These slaughter lambs sell comparable to pure Katahdin sheep per pound unless theyre full of cockleburs and briars. take it from me, you dont have to worry about anyone getting too fat. History tells us our present-day sheep are derived from the wild Mouflon sheep, among others, that grew coarse hair with a downy undercoat. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. . The breed was created by crossing Dorset and Blackheaded Persian sheep. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. has anyone had CL in Dorper sheep one of my fav ewes has CL and we are trying to find a way to maybe stop it! 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. Wondering What to Feed Sheep? The Dorper and the Katahdin were derived from very different types of hair sheep. Jacksonville, FL 32254. A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. While Hampshire sheep are seasonal breeders, they tend to have a longer breeding season than others. One of the first breeds to be recognized for its commercial production, the rams can reach more than 250 lbs. 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. Rams generally have horns. This breed was developed after 20 years of breeding and selection. Thirdly how long after separation to market. The entire belly is black including areas between the legs, nose and forehead. . Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. I can only put this down to past genetics. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. To learn more about baby sheep, check out my article Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. Thank so much for this information. 2023, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Extract Natural Dye for Wool from Goldenrod Plants, Why Teach Classes on How to Knit, Spin, Weave or Felt, Use This Sweater Mitten Pattern to Bring New Life to Old Clothes. There were sequential 2-wk. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. Breed is mainly free of wool and do not normally require shearing. Ewes weight approximately 200 pounds, and rams average out to around 260 pounds. $300. We have all three breeds. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. And does anyone have experience with katahdin ewes on dorper bucks . 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. In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. I like the Dorper temperament, generally they are a pretty docile breed. At 90 days, weve had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. Disposition & Mothering Ability: This breed is a bit flighty. 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. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. 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. At Kettle Haven Ranch we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Ron remembers raising wool sheep as a teenager. The best genetics wont keep an animal from starving to death. Considered to be the 2nd most popular breed of sheep in the US, the Dorset sheep is another solid meat-producer. Mexicans prefer a larger lamb, and let nothing go to waste. Do you have to go around picking it up out of the pasture? Animal Breeding Abstracts. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Well, at least Katahdins, St Croix and barbs. What You Need To Know. But the dorpers always have say ten % that need shearing still. FLAVOR 2022 Cornell Small Farms. 1999. Dorsets commonly produce twins and even triplets. They were significantly more reasonably priced and for practical matters were the same. while letting some lambs reach weights up to 100+ lbs. If there were a hair Hampshire or Suffolk that would do a better job, wed be raising them. mantap ! The SNPs in NOS2, TGFB2, and IL2RA genes were also observed with high genetic differentiation in the Katahdin and St. Croix vs Dorper analysis. The ancestry is believed to be of both African hair sheep and European breeds. We feel that our time must be used where it will improve our operation, rather than maintaining status quo. 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. The Dorper sheep has gained popularity in the last decade for meat production, with ewes reaching a weight of 170-250 pounds, and rams up to 250 pounds. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Romanov The Romanov breed may not be as popular as the Katahdin and Dorper, but it holds a very important value in this . They also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. Hi currently running flock of 600. 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. For the Katahdin vs Dorper analysis (Table 1), 8 SNPs under selection were observed in SOCS2, NOS2, TGFB2 and IL2RA genes within OAR3, 11, 12 and 13, respectively. I'll be using my Barbados Blackbelly ram on my BB ewes and also a few Kathadin ewes. including sheepamong them an extra-special Dorper-Katahdin lamb named Mopple. It improves from year one to year two of age but can again be reduced by external factors like disease or weight loss. Breeding Season: They breed throughout the year. After slaughter, all thats left is hide, manure and stomach contents. Bred to produce less back fat, their meat is lean and flavorful. Unfortunately, as the percentage of Dorper increases, more wool is found in their coat and some animals lose some of their shedding ability. 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.. (Allardt) "Spike" is a 3 year old ram. 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. This may be due to the fact that wool can hide a lot of rib bones and other defects, while with a hair sheep what you see is what you get. They shed their winter coats during spring and early summer. We are currently using rams with high shedding scores, while culling heavily on production traits. They do produce wool, and will need to be shorn annually. As a result, about 50 percent of the first generation of White Dorper cross bred sheep shed partially or mostly. While hair breeds comprise a small percentage of the number of sheep in North America, this is changing as sustainability becomes a bigger issue for landowners. Thanks, I am considering starting a small Dorper and or Katahdin herd to raise meat for the Western New York market. One in particular is more like a paint horse. my ewe with CL has had her first batch of lambs last month and she is a really good mother! Like the Dorper, Dorset ewes are able to breed year-round and are not limited to a typical Fall/Winter breeding season. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare productive performance of F 1 Dp vs . Lambing %: Lambing rates vary from 150% to 250% with 3 lambing every 2 years not uncommon. Work with your states department of agriculture if youre interested in export sales. Four years ago we began converting all our cropland into pasture and expanded the flock. 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. Because of their hair and their low fat content, this breed is known to produce both flavorful and mild meat. (Icelandic sheep grow a double coat.) Katahdin Pedigrees Public Area Members List. Some hair breed rams are long-bodied which can create a lengthy birthing scenario for the ewe. Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados. The only problem with colesterol is that the big pharma found a new drug to sell. I have no way of weighing him. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. 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. They also tend to be highly mobile, which means they will climb on top of anything. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 100 130, Ram = 120 150. 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. Of the ewe lambs exposed, 95 percent gave birth at the age of 11-13 months. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. They are excellent mothers. 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. Stoneheart Farm was established in 1994 by John and Doreen Simmons. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. My friend used to manage a flock of purebreds of both breeds and crosses. As mentioned earlier, theres no price discount for Katahdin sheep or Dorper sheep in central Missouri. Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. 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. This breed averages in maturity at around 175 220 pounds. Katahdin is probably the more economical choice, however, namely because they can produce both meat and milk. The only things to consider include: The fact Katahdin sheep dont produce wool isnt necessarily a disadvantage. A caution when breeding is to choose the right size ram for the ewe. I would also be interested in bred young ewes. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact | About Us | Sitemap, As one of the most populous sheep breeds in America, the. Dorper lambs tolerated the infection more so than Suffolk (wool) lambs when fecal egg counts were low. We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. Suffolk grow wool continuously, and will need to be sheared annually. Hampshire sheep have a muscular and stocky build, and are comparative to the Suffolk in size. They are easy care sheep that divert most of their energy into producing meat instead of wool. 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. 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. 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. Katahdin-sired lambs typically produce carcasses that are heavier in weight and more muscular than St. Croix or Barbados Blackbelly when harvested at a similar age. Required fields are marked *. After 22 years they are well rooted in South Paris. The number of feedings can be reduced over time to twice a day by 3-4 weeks of age. May 23, 2011 #3 Beekissed Herd Master Joined Aug 3, 2008 Messages 3,634 Reaction score 5,536 Points 453 Location mountains of WV -. Dorper and Katahdin are medium size breeds. Since hair sheep dont have a heavy wool coat, they cant take the cold. Hi Qazi, View Details. There is no such thing as an ideal breed. The customers, including the many ethnic customers, caught up and appreciate the milder flavor of hairsheep. Technical Abstract: Ewes will breed back before the lambs are weaned. 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. People in the Midwest or southern states see this and make a trip to Alberta to purchase a super ram. Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/Accursed/Smileys/waiting-bored-waiting-boy-smiley-em.gif, Birthing, Weaning, and Raising Young Sheep. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 2 are Katahdin and 2 are katahdin/dorper crosses. The first rams I purchased were of outstanding shedding ability. Hello! As hair sheep breeds become more popular, it will be important for breeders to ensure the future integrity of the breeds. What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. While there are far fewer cons than there are pros for keeping Dorper sheep, you do need to consider the potential downsides. In addition, there is almost no incidence of flystrike with hair sheep breeds. 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. In colder zones they produce a very heavy winter coat that is shed in spring. 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. Their hair falls off naturally during the year, making them an easy breed to care for. Relative resistance of Dorper crossbred ewes to gastrointestinal nematode infection compared with St. Croix and Katahdin ewes in the southeastern 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. You will want to take into account the mature size of the animal (you can expect to yield 40% of an animals live weight in meat), the quality of meat, and whether it will tolerate your climate. (I know, Im not a good farmer) Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! I had on occasion lambs butchered that exceeded 110 pounds. 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. Thanks, Noela. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. Id recommend getting in touch with the author of this article- he might have some good insight for you. I think that we are asking for bloat. These White Dorper female replacement lambs already look very much like purebred White Dorpers Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. 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. They are attentive, protective, and make excellent mothers. Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Katahdins have generated a great deal of interest from all parts of North America. (Grabbing a Romanov thats been walking through cockleburs is like wrestling with a 130-pound cocklebur.). Your email address will not be published. Carefully breeding only the best stock will ensure that the extreme hardiness and good mothering ability remain. Hair sheep have some attributes that make them admirably suited to fill market niches or fit varying production systems in Florida. They do produce wool, and will need regular shearing. In general they have low maintenance requirements. 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. 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. 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. Katahdins have hair and not wool, which means they are a low-maintenance breed that will shed their hair naturally. We had the idea of crossing a Dorper with their 60 Katahdin ewes. Anymore (at least in Missouri) its the carcass quality that sets the price. They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. Since these breeds are so adaptable, when found in colder climates, the hair sheep adapt by growing a thicker undercoat. Can someone tell me a few of the pros and cons for both dorper sand katahdin. For more on the differences, plus potential pros and cons between the breeds, read on. Fencing. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Some European sheep genetics were incorporated into the African sheep to arrive at the existing hair breeds mentioned above. This matters up here as our point of having hair sheep is to eliminate useless shearing. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Extremely reactive to dogs and cats usually as though they wish to flee. A large-framed, late-maturing breed will not have the necessary carcass quality at these weights, whereas Katahdin sheep or Dorpers will. One needs to do a detail review of the information related to the hair breed one wishes to raise. Reaching maturity earlier than many breeds, the Suffolk lamb will reach an average of 116 pounds by 100 days of age. They reach sexual maturity very early, with ewes able to breed between 7 to 9 months of age. Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. Breeding stock is selected under rigorous criteria, including parasite resistance, hair coat, growth characteristics on grass alone and general thriftiness. Crossbred individuals tend to be more vigorous, more fertile . Twinning is common and triplets and quadruplets are not rare. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. Its also possible that some pieces of wool or hair remain along the back or on the hind quarters or arm pits. That is normal. Katahdins tend to birth twins, with triplets and quadruplets occurring often with good flock management. The percentage of 15/16 is considered purebred. Dorper sheep have a distinctive appearance: black heads and white bodies. 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). I have noticed that some lambs are showing caramel patches. They are hardy and do well in range. The phrases youll hear most often is either mutton or lamb. Weight Gain/Daily: 0.57 lbs under intensive production. Katahdins often breeding out of season. Q. How about Field Corn! They grow quickly and reach market weight early. Katahdin would adapt best under humid, warm conditions, while Dorper would be best suited for dry arid and semiarid rangeland conditions. Most Muslims prefer intact ram lambs without tails being docked. LMAO!!!! At that weight there are no problems with too much fat cover whatsoever. Keep reading to learn more about the best sheep breeds for meat. If this same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving an operation. American Blackbelly The Kasteel White Dorper Stud farm lies in an arid area of the Republic of South Africa, called the Great Karoo. 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. Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? 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. Mostly Katahdin hair ewes exposed to Dorper and Katahdin bucks. The Dorper is a good example of this interbreeding. I have a question. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. 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. I have some St Croix and they are quite large. 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. The wool and hair comes mainly off in such small pieces that it is like a cow or a goat shedding you dont worry about their hair littering the pasture either. J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. Very tolerant of the humid hot conditions in the Carribean andSomolia, Blackhead Persians have a white body and black head. Katahdins are alert, protective mothers. The Dorper Sheep is a hardy resilient South African breed of sheep that can withstand various harsh climates, environments and intensive operations. I cant speak to colder temperatures, taking zero degrees without a problem is good enough for me. But the pasture littered with wool as I had feared just did not happen. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. To showcase the commercial qualities of our animals, all breeding stock we sell comes directly from pasture, having received no special treatment. Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. There are black headed Dorpers (most common) and white Dorpers (harder to find). Though not year-round breeders, Tunis often breed out of season, with the occasional lamb (or two) born in late Summer / Fall. we find dorpers a great sheep to raise and to eat.. had ribs tonight and use the grease on the dry dog food.. dogs love it.. November/December 2003 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 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. Market Weight/Live/Age: 80 110 lbs / 5.5 6 months. Katahdins are awesome and productive mothers plus they are a very hardy breed and the Dorper will put more size on the meat sheep. Are you interested in raising sheep for meat? The Katahdin is another great dual-purpose breed, producing on average 210 liters of milk per 210 day cycle. Coat & Color: Coat can be any color or color pattern. It is common to have ewes lambing twice per year. It is more flighty than Dorper, Kathadin and St. Croix breeds. The mild and yet rich flavor of these culled ewes is remarkable and does not at all remind anyone of mutton. 7 year old Katahdin ewe . How do you collect wool from self-shearing sheep? While they always have access to a wind break when the wind howls, they are not being housed with the exception of those that lamb during the winter. Katahdins are awesome and productive mothers plus they are a very hardy breed and the Dorper will put more size on the meat sheep. The coat is a mixture of hair and wool and will shed from animal in late spring/early summer. ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. While many of the characteristics hair animals possess appeal to the hobby flock owner, we expect an animal to make us money; if it doesnt, its gone. The desire to climb mandates the use of a bale ring to prevent excessive waste. 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 qualityregistered lamb will bring triple the fat lamb price. It is now farmed in other areas as well, and is the second most common sheep breed in South Africa. Future importations to university breeding flocks led to the development of the American Blackbelly sheep breed. Ive spent my entire life around farm animals, and I created Savvy Farm Life to share the helpful information Ive learned over the years. i do not want to cull her from the flock! Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 130 140 (Average is 136), Ram = 170 - 200. This ancient breed has thrived in warm climates, continued to produce twins and good carcass weights. 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). Tunis are solid breeders and excellent mothers. For several years weve had Romanov/Katahdin crosses. The shedding ability of this breed varies greatly. 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. I am new to the sheep business so I am concerned that she will never be large enough to breed. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic . I really like all three breeds. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. Im sure by now you have an answer. Variance in RT in periods 3 and 4 ranked St. Croix < Dorper < Katahdin. The trend is now reversed. My customers are also distributors of various sizes who sell mainly at restaurants and their private customers. As mentioned earlier, hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds. "Dorper sheep are barrel-shaped with a well-muscled back end. 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. Despite being a hairsheep, White Dorpers do not lack winter hardiness Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. 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. All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, God Save the Beef: Trials of Sustainable Farming in the UK . Flock owners with less than 50 animals have a difficult time getting someone to shear unless they pool their animals with neighbors.
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