He is a native of Germany and lives in the US since 1995. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. Early maturing Terminal cross lambs. They reach sexual maturity very early, with ewes able to breed between 7 to 9 months of age. 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 %: Given an average lambing percent of 150 and 3 lambing in 2 years, Dorper will produce 2.25 lambs on an annual basis. Dorper sheep originated in South Africa and were the result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian sheep. Because of their hair and their low fat content, this breed is known to produce both flavorful and mild meat. (A friend with Polypay and Katahdin sheep has had the same experience. They also tend to be highly mobile, which means they will climb on top of anything. 4 1. Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. Dorper sheep have a distinctive appearance: black heads and white bodies. Also, much of the flavor ( good or bad) comes from the fat. 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 also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. 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. The second reason I chose Dorper over St. Croix is desirability. These breeds are called hair sheep because the coat consists of hair more like that of cattle and many goats rather than wool. 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. Next Page: Flock ID Last Name First Name Farm Name Address City State . We have a dispute between the members about feeding sheep after working them. Like the Dorper, Dorset ewes are able to breed year-round and are not limited to a typical Fall/Winter breeding season. Updated: Monday, February 06, 2023 02:46 PM. Sheep are one of the most versatile producers when it comes to livestock animals. I would also be interested in bred young ewes. This information may be used to compare breeds of hair sheep. $300. Dorper Sheep - Sheep Breed Series - YouTube Hair sheep dont bring as much on the slaughter market. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. 109:265-275. If you combine all traits I have not found a better breed for a farming system based on pasture and direct marketing. As mentioned earlier, hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds. This site is owned and operated by Wild Wire Media, LLC. American Blackbelly I have bought a dorper lamb an intend to serve mountain horny ewes with him has it ever being tried out, hi, Since hair sheep dont have a heavy wool coat, they cant take the cold. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. Due to their superior conformation and shedding characteristics, they have become one of the most popular breeds of sheep in the U.S. What happens if you leave the ram out all year round? Just weaned 530 lambs .If we can get some weight on them worth $200+ in current market. The Blackhead Persian is a fat-rumped hair breed from the arid lands of the Middle East. But the pasture littered with wool as I had feared just did not happen. A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. Lamb chops from Barbados Blackbelly x St. Croix lambs were similar to those from Dorset-sired, Dorper-sired, or Katahdin. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. For a number of years, there has been a good export market for ewe lambs going to Mexico. 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. For several years weve had Romanov/Katahdin crosses. As a result, the Katahdin is the most common hair sheep in America. 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. Signatures of selection for resistance to - BMC Genomics This article first appeared in the May/June 2010 Hobby Farms. east TX farm & garden "dorper sheep" - craigslist I bottle fed him for three months and give him grain 2x a day, and free choice hay as well as pasture grass. Check out my article Best Sheep for Wool: Top 8 Sheep Breeds for Wool. Effects of high heat load conditions on body weight, feed intake Breeding Season: They breed throughout the year. This breed is also exceptionally hardy, able to thrive in both the cold, and the hot, humid climates in which many farmers struggle to. The Dorper sheep is a meat sheep breed. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. At Kettle Haven Ranch we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. . It is more flighty than Dorper, Kathadin and St. Croix breeds. Q. 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. If you plan on raising lambs for meat, youll need to know everything that comes with taking care of baby sheep. 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. Im Carmella. Hair sheep have some attributes that make them admirably suited to fill market niches or fit varying production systems in Florida. Secondly at what age are you removing lambs from mothers . So, what about littering the pasture with wool? I dont want him to get unhealthily fat. Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. WHY I DON'T RAISE ST. CROIX SHEEP | DORPER vs. ST. CROIX as Meat Breeds The Dorper is a good example of this interbreeding. Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. Kt ewes under low-input semiarid conditions of northern Mxico. 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). 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. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa. Is there any way to contact him? Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogoh:n (the Cayuga Nation). Stoneheart Farm was established in 1994 by John and Doreen Simmons. They do produce wool, and will need regular shearing. He farms in the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York. Not only do they suffer fewer complications during birthing compared to some other breeds, but they also give birth to multiple lambs. They are excellent mothers. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. Produce large amount of milk. In general they have low maintenance requirements. Why Katahdin x Dorper Crosses At Stoneheart Farms we specialize in Katahdin x Dorper crosses for exceptional market lambs and for replacement breeding stock. My wife and I feel theres no best breed, but rather which breed best fits your operation. 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 ? 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. If I took the chance and had her bred would she be able to carry her lamb/s? Two weeks later, the ewes hadnt lost any body condition. Our spring lambs require 4-5 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of gain. 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. Considered to be the 2nd most popular breed of sheep in the US, the Dorset sheep is another solid meat-producer. (Icelandic sheep grow a double coat.) Though large in size, Hampshire sheep tend to be a docile and easy-going breed. Environmental Adaptability: Withstand heat and cold well, and part of this adjustment to extremes is behavioral. Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. 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. I recently purchased 4 ram lambs for meat. Royal White Sheep Breed - Learn Natural Farming Katahdin Dorper cross ram lambs for Sale - Highnote Alabama They will definitely get too fat. Some of the ancestors of these breeds originated in Africa and were brought to the Caribbean Islands, Central America and northern South America during the 18th and 19th century. Although the breed was created in the 1930s, it is still fairly new to the US. Hair sheep breeds (Katahdin, St. Croix, Barbados) generally have much greater parasite resistance than wooled breeds, especially after one year of age. I'll be using my Barbados Blackbelly ram on my BB ewes and also a few Kathadin ewes. I've seen some really nice Dorper/Katahdin crosses. I have seen many Dorper X Katahdins which are small and the only sign they have Dorper in them is the fact that they have black heads, if they had been crossed with a white Dorper, one would assume that there was no Dorper in there at all. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. The percentage of 15/16 is considered purebred. Effects of high heat load conditions on body weight, feed intake -. 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." The carcass of the Cheviot tends to be plump and meaty, with just enough fat to produce a succulent meat. Lambing %: Lambing rates vary from 150% to 250% with 3 lambing every 2 years not uncommon. Katahdins often breeding out of season. At that weight the fat cover did indeed get too much. 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. Some of the main pros of keeping Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep are one of the easiest breeds of sheep to care for. After being in the business of raising wool sheep of various kinds for two decades, I decided in 2005 to start with hair sheep. This is a very good article to read and understand the secrets of Raising Katahdin Sheep. Id recommend getting in touch with the author of this article- he might have some good insight for you. 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. St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations.