At 90 days, weve had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. They are prolific breeders as well, often producing twins. Photo courtesy of: Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. After lambing season, most of our sheep time is spent managing our pastures so that we can provide our animals with the best quality forage possible. Next Page: Flock ID Last Name First Name Farm Name Address City State . Now meat sheep producers are lucky if wool prices cover . They have incredible growth of lambs at butcher weight within 6-8 months with carcass weights in the 45-60 lb range. Breed is mainly free of wool and do not normally require shearing. The Dorper grows more wool but self-sheds annually. Half of the group thinks it is okay to feed hot sheep, the other half disagrees. Dorpers grow a combination of hair and wool, and shed naturally meaning no shearing is required. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. How the breed carries fat is, I think, important when dealing with older sheep. A common lamb on good pasture will perform better than Super Lamb on poor pasture. Origin: This mutton breed was developed in South Africa in the 1930s from Dorset Horn and Blackheaded Persia for the extensive regions of South Africa. To showcase the commercial qualities of our animals, all breeding stock we sell comes directly from pasture, having received no special treatment. Hope this helps! 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. Dorpers tend to be a little larger, and Katahdins are excellent mothers, so a Dorper /Kathadin cross is nearly perfect. Bred sheep/ewes (Dorper and Katahdin), bred to a show ram. In fact, when we have pot roast from a culled ewe I can still fool my wife into thinking we had lamb for dinner. The Dorper sheep is a meat sheep breed. Due to the high amount of red muscle fibers, the Icelandic sheep has a uniquely tender and fine texture. Vet. Unfortunately, Mr. Piel did not live long enough to see his breed reach having a registry and breed standards. Twice a year my friend with Polypays shows up at work doubled over as he shuffles around in pain. When the pastures are poor, hair animals hold their body condition much better. I am new to the sheep business so I am concerned that she will never be large enough to breed. These include: Dorper sheep dont produce much milk or wool, which means raising them for meat is your only option. With an annual rainfall of approximately 175mm (7 inches), the grazing is mainly scrubland with a stocking rate of 1 LSU per 32 hectare. They do produce wool, and will need to be shorn annually. They also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. University of South Dakota research found it requires 250-300 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of wool. Ulf Kintzel owns and manages White Clover Sheep Farm (www.whitecloversheepfarm.com) in Rushville, NY where he breeds grass-fed White Dorper sheep. 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. The Dorper have a black head extending in the neck, with a white body. In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they are both excellent options. The Katahdin hair sheep is the fastest growing breed in the United States. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Its important to have an animal thats pure or unaltered for sacrifice in observance of many holidays. The Kasteel White Dorper Stud farm lies in an arid area of the Republic of South Africa, called the Great Karoo. 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. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. What You Need To Know. Can someone tell me a few of the pros and cons for both dorper sand katahdin. They are well adapted to a variety of climatic and grazing conditions. Keep reading to learn more about the best sheep breeds for meat. They grow quickly and reach market weight early. my ewe with CL has had her first batch of lambs last month and she is a really good mother! They can mature to be up to 6 tall, can reach over 400 pounds, and they dont back down Goats vs Sheep: Profit, Care & Behavioral Differences. take it from me, you dont have to worry about anyone getting too fat. Im sorry I cannot help you. Produce large amount of milk. The percentage of 15/16 is considered purebred. What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. My friend used to manage a flock of purebreds of both breeds and crosses. Feeding these breeds too much grain can result in an overabundance of internal fat. Just like the Katahdin, you do not have to shear them as they shed their winter coat in the spring. To appeal to ethnic buyers, it often requires a change in flock management. Katahdins are medium size, hardy, low-maintenance, and have a high-quality carcass weight. My wife and I feel theres no best breed, but rather which breed best fits your operation. We feel that our time must be used where it will improve our operation, rather than maintaining status quo. Best guess is he is 175-200 lbs. You must log in or register to reply here. Can you advise on the availability of a good ram and 10-12 ewe lambs this Spring. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. Photo courtesy of:Dr. Stephan A. Wildeus. Katahdin would adapt best under humid, warm conditions, while Dorper would be best suited for dry arid and semiarid rangeland conditions. The low maintenance qualities of Katahdins allow us the time to do so. The phrases youll hear most often is either mutton or lamb. I've seen some really nice Dorper/Katahdin crosses. If you are interested in bringing a herd of small livestock to your homestead, you will want to look into both sheep and goats. Origin: This breed was developed or evolved on the Eastern Caribbean Island of Barbados. Our paddocks are grazed for 5-7 days followed by 25-34 days of . Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses At Stoneheart Farms we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. Question is this common? 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. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Id recommend getting in touch with the author of this article- he might have some good insight for you. Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. At that weight the fat cover did indeed get too much. The Katahdan tend to be a little more "active", in general not quite as docile, though many would disagree but they are still quiet. Good milkers, and is suggested not to wean lambs before three months. 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. To avoid the coloring and spots that come along with first and second generation cross breeding with Dorper sheep, I decided to go with White Dorper sheep (WD). I had a Texel flock of 100 breeding ewes at the time when I bought my first White Dorper rams. What is the point of getting hairsheep when you end up shearing 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. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. 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. 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. I think that we are asking for bloat. Lamb chops from Barbados Blackbelly x St. Croix lambs were similar to those from Dorset-sired, Dorper-sired, or Katahdin. Culling the genetic faults and only keeping the best rams for breeding will ensure a good future for any new hair sheep breeds. You will always need to make compromises if you choose to have a purebred flock. 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. "Dorper sheep are barrel-shaped with a well-muscled back end. This behavior causes problems with maintaining desirable trees unless protection is provided. They are seasonal breeders, conceiving in the Fall and Winter. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. Ten percent of sheep breeds are hair breeds but ninety percent of these are found in tropical areas. While you can make a great profit selling meat, if you are looking for multiple income streams from your flock then the Dorper may not be the right breed for you. Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. The Dorper is highly adaptable and does well in harsh conditions. ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. BREEDING DORPER SHEEP a From the review: Notter, g. 1978. I have bought a dorper lamb an intend to serve mountain horny ewes with him has it ever being tried out, hi, Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. Lamb comes from a sheep under the age of 1 year old. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes have good mothering ability and lamb easily unassisted. It is raised mainly for meat production. 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. Variance in RT in periods 3 and 4 ranked St. Croix < Dorper < Katahdin. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. Two weeks later, the ewes hadnt lost any body condition. We let them be sheep and just help them along. Nitrogen retention by lambs fed oscillating dietary protein concentrations. Some breeders have been working on crosses between traditional wool meat breeds and hair sheep breeds. 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. Im sure by now you have an answer. 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! I could always pick out the dorper/katahdin crosses. This has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with the latitude in which the animal lives: Things being equal, our weights will be lower than the weights of similar Katahdins raised in Canada, but higher than ones raised in Florida. I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. We both work off thefarm; therefore time is a commodity in short supply. Apparently, Momma Kathadin doesnt wait around to see what happens when Mr. Coyote shows up for dinner. They are also highly resistant to many parasites that can become bothersome to other breeds of sheep. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. So, what about littering the pasture with wool? Thank so much for this information. The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. 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. Unlike meat goats, hair sheep are resistant to many of the parasites shed by cattle. This is a very good article to read and understand the secrets of Raising Katahdin Sheep. They do produce wool, and need to be shorn on a regular basis. Katahdins are awesome and productive mothers plus they are a very hardy breed and the Dorper will put more size on the meat sheep. In addition to being a smaller breed, the lambs tend to mature slowly, not reaching ideal market weight until around 2 years of age. I'd go with Dorper ram on Katahdin ewes. I have found that the Katahdin can be a little taller than many of the Dorper but then it will also depend on what bloodlines. If you consider hairsheep like White Dorpers in the future dont forget to ask the breeder about the shedding ability of their flock! Romanov The Romanov breed may not be as popular as the Katahdin and Dorper, but it holds a very important value in this . One in particular is more like a paint horse. Please indicate pricing as well. Hairsheep breeds such as the Barbados Blackbelly and St.Croix are largely found in these tropical areas of the world. Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. Katahdin ewes weigh around 125-185 pounds, and rams average around 200 pounds. Required fields are marked *. They will definitely get too fat. The Royal White produces more mea t than Katahdin sheep and Dorper sheep. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. and, as such, the data are estimates. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Ewes are docile with good mothering ability. We currently manage between 45-60 ewes per year with about 70% of our flock being registered. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');Considered to be the 2nd most popular breed of sheep in the US, the Dorset sheep is another solid meat-producer. They shed their winter coats during spring and early summer. For example, cold wind and warm sun quickly result in herd finding shelter under conditions when woolen sheep remain in the open. Rather than stay in a group, they will scatter in all directions like a covey of quail. We began our Katahdin Sheep herd with non-registered sheep but have added registered Katahdin ewes to our farm. link to Are Llamas Dangerous? Some are calling these shedding sheep. Kt ewes under low-input semiarid conditions of northern Mxico. In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. How do you collect wool from self-shearing sheep? 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. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. Rams generally have horns. Considered to be the 2nd most popular breed of sheep in the US, the Dorset sheep is another solid meat-producer. Originally publishedin sheep! While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. The bodybuilder of the sheep world, the Texel sheep is known for its heavily-muscled and sturdy frame. 4 1. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. My Dorper ram is not really large but he is bigger than her. Very interesting and informational! This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. 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 . This means that, theoretically, a Dorper ewe can produce a lamb (or 2 or 3) every 8 months. A large-framed, late-maturing breed will not have the necessary carcass quality at these weights, whereas Katahdin sheep or Dorpers will. How often do dorpers have breeding problems and we will then have to pull the lambs? Several Polypay owners in the area worm all animals 6-8 times during the summer and still lose animals to stomach worms. Whether youre looking to be more self-sufficient or to make some income selling meat to local restaurants, raising sheep for meat can enable you to do both. 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). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Lambs are efficient producers of meat. Dorpers are theoretically better muscled, meatier carcass, faster growing, but we haven't seen that to be true. The Blackbelly is a smaller breed of sheep, with ewes maturing at around 100 pounds, and rams weighing on average 120 pounds. (Allardt) "Spike" is a 3 year old ram. May-June lambs on pasture alone (10-13percentprotein and 60-65percent DOM) will average 45 pounds. Unfortunately, as the percentage of Dorper increases, more wool is found in their coat and some animals lose some of their shedding ability. 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. His father Barley ( in picture behind him) is a full blooded Dorper. Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. This increases the risk of falls and injury, which can be expensive to fix. Katahdins tend to birth twins, with triplets and quadruplets occurring often with good flock management. Because of their hair and their low fat content, this breed is known to produce both flavorful and mild meat. Future importations to university breeding flocks led to the development of the American Blackbelly sheep breed. Katahdin sheep will strip the bark from cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. 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. Market Weight/Live/Age: 70 90 lbs / 7 8 months. 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. May 23, 2011 #3 Beekissed Herd Master Joined Aug 3, 2008 Messages 3,634 Reaction score 5,536 Points 453 Location mountains of WV Our spring lambs require 4-5 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of gain. If you plan on going into the meat production business, its important to know the difference between types of sheep meat. Katatdin x Dorper . J. Anim Sci 77:215-222. I bottle fed him for three months and give him grain 2x a day, and free choice hay as well as pasture grass. Technical Abstract: This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. They can provide you with information pertaining to regulations, health requirements and local export brokers. Some European sheep genetics were incorporated into the African sheep to arrive at the existing hair breeds mentioned above. I recently purchased 4 ram lambs for meat. The first rams I purchased were of outstanding shedding ability. In a second study, Dorper or Dorset sired lambs were compared to Barbados Blackbelly x St. Croix or Katahdin lambs. Katahdin meat tends to be leaner than many other breeds. I had on occasion lambs butchered that exceeded 110 pounds. To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. There were sequential 2-wk. Plainview, Tx. 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. You can also use them for multiple income streams thanks to their excellent meat and milk production. We have members from Mexico to Northern Canada and have exported to Ecuador, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom, Chile, and Central America. 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. Our young Katahdins can be difficult to move. Its also possible that some pieces of wool or hair remain along the back or on the hind quarters or arm pits. Dorper fullbloods, Katahdin fullbloods and St Croix fullbloods, We have a nice big fullblood dorper ram that we are putting over the St Croix and the Katahdin. Breed ideal for pasture lambing and grass/forage based management systems. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. Featured Listing. 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. Dorset lambs, like the Suffolk and Dorper, mature quickly and are market-ready earlier than many other breeds. What sheep breeds are best for meat? Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 130 140 (Average is 136), Ram = 170 - 200. Three ewes needed assistance lambing (one got it, the other two didnt and lost their lambs), one of which was 8 years old. 1. Mutton is meat that comes from mature sheep over the age of 1 year old. 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. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. Hair coat becomes thick and long as cold weather sets in and the length decreases. In winter puts on coat that is shed as temperatures increase. The breed is famous in the United States for its high performance and low maintenance. In 2001, my friend with Polypay paid $2 to shear $.50 worth of wool per animal. The ability of this breed to put grass into weight gain is remarkable. Katahdin Dorper The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. Originally, the established buyers at auctions resisted hairsheep in general and they fetched lower prices in places like New Holland. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. Dorsets commonly produce twins and even triplets. Demand for Dorper breed, and specifically the black head Dorper, is experiencing an unprecedented surge here in the USA. They are easy care sheep that divert most of their energy into producing meat instead of wool. Required fields are marked *. Some hair breed rams are long-bodied which can create a lengthy birthing scenario for the ewe. A maternal breed, Katahdin ewes breed well with the Dorper rams to produce a meaty but feminine lamb. Generally, hair breeds are more heat tolerant than wool breeds. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. 7 year old Katahdin ewe . 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. 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. No Need to Shear One of the most obvious benefits of raising Katahdin sheep is that they do not need to be sheared on an annual or twice-per-year basis.