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. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. The St. Croix breed is descended from the original West African hair sheep although some believe they are a cross breed of Criollo and Wiltshire White sheep. Ewes weight approximately 200 pounds, and rams average out to around 260 pounds. As far as winter hardiness is concerned, I have my sheep out in zero degree weather. While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. 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. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. They do produce wool, and need to be shorn on a regular basis. Sales at the 2022 mid America Dorper Show nearly broke $1 MILLION with the top Dorper ewe bringing $20,000 and ram $12,800. Technical Abstract: The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. Well, at least Katahdins, St Croix and barbs. Photo courtesy of:Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. Required fields are marked *. Dorper and Katahdin are medium size breeds. Katahdin ewes weigh around 125-185 pounds, and rams average around 200 pounds. 2 are Katahdin and 2 are katahdin/dorper crosses. Q. Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. The Cheviot sheep is best suited for northern, colder climates, and does not tolerate heat as well. The ability of this breed to put grass into weight gain is remarkable. Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. Its also possible that some pieces of wool or hair remain along the back or on the hind quarters or arm pits. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. Interested in raising sheep for wool? A ewes wool will pay her winter feed bill. 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. 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. Today I have 1/2, 3/4, 7/8th, and 15/16th White Dorper sheep. There are three main reasons to raise hair sheep. How about Field Corn! The Dorper carcass has a good conformation and fat distribution. Sold all our cattle. The hair sheep breeds lamb easily in the pasture and the lambs gain weight rapidly and develop to maturity quickly. Hi Mary. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Piel imported three St.Croix sheep. We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. You must log in or register to reply here. The trend is now reversed. Ulf Kintzel owns and manages White Clover Sheep Farm (www.whitecloversheepfarm.com) in Rushville, NY where he breeds grass-fed White Dorper sheep. Crossbred individuals tend to be more vigorous, more fertile . Coat & Color: Most of the individuals are white, but tan and spotted ones exist. My question is, how much should he weigh. Despite being a hairsheep, White Dorpers do not lack winter hardiness Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. The Katahdin hair sheep is the fastest growing breed in the United States. They have woolier coats and are slower to shed (most of them). 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. One of the oldest breeds of sheep, the Tunis is still a favorite breed for meat production. These slaughter lambs sell comparable to pure Katahdin sheep per pound unless theyre full of cockleburs and briars. Just a little more "stingy" than the Dorper (and I am talking more for working them with dogs). Katahdin is probably the more economical choice, however, namely because they can produce both meat and milk. 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." 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. Looking forward to reply. No wool to deal with makes perfect economic sense. I have a question. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. A unique characteristic about the Dorper is that they do not breed seasonally, instead they are able to breed year-around. 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. Have been buying in feed since the start of 2018. We may be partial to the breed, but were not raising a hobby flock. This may or may not be the case in other states. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 70 -120, Ram = 110 140. ByBasil Bactawar, UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Service. But what about the market lambs getting too fat? Get Shipping Quotes Opens in a new tab. Im Carmella. This breed tolerates both heat and cold making them a good choice for most climates. They have incredible growth of lambs at butcher weight within 6-8 months with carcass weights in the 45-60 lb range. They also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. There are many great options for meat-producing sheep. 46:131-143.. Making a Good Ewe Flock. Parasite resistance and reproductive efficiency is very high, making the Katahdin a valued breed in the hair sheep industry. The carcass of the Cheviot tends to be plump and meaty, with just enough fat to produce a succulent meat. while letting some lambs reach weights up to 100+ lbs. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. Lambing %: Average lambing rate is between 150 and 250%. I would love to get in touch with the author personally. 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. But the pasture littered with wool as I had feared just did not happen. Katahdin would adapt best under humid, warm conditions, while Dorper would be best suited for dry arid and semiarid rangeland conditions. The Gayogoh:n are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The majority of ewe lambs are sold as registered breeding stock; the majority of ram lambs are sold for slaughter. 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. Check out my article Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. Next Page: Flock ID Last Name First Name Farm Name Address City State . These breeds are called hair sheep because the coat consists of hair more like that of cattle and many goats rather than wool. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Extremely reactive to dogs and cats usually as though they wish to flee. However, since Dorpers can also be found further North in colder climates, I am sure that a lack of winter hardiness is not a trait applying to Dorper sheep. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. Ive spent my entire life around farm animals, and I created Savvy Farm Life to share the helpful information Ive learned over the years. Lambing Interval:It ranges from 6 to 8 months. For registered breeding stock, permanent wooly fibers are a no-no. 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. Subsequent generations with higher percentage shed better and better although shedding is not a black and white thing. The Dorpers get so quiet and even a little lazy that the dogs really have to work hard to make them move much. 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. The ancestry is believed to be of both African hair sheep and European breeds. 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. We saw their ad and went to look at their Dorper rams. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand higher heat and humidity than British sheep breeds. Thank so much for this information. They are well adapted to a variety of climatic and grazing conditions. 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. Half of the group thinks it is okay to feed hot sheep, the other half disagrees. There are without a doubt breeds that surpass White Dorper sheep in one or the other trait. J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. Plainview, Tx. People converting to hair sheep breeds all notice certain things. a From the review: Notter, g. 1978. This information is important to producers and extension agents with an interest in hair sheep. That is normal. Though the breed produces wool (and lanolin), it is known to have a particularly mild taste. 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. However, they have been cross-bred with other breeds over the years to develop the modern breed we see today. Dorper sheep have a distinctive appearance: black heads and white bodies. Vet. This market presented difficulties such as lambing in the dead of winter, having lambs large enough (especially when Passover comes early) and pooling with your neighbors to find enough lambs for a truckload. There are a few characteristics you will want to look for when choosing a meat-producing sheep. This behavior causes problems with maintaining desirable trees unless protection is provided. ), more intense selection for increased body length and a ewe flock of around 160-175 ewes. Forty-six Dorper, 46 Katahdin, and 43 St. Croix female sheep from four regions of the USA were used to evaluate responses to high heat load index (HLI) conditions.
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