May-June lambs on pasture alone (10-13percentprotein and 60-65percent DOM) will average 45 pounds. I used purebred as opposed to full blood White Dorper rams to upgrade my flock. Lambing %: Given an average lambing percent of 150 and 3 lambing in 2 years, Dorper will produce 2.25 lambs on an annual basis. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. Stoneheart Farm was established in 1994 by John and Doreen Simmons. Average Birth Weight (Lbs): 7 lbs for small lambs, 4-5 lbs for twin lambs. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. Future importations to university breeding flocks led to the development of the American Blackbelly sheep breed. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Piel imported three St.Croix sheep. Dorper ram purchased from Juan Navarro of J.N. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. They dont need to be sheared, they have a docile temperament making them easy to handle, and they are resistant to disease. The Blackbelly is a smaller breed of sheep, with ewes maturing at around 100 pounds, and rams weighing on average 120 pounds. 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. 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. If you plan on raising lambs for meat, youll need to know everything that comes with taking care of baby sheep. We have all three breeds. Photo courtesy of:Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. The coat is a mixture of hair and wool and will shed from animal in late spring/early summer. I belong to a herding club in Hawaii. Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. Work with your states department of agriculture if youre interested in export sales. Ewes with young lambs show protective behavior and may raise front feet to strike dogs and cats when confronted. A maternal breed, Katahdin ewes breed well with the Dorper rams to produce a meaty but feminine lamb. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. 100 Dorper - Bred Ewes. To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. They are easy care sheep that divert most of their energy into producing meat instead of wool. These are some of the best reasons to raise Katahdin sheep - though the list is by no means exhaustive! Your email address will not be published. There is the wool type and the hairtype with the hairtype being slightly less meaty but far better shedding. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. As you can see in picture Spike has some tiny horn buds; they have never grown . Unfortunately, as the percentage of Dorper increases, more wool is found in their coat and some animals lose some of their shedding ability. We have a dispute between the members about feeding sheep after working them. 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. Anymore (at least in Missouri) its the carcass quality that sets the price. Because of their hair, like the Dorper they do not produce lanolin which will give their meat a milder taste. Our spring lambs require 4-5 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of gain. Hi Mary. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. We have an 18-cell planned grazing system with 10,000 feet of electric fence and 5,000 feet of underground waterline on 35 acres. When youre raising sheep for meat, the wool is a by-product. However, they all shed around the belly, legs, head, and all the other places that would otherwise prolong shearing. 3 year old Dorper Katahdin Ram. The low maintenance qualities of Katahdins allow us the time to do so. They also are not limited to a breeding season, conceiving year round. Ive spent my entire life around farm animals, and I created Savvy Farm Life to share the helpful information Ive learned over the years. The Katahdin sheep breed was developed in Maine to help clear brush in powerline corridors. A ewes wool will pay her winter feed bill. This breed was developed after 20 years of breeding and selection. 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. I bottle fed him for three months and give him grain 2x a day, and free choice hay as well as pasture grass. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. 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. Ewes weight approximately 200 pounds, and rams average out to around 260 pounds. Ron remembers raising wool sheep as a teenager. What You Need To Know. This is not a true hair sheep. (Weve heard them all.). The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. 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 also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. 109:265-275. We live in central NSW ( Australia ) our usual rainfall is 30 inchs, temp range from -7 deg to 45 deg C ( yes 115 F ) but over the past 3 years we have been experiencing a huge drought. Sheep will eat woody vegetation but prefer grass and weeds on the ground. The breed was developed in the mid-1950s by crossing imported St. Croix Sheep and several other breeds, including the Suffolk Sheep. Nick. Good set of ewes. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. Wondering What to Feed Sheep? At lower latitudes (down south), summer daylight periods are shorter, the temperature higher, grass growth is slower and is lower in protein and higher fiber. 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. Environmental Adaptability: Tolerant of both high and low temperatures. Originally, the established buyers at auctions resisted hairsheep in general and they fetched lower prices in places like New Holland. As we train border collies for sheep and cattle trials and we need a few different types of sheep. 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. Lamb meat is known to be more tender and tasty. "Shearing the wool was tough," he recalls, but the price paid for wool nearly covered feed costs. Docking tails is unnecessary, although you still see some old timers that dock just because they always have. we really enjoy that black baby lamb and she is 9 months old now. . To learn more about baby sheep, check out my article Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. ByBasil Bactawar, UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Service. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal. Youll find these sheep to have an easy-going temperament, and they tend to produce leaner meat with even fat distribution. Just weaned 530 lambs .If we can get some weight on them worth $200+ in current market. If you combine all traits I have not found a better breed for a farming system based on pasture and direct marketing. Katahdin is probably the more economical choice, however, namely because they can produce both meat and milk. JavaScript is disabled. What is the point of getting hairsheep when you end up shearing them? They are the generally more fertile in hot humid regions and show greater tolerance to parasites than woolen breeds. Breed is mainly free of wool and do not normally require shearing. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses. 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. Icelandic Sheep are excellent and reliable breeders, breeding seasonally in the Fall to Winter. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand higher heat and humidity than British sheep breeds. Originally publishedin sheep! However, they have been cross-bred with other breeds over the years to develop the modern breed we see today. (Icelandic sheep grow a double coat.) They do produce wool, and will need regular shearing. 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. A qualityregistered lamb will bring triple the fat lamb price. Katahdin ewes weigh around 125-185 pounds, and rams average around 200 pounds. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. If ewes are fed well, lambing rate approaches the higher end. In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. Have good flocking instinct. However, if I consider the traits described in this article and add the easy lambing, good mothering and fertility as well as the calm disposition and eye appealing looks of these sheep to the mix, I have come very close to the ideal breed at least for my farming system and my market. Half of the group thinks it is okay to feed hot sheep, the other half disagrees. The Katahdan tend to be a little more "active", in general not quite as docile, though many would disagree but they are still quiet. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa. Market Weight/Live/Age: 60 80 lbs / 9 month. Also, much of the flavor ( good or bad) comes from the fat. The Dorper carcass has a good conformation and fat distribution. As one of the most populous sheep breeds in America, the Suffolk is a popular choice for meat producers. Dorper Sheep. 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 . Black color covers belly, inside legs and thighs and extends up to the neck. Next Page: Flock ID Last Name First Name Farm Name Address City State . The only problem with colesterol is that the big pharma found a new drug to sell. 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. Dorpers tend to be a little larger, and Katahdins are excellent mothers, so a Dorper /Kathadin cross is nearly perfect. They are hardy and do well in range. The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. The customers, including the many ethnic customers, caught up and appreciate the milder flavor of hairsheep. Katahdin Dorper The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. Fencing. There is a growing market demand for high-quality, naturally-fed lamb. J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. Our flock is managed through pasture rotation from April until late December. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. Savvyfarmlife.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. Today I have 1/2, 3/4, 7/8th, and 15/16th White Dorper sheep. Texel sheep do best in colder climates, as they are exceptionally cold-hardy and have been known to be sensitive to the heat. There are a lot of advantages to keeping Dorper sheep in the US. (Grabbing a Romanov thats been walking through cockleburs is like wrestling with a 130-pound cocklebur.). 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. 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). Katahdins tend to birth twins, with triplets and quadruplets occurring often with good flock management. After slaughter, all thats left is hide, manure and stomach contents. Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. It was bred from West African hair sheep and is extremely well-adapted to hot, humid conditions. That applies to purebred WD market lambs as well. Wondering whether to add Dorper or Katahdin sheep to your homestead? The Dorper have a black head extending in the neck, with a white body. I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. 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. A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. Sheep for sale: young grass-fed butcher ram lambs (Dorper & Katahdin) Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. BREEDING DORPER 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. Ta Paul.5. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. View Details. Research has shown Dorper have good parasite tolerance or resilience rather than resistance. They shed their winter coats during spring and early summer. But the dorpers always have say ten % that need shearing still. Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. My Texel and Dorset lambs that I used to have in the past didnt differ that much in flavor, although the WD lambs are indeed milder tasting. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. How often do dorpers have breeding problems and we will then have to pull the lambs? 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. It is also exceptionally low-maintenance. I had on occasion lambs butchered that exceeded 110 pounds. Owning Goats vs. Sheep Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. keep checking it out! Thirdly how long after separation to market. As with any young growing animal, the weight gains of a Katahdin lamb increase as the protein and digestibility of the forage increases. Dorpers Our goal is to develop a flock of productive, easy-care sheep that are scrapie resistant, require no shearing and that reach market specs on grass. The Katahdin is another great dual-purpose breed, producing on average 210 liters of milk per 210 day cycle. 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. To learn more about how you can make money off of sheep, read my article What Do Sheep Produce? 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. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/Accursed/Smileys/waiting-bored-waiting-boy-smiley-em.gif, Birthing, Weaning, and Raising Young Sheep. Hello! I cant speak to colder temperatures, taking zero degrees without a problem is good enough for me. I had a Texel flock of 100 breeding ewes at the time when I bought my first White Dorper rams. . With an annual rainfall of approximately 175mm (7 inches), the grazing is mainly scrubland with a stocking rate of 1 LSU per 32 hectare. Lambing Interval:It ranges from 6 to 8 months. Are Llamas Dangerous? However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. Dorpers grow a combination of hair and wool, and shed naturally meaning no shearing is required. For more on the differences, plus potential pros and cons between the breeds, read on. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. 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. I recently purchased 4 ram lambs for meat. Despite being a hairsheep, White Dorpers do not lack winter hardiness Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. Hi currently running flock of 600. Demand for Dorper breed, and specifically the black head Dorper, is experiencing an unprecedented surge here in the USA. Staking livestock to a rope and expecting them to clear vegetation is ineffective and can result in . 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. The saving grace are our Dorpers. This is a very old article and I do not have the contact info for John. Weight Gain/Daily: 1 pound under intensive production. Sheds coat as temperature and day length increase. At that weight there are no problems with too much fat cover whatsoever. In 1975 Utah State University imported a small flock of Virgin Island White which is the basis for the present St. Croix breed in North America. The other half needed shearing. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Twice a year my friend with Polypays shows up at work doubled over as he shuffles around in pain. My customers are also distributors of various sizes who sell mainly at restaurants and their private customers. Ten percent of sheep breeds are hair breeds but ninety percent of these are found in tropical areas. Hair sheep primer . We began our Katahdin Sheep herd with non-registered sheep but have added registered Katahdin ewes to our farm. Origin: This breed originated from Maine, U.S. from crosses of woolen breeds mainly Suffolk and later Wiltshire Horn with hair sheep from the Virgin Islands. That is normal. if any one would be interested in buying some good quality Dorpers check out my website MGDorpers.com it is comming out soon! Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. The desire to climb mandates the use of a bale ring to prevent excessive waste. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. Market Weight/Live/Age: 80 110 lbs / 5.5 6 months. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand heat and cold well, and part of this adjustment to extremes is behavioral. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. They started with an idle, tired farm and through years of blood, sweat and tears have transformed it into a vibrant . All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, God Save the Beef: Trials of Sustainable Farming in the UK . Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? They have woolier coats and are slower to shed (most of them). 7 year old Katahdin ewe . It is more flighty than Dorper, Kathadin and St. Croix breeds. So, what about littering the pasture with wool? Cole, N.A. After 22 years they are well rooted in South Paris. 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.
George Brent Born Again, Articles D
George Brent Born Again, Articles D