dorper vs katahdin

Thank so much for this information. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'savvyfarmlife_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-leader-1-0');Katahdins are a popular meat breed for sheep farmers. The Katahdin is another great dual-purpose breed, producing on average 210 liters of milk per 210 day cycle. At Kettle Haven Ranch we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. The desire to climb mandates the use of a bale ring to prevent excessive waste. JavaScript is disabled. Required fields are marked *. 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. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. His information is given at the conclusion of the article, pasted below. This ancient breed has thrived in warm climates, continued to produce twins and good carcass weights. Effects of high heat load conditions on body weight, feed intake The breed is actually very good for meat production, and it produce more meat than Dorper and Katahdin sheep. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. Sheep 201: Hair sheep primer I had a Texel flock of 100 breeding ewes at the time when I bought my first White Dorper rams. As with any young growing animal, the weight gains of a Katahdin lamb increase as the protein and digestibility of the forage increases. $300. I cant speak to colder temperatures, taking zero degrees without a problem is good enough for me. Sheep for sale: young grass-fed butcher ram lambs (Dorper & Katahdin) They shed their winter coats during spring and early summer. Manage Settings This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. The main differences between these two breeds are the colors available, and what they can be used for. Breed ideal for pasture lambing and grass/forage based management systems. ( From Buckler Farms near Granville TN) His mom is at least 50% dorper and Katahdin. Some breeders have been working on crosses between traditional wool meat breeds and hair sheep breeds. Coat & Color: The coat can be reddish brown, tan or yellow. The shedding process may take some getting used to but will not litter your pasture with wool Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. . Feeding these breeds too much grain can result in an overabundance of internal fat. The Katahdin Sheep is a domestic breed developed in Maine in the United States and named after the highest peak in Maine, Mount Katahdin. 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. 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 breeder from whom I purchased the lambs said she is breeding in dorper with the katahdins to "beef" them up a little. 46:131-143.. Making a Good Ewe Flock. We have a dispute between the members about feeding sheep after working them. Other than a few lambs for Hispanic weddings, we sell our slaughter animals through the local auction barn. Our paddocks are grazed for 5-7 days followed by 25-34 days of . I've seen some really nice Dorper/Katahdin crosses. Breeding Season: They breed throughout the year. Are Llamas Dangerous? View Details. Culling the genetic faults and only keeping the best rams for breeding will ensure a good future for any new hair sheep breeds. 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. These White Dorper female replacement lambs already look very much like purebred White Dorpers Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. Most Muslims prefer intact ram lambs without tails being docked. What You Need To Know, link to Goats vs Sheep: Profit, Care & Behavioral Differences, Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. There are many great options for meat-producing sheep. (Allardt) "Spike" is a 3 year old ram. In our operation, that sheep breed is the Katahdin sheep. Glenn Land Farm Dexter Cattle & Dorper Sheep Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. Hi Joanne. While there are far fewer cons than there are pros for keeping Dorper sheep, you do need to consider the potential downsides. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. This composite "easy-care" breed was developed from crosses of African hair sheep and a variety of wool breeds with selection for a hair coat, prolificacy, and conformation. ~Ann, Your email address will not be published. Market Weight/Live/Age: 110 lbs / 7 8 months, Professional Horticulture and Pest Services, Breed Directory- American Sheep Industry Association, Hair Sheep Production and Marketing Including Some Breeds, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 1010 N. McDuff Avenue I saw that the author is from Central Missouri, which is where we live. 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. About. We just started raising Katahdins this year. Selling Price: $325.00 / Head. Coat & Color: Has a variety of color ranging from black and tan through yellow with variegated mottled pattern. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. 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. 109:265-275. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. The Katahdin hair sheep is the fastest growing breed in the United States. 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. That applies to purebred WD market lambs as well. 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. Originally, the established buyers at auctions resisted hairsheep in general and they fetched lower prices in places like New Holland. To appeal to ethnic buyers, it often requires a change in flock management. Weight Gain/Daily: 1 pound under intensive production. Now meat sheep producers are lucky if wool prices cover . Dorper's are by far the closest hair sheep to the wool breed. Several myths still surround hair sheep. let me know! Katahdin Pedigrees ~ Members List The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. If you have space to corral a few sheep, you can fill the freezer with a healthy alternative to beef and chicken. Katatdin x Dorper . Our young Katahdins can be difficult to move. A caution when breeding is to choose the right size ram for the ewe. 1. The hair sheep breeds lamb easily in the pasture and the lambs gain weight rapidly and develop to maturity quickly. 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. Katahdins are alert, protective mothers. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility. Ewes will weigh an average of 190 pounds, with rams reaching up to 300 pounds. Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. Just like the Katahdin, you do not have to shear them as they shed their winter coat in the spring. I have noticed that some lambs are showing caramel patches. Tunis sheep are known to have an excellent flavor of meat. I recently purchased 4 ram lambs for meat. I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. Sheep will eat woody vegetation but prefer grass and weeds on the ground. Ron remembers raising wool sheep as a teenager. J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. As mentioned earlier, theres no price discount for Katahdin sheep or Dorper sheep in central Missouri. We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 120 - 160, Ram = 180 250. The Dorper carcass has a good conformation and fat distribution. You can also use them for multiple income streams thanks to their excellent meat and milk production. Have good flocking instinct. 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. The Dorper and the Katahdin were derived from very different types of hair sheep. Jacksonville, FL 32254. (Weve heard them all.). Origin: Developed in the Virgin Islands for crosses of West African hair sheep and Wiltshire Horn. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned. Fencing. I am trying to locate a couple of nice ewe lambs now. This is not a true hair sheep. Mating season for Suffolk sheep usually happens in the Autumn or Winter of each year, as it is for most sheep breeds. 2 are Katahdin and 2 are katahdin/dorper crosses. for info and videos along with books and much more! Is there any way to contact him? Our first lamb - Katahdin Dorper Cross - Farm Homestead Katahdin Hair Sheep | Successful Farming They are prolific breeders as well, often producing twins. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Piel imported three St.Croix sheep. Their hair falls off naturally during the year, making them an easy breed to care for. I would also be interested in bred young ewes. The entire belly is black including areas between the legs, nose and forehead. The thickness of a Katahdin sheeps winter coat will vary among individuals, but it needs to shed completely for an A or AA coat classification, which is the norm. How to Use Goats and Sheep to Clear Brush - Modern Farmer Im very new here currently living in Virginia. HARDINESS Cheviots are easy to breed, meeting a 90% lambing average without assistance. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Extremely reactive to dogs and cats usually as though they wish to flee. Dorper Vs Katahdins | Homesteading Forum Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. For registered breeding stock, permanent wooly fibers are a no-no. Icelandic Sheep are excellent and reliable breeders, breeding seasonally in the Fall to Winter. One of the first breeds to be recognized for its commercial production, the rams can reach more than 250 lbs. They also tend to be highly mobile, which means they will climb on top of anything. When comparing weights, keep in mind we live in north central Missouri. They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. My customers are also distributors of various sizes who sell mainly at restaurants and their private customers. Have been buying in feed since the start of 2018. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. 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. History tells us our present-day sheep are derived from the wild Mouflon sheep, among others, that grew coarse hair with a downy undercoat. The Dorper is a breed of sheep that originated in the south of Africa in the 1940's. It is the product of cross-breeding between the Dorset Horn and Blackhead Persian breeds. So, what about littering the pasture with wool? Are you interested in raising sheep for meat? I raise all my sheep and lambs strictly on pasture and feed no grain whatsoever. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes have good mothering ability and lamb easily unassisted. Black color covers belly, inside legs and thighs and extends up to the neck. 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. I really like all three breeds. Staking livestock to a rope and expecting them to clear vegetation is ineffective and can result in . Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? 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. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. They also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. 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. My friend also mentioned his Katahdin-Dorper lambs are much fatter when born than Polypays. I could always pick out the dorper/katahdin crosses. May 23, 2011 #3 Beekissed Herd Master Joined Aug 3, 2008 Messages 3,634 Reaction score 5,536 Points 453 Location mountains of WV It is also well established that heavy grain feeding does not suit these medium sized sheep since they thrive on so little. 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. A unique characteristic about the Dorper is that they do not breed seasonally, instead they are able to breed year-around. Currently have a friend running dorper but was looking at katahdins since they are a little bigger. An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. Market Weight/Live/Age: 80 110 lbs / 5.5 6 months. What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. Apparently, Momma Kathadin doesnt wait around to see what happens when Mr. Coyote shows up for dinner. Get Shipping Quotes Opens in a new tab. How the breed carries fat is, I think, important when dealing with older sheep. Ewes with young lambs show protective behavior and may raise front feet to strike dogs and cats when confronted. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. Rather than stay in a group, they will scatter in all directions like a covey of quail. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. 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. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. That's interesting! Royal White Sheep Breed - Learn Natural Farming Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. Demand for Dorper breed, and specifically the black head Dorper, is experiencing an unprecedented surge here in the USA. 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 . Sheep are like lawnmowers, while goats are more like Bush Hogs (for the uninitiated, that's the brand name for a machine designed to clear heavy brush). However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. Good milkers, and is suggested not to wean lambs before three months. The breed is famous in the United States for its high performance and low maintenance. Also, much of the flavor ( good or bad) comes from the fat. Some Ewes shed coats after second lambing. I think this is where the good reputation of hair sheep comes in. 1999. If you plan on raising lambs for meat, youll need to know everything that comes with taking care of baby sheep. They are excellent mothers. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. 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. For specific questions, please contact the author. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. Katahdin Sheep - MAD-KETTLE FARM - KATAHDIN SHEEP AND DEXTER CATTLE Required fields are marked *. I think that we are asking for bloat. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. 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: Effects of high heat load conditions on body weight, feed intake Since hair sheep dont have a heavy wool coat, they cant take the cold. But the dorpers always have say ten % that need shearing still. Kt ewes under low-input semiarid conditions of northern Mxico. And some shed one year but not totally the next for no apparent reason at all. After 22 years they are well rooted in South Paris. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. There is the wool type and the hairtype with the hairtype being slightly less meaty but far better shedding. Although the breed was created in the 1930s, it is still fairly new to the US. Please indicate pricing as well. including sheepamong them an extra-special Dorper-Katahdin lamb named Mopple. These breeds are called hair sheep because the coat consists of hair more like that of cattle and many goats rather than wool. 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. Royal White (Dorper x St.Croix) There are without a doubt breeds that surpass White Dorper sheep in one or the other trait. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. You can find out more about lambing Dorper sheep through the American Dorper Sheep Breeders Society. 7 year old Katahdin ewe . Unlike meat goats, hair sheep are resistant to many of the parasites shed by cattle. They also are not limited to a breeding season, conceiving year round. That is normal. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. We are in the process of installing another 10,000 feet of electric fence on 25 acres that will result in another nine paddocks. Yes, you can milk Dorper sheep! Q. Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. Owning Goats vs. Sheep Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. 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. This breed is also exceptionally hardy, able to thrive in both the cold, and the hot, humid climates in which many farmers struggle to. Farmersville. Updated: Monday, February 06, 2023 02:46 PM. High latitudes (up north) have a short growing season with long daylight periods and fast grass growth that is high in protein and low in fiber. Our spring lambs require 4-5 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of gain. They are excellent foragers. These lambs that I have seen are usually by percentage Dorper rams or rams of lesser quality and out of smaller ewes or lesser quality ewes. When it comes down to it, the choice of whether to add Dorper sheep or Katahdin sheep to your homestead is more about personal preference. This information is important to producers and extension agents with an interest in hair sheep. In California prices for hair sheep have surpassed prices for wool sheep and in New Holland they are catching up. Signatures of selection in sheep and goats infected with Haemonchus If you consider hairsheep like White Dorpers in the future dont forget to ask the breeder about the shedding ability of their flock! In addition, shearing is not a requirement thereby reducing operational cost. More on that subject later. Everything You Need to Know About Hair Sheep - Cross S Ranch Best Meat Cross-Breed with Katahdin Ram - Permies When youre raising sheep for meat, the wool is a by-product. Dorper Sheep Breed - Everything You Need to Know - Domestic Animal Breeds The mild and yet rich flavor of these culled ewes is remarkable and does not at all remind anyone of mutton. Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. Due to the high amount of red muscle fibers, the Icelandic sheep has a uniquely tender and fine texture. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. At 90 days, weve had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. The Katahdin and the St Croix give the dogs a little more run for their money, but they are not silly and bounce off fences like some other breeds can even with a lot of handling. Next Page: Flock ID Last Name First Name Farm Name Address City State . One of the oldest breeds of sheep, the Tunis is still a favorite breed for meat production. Some European sheep genetics were incorporated into the African sheep to arrive at the existing hair breeds mentioned above.

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