ron remembers raising wool sheep as a teenager. Have good flocking instinct. They dont need to be sheared, they have a docile temperament making them easy to handle, and they are resistant to disease. Staking livestock to a rope and expecting them to clear vegetation is ineffective and can result in . This behavior causes problems with maintaining desirable trees unless protection is provided. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Myth #2: Hair sheep don't bring as much on the slaughter market. Due to the high amount of red muscle fibers, the Icelandic sheep has a uniquely tender and fine texture. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. Katahdin ewes weigh around 125-185 pounds, and rams average around 200 pounds. Feeding small quantities throughout numerous feedings helps reduce the incidence of bloat and/or diarrhea. Anymore (at least in Missouri) its the carcass quality that sets the price. The Dorper is the fastest growing, heaviest-muscled hair sheep breed in the U.S. Dorpers do not shed as well as other hair sheep, but their carcasses are superior to any other breed of hair sheep. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. Early maturing Terminal cross lambs. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Typically, the 75 percent Dorper crosses will exhibit the Dorper coloration and conformation. 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." All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, God Save the Beef: Trials of Sustainable Farming in the UK . At that weight the fat cover did indeed get too much. This information may be used to compare breeds of hair sheep. The Katahdin breed was developed in the United States by Michael Piel. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. Well, at least Katahdins, St Croix and barbs. Feel free to contact the author, Ulf Kintzel, at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com for further information. I shear myself and since I wanted to increase the size of my flock I was not looking forward to shearing even more sheep. The Dorper and the Katahdin were derived from very different types of hair sheep. (A friend with Polypay and Katahdin sheep has had the same experience. Tunis sheep are able to thrive in a variety of climates, and tolerate both heat and cold well. I love lambs Does lambs has less cholesterol than goat? We have just over 1200 breeding ewes & aim for around 2000 when things get better. $300. He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. Westexas. I would say try the dorpers.. we only raise a few for there is only us out here. However, if you are not intending to feed grain and if you dont intend to grow your lambs beyond 100 lbs. Reaching maturity earlier than many breeds, the Suffolk lamb will reach an average of 116 pounds by 100 days of age. As we disperse all our crossbreeds, weve found the crossbred cull ewes with a wool coat have sold for 50-75percentof what comparable weight hair ewes bring. Fencing. Ulf, The other half needed shearing. Manage Settings This breed is medium-sized and is hardy with a high-quality carcass. Ewes with young lambs show protective behavior and may raise front feet to strike dogs and cats when confronted. Originally publishedin sheep! I had heard all the negatives about them such as The lambs get too fat, The lambs sell for less money at auctions, The pasture will be littered with wool as these sheep shed, and They get too cold in the winter. 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. His father Barley ( in picture behind him) is a full blooded Dorper. This breed was developed after 20 years of breeding and selection. Between their size and their courage, llamas may seem intimidating at first. Good luck! In addition, there is almost no incidence of flystrike with hair sheep breeds. Bred sheep/ewes (Dorper and Katahdin), bred to a show ram. Katatdin x Dorper . What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. Katahdins are medium size, hardy, low-maintenance, and have a high-quality carcass weight. We began our Katahdin Sheep herd with non-registered sheep but have added registered Katahdin ewes to our farm. Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. Hello! A common lamb on good pasture will perform better than Super Lamb on poor pasture. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. 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. Suffolk grow wool continuously, and will need to be sheared annually. The breed is famous in the United States for its high performance and low maintenance. 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. Katahdin Dorper The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. Katahdins often breeding out of season. The main differences between these two breeds are the colors available, and what they can be used for. 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 . Ulf owns and operates White Clover Sheep Farm and breeds and raises grass-fed White Dorper sheep and Kiko goats without any grain feeding and offers breeding stock suitable for grazing. You must log in or register to reply here. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility. There is the wool type and the hairtype with the hairtype being slightly less meaty but far better shedding. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. They have less subcutaneous fat on average and are a bit leaner because there is less feathering in the muscles. Owning Goats vs. 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. Not only do they suffer fewer complications during birthing compared to some other breeds, but they also give birth to multiple lambs. A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. They are also well suited to survive in the arid extensive regions of South Africa. Rams generally have horns. Hi Joanne. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. The Dorper has been very effective in increasing the growth rate, carcass size and quality of all the typical hair-type breeds such a the Barbados, Katahdin, St. Croix, the Mexican Pelibuey and other breeds that are considered exotic types. How do you decide which breed is right for your needs? 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. The Katahdin Sheep is a domestic breed developed in Maine in the United States and named after the highest peak in Maine, Mount Katahdin. 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. ), more intense selection for increased body length and a ewe flock of around 160-175 ewes. If you combine all traits I have not found a better breed for a farming system based on pasture and direct marketing. Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? Im sure by now you have an answer. November/December 2003 and regularly vetted for accuracy. I direct sell a great number of lambs. Sheds coat as temperature and day length increase. Today I have 1/2, 3/4, 7/8th, and 15/16th White Dorper sheep. By John Kirchhoff For many people, mentioning hair sheep evokes either I wouldnt have anything else or a No way would I have them response. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Kt ewes under low-input semiarid conditions of northern Mxico. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/Accursed/Smileys/waiting-bored-waiting-boy-smiley-em.gif, Birthing, Weaning, and Raising Young Sheep. Ten percent of sheep breeds are hair breeds but ninety percent of these are found in tropical areas. All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, buildwithmaple.com. I belong to a herding club in Hawaii. J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. They are excellent foragers. Good milkers, and is suggested not to wean lambs before three months. Katahdins are alert, protective mothers. 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. While it is estimated that hair sheep comprise only 10 percent of the world's sheep population, their numbers are growing, especially in temperate climates like the United States. Required fields are marked *. At Kettle Haven Ranch we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. Very interesting and informational! There are three main reasons to raise hair sheep. Culling the genetic faults and only keeping the best rams for breeding will ensure a good future for any new hair sheep breeds. They reach sexual maturity early, and will remain fertile for a longer period of time than many other breeds. They also are not limited to a breeding season, conceiving year round. Unfortunately, Mr. Piel did not live long enough to see his breed reach having a registry and breed standards. How the breed carries fat is, I think, important when dealing with older sheep. An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. I think this is where the good reputation of hair sheep comes in. Breed utilization for meat production in sheep. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. Compared to other breeds, these sheep are relatively new, dating back to the 1950s. Icelandic Sheep are another popular choice for meat, with ewes weighing an average of 150 pounds at maturity, and rams averaging 200 pounds. The shedding ability of this breed varies greatly. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. Lambing %: Given an average lambing percent of 150 and 3 lambing in 2 years, Dorper will produce 2.25 lambs on an annual basis. Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. Half of the group thinks it is okay to feed hot sheep, the other half disagrees. Because of the wool, the Icelandic sheep do need to be sheared once to twice per year. Dorset sheep have lean and muscular carcasses, making them excellent at producing meat. Animal Breeding Abstracts. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand heat and cold well, and part of this adjustment to extremes is behavioral. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. 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. Royal Whites are more recent in the hair sheep scene and development is still ongoing. Your email address will not be published. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. Parasitol. The breeds of hair sheep that are of importance in Florida include Katahdin, St. Croix, American Blackbelly, and Barbados Blackbelly. If you consider hairsheep like White Dorpers in the future dont forget to ask the breeder about the shedding ability of their flock! Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes are docile with good mothering ability. Non selective grazers that perform well under both extensive and intensive production systems. Ulf owns and operates White Clover Sheep Farm and breeds and raises grass-fed White Dorper sheep and Kiko goats without any grain feeding and offers breeding stock suitable for grazing. Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. 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. University of South Dakota research found it requires 250-300 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of wool. The Gayogoh:n are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. Grading up to Dorper. 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, Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogoh:n. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. 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. An older, fat sheep is likely where the reputation of nasty mutton comes from. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. Some European sheep genetics were incorporated into the African sheep to arrive at the existing hair breeds mentioned above. Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. Sheep will eat woody vegetation but prefer grass and weeds on the ground. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. Originating in South Africa, these lovable and attractive sheep tend to come with a lot more pros than cons. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. The leather from hair sheep grain is finer than the leather from wool breeds and brings in a larger amount of money. 46:131-143.. Making a Good Ewe Flock. Fact: In central Missouri, raising sheep for wool has been a losing proposition for a number of years. It is also well established that heavy grain feeding does not suit these medium sized sheep since they thrive on so little. Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogoh:n (the Cayuga Nation). 109:265-275. I have a very small Dorper ewe, she is 7 months old but very small. Blackbellys are often left unvaccinated due to their disease and parasite resistance (though of course, we recommend you do your research on the breed and talk to a vet about what they recommend for vaccinating). Moreover, RT was slightly less for Katahdin vs. Dorper in period 4 at 13:00 and 17:00 however, RR was less for Katahdin than for Dorper in periods 3 and 4. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. The breed is actually very good for meat production, and it produce more meat than Dorper and Katahdin sheep. Coat & Color: Most of the individuals are white, but tan and spotted ones exist. For specific questions, please contact the author. 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. Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados. I cant speak to colder temperatures, taking zero degrees without a problem is good enough for me. Some Ewes shed coats after second lambing. What sheep breeds are best for meat? Thank so much for this information. Ewes typically reach sexual maturity by 7 months. The reproductive rate of true hair sheep is excellent. They do produce wool, and will need to be shorn annually. I'd go with Dorper ram on Katahdin ewes. Sheep for sale: young grass-fed butcher ram lambs (Dorper & Katahdin) Several Polypay owners in the area worm all animals 6-8 times during the summer and still lose animals to stomach worms. You are using an out of date browser. Nick. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Benefits of This Breed The Dorper are preferred for their excellent feed utilisation and conversion: they don't need shearing, crutching and mulesing, and they are disease resistant.
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