Thanks, Noela. However, they are suitable for markets requiring smaller carcass size. I belong to a herding club in Hawaii. Dorsets commonly produce twins and even triplets. While I had no worries about my 1/2 market lambs since the Texel influence was still strong, my anticipation when the first 3/4 market lambs were harvested was great. Manage Settings Subsequent generations with higher percentage shed better and better although shedding is not a black and white thing. November/December 2003 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 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. The ewes are also heavy milkers with excellent maternal instincts. 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. Some are calling these shedding sheep. Can you advise on the availability of a good ram and 10-12 ewe lambs this Spring. Some Ewes shed coats after second lambing. Stoneheart Farm was established in 1994 by John and Doreen Simmons. The only problem with colesterol is that the big pharma found a new drug to sell. Are you interested in raising sheep for meat? Dorper-sired lambs produce carcasses that are most similar in weight and muscling to that of wool breeds, but generally have greater fatness when slaughtered at the same age. They were an excellent choice for this as they seldom bothered the pine trees. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The customers, including the many ethnic customers, caught up and appreciate the milder flavor of hairsheep. Coat & Color: The coat can be reddish brown, tan or yellow. 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). Environmental Adaptability: Withstand heat and cold well, and part of this adjustment to extremes is behavioral. I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. 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. As a result, about 50 percent of the first generation of White Dorper cross bred sheep shed partially or mostly. While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. Work with your states department of agriculture if youre interested in export sales. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. Katahdins have generated a great deal of interest from all parts of North America. I like the Dorper temperament, generally they are a pretty docile breed. The lighter weights are the result of hot weather reducing forage intake (occurs with all grazing animals) and lowered nutritional quality of cool-season forages. They do produce wool, and need to be shorn on a regular basis. In addition to being a smaller breed, the lambs tend to mature slowly, not reaching ideal market weight until around 2 years of age. Ulf, This breed was imported in the US in 1904 and was crossed with Mouflon (wild sheep), Rambouillet and other European breeds to produce what is known as American Blackbelly. Choosing breeding stock with this in mind can avoid this problem. Dorper Sheep vs. Katahdin Sheep. Hi..I have a merino female sheep and I would like to know if its possible to cross it with male dorper sheep to get pregnant .. Do Dorpers only breed seasonally ? Romanov The Romanov breed may not be as popular as the Katahdin and Dorper, but it holds a very important value in this . This spring we had an overall lambing average of 1.9 lambs/ewe born with 1.7 lambs weaned. To learn more about how you can make money off of sheep, read my article What Do Sheep Produce? They also do well eating the vegetation that other species reject. 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 shedding process may take some getting used to but will not litter your pasture with wool Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. As wild sheep were domesticated, breeding for increased wool came into practice. . 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. Though not year-round breeders, Tunis often breed out of season, with the occasional lamb (or two) born in late Summer / Fall. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. As far as winter hardiness is concerned, I have my sheep out in zero degree weather. This information is important to producers and extension agents with an interest in hair sheep. How do you decide which breed is right for your needs? 1999. 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. There is the wool type and the hairtype with the hairtype being slightly less meaty but far better shedding. Sure enough, hes been trimming hooves. Due to the high amount of red muscle fibers, the Icelandic sheep has a uniquely tender and fine texture. 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. Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Because of their hair and their low fat content, this breed is known to produce both flavorful and mild meat. 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). Feel free to contact the author, Ulf Kintzel, at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com for further information. Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. I'll be using my Barbados Blackbelly ram on my BB ewes and also a few Kathadin ewes. The mild and yet rich flavor of these culled ewes is remarkable and does not at all remind anyone of mutton. A list of the breeds of sheep that are thought of as being good ewe breeds would start with (1) Rambouillet sheep such as there are in Texas (2) several kinds of Whitefaced Western sheep, (3) the Dorset breed, which is a white-faced meat breed . Katahdins are a popular meat breed for sheep farmers. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. That applies to purebred WD market lambs as well. 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. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility. When the price of raw wool fleece is below the cost of shearing the animal, this is not cost effective. Staking livestock to a rope and expecting them to clear vegetation is ineffective and can result in . Just like the Katahdin, you do not have to shear them as they shed their winter coat in the spring. 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. 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. Blackbellys have hair and not wool, making them a low-maintenance breed. Jacksonville, FL 32254. They are attentive, protective, and make excellent mothers. For registered breeding stock, permanent wooly fibers are a no-no. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. Myth #2: Hair sheep don't bring as much on the slaughter market. Mutton is meat that comes from mature sheep over the age of 1 year old. Environmental Adaptability: Well adapted to hot, dry, humid and wet conditions. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. They also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. It is also well established that heavy grain feeding does not suit these medium sized sheep since they thrive on so little. I had a Texel flock of 100 breeding ewes at the time when I bought my first White Dorper rams. We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. Texel sheep do best in colder climates, as they are exceptionally cold-hardy and have been known to be sensitive to the heat. This is down to the fantastic range of benefits they deliver. Katahdins are alert, protective mothers. Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. And does anyone have experience with katahdin ewes on dorper bucks . daging domba sangat enak dan sangat kaya akan protein. 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. I have a question. To learn more about baby sheep, check out my article Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. 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. They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. Theyre too small to be of commercial value. This breed is medium-sized and is hardy with a high-quality carcass. We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. We feel that our time must be used where it will improve our operation, rather than maintaining status quo. They reach sexual maturity early, and will remain fertile for a longer period of time than many other breeds. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. Yes, you can milk Dorper sheep! 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. link to Are Llamas Dangerous? Our young Katahdins can be difficult to move. Lambing %: Given an average lambing percent of 150 and 3 lambing in 2 years, Dorper will produce 2.25 lambs on an annual basis. My friend used to manage a flock of purebreds of both breeds and crosses. for info and videos along with books and much more! When comparing weights, keep in mind we live in north central Missouri. Owning Goats vs. Sheep 109:265-275. 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. They were significantly more reasonably priced and for practical matters were the same. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. Katahdin meat tends to be leaner than many other breeds. Hi just wondering it may be a silly question anyways can you milk Dorper sheep. 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.