The SNPs in NOS2, TGFB2, and IL2RA genes were also observed with high genetic differentiation in the Katahdin and St. Croix vs Dorper analysis. 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 that weight there are no problems with too much fat cover whatsoever. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. It is actually a hybrid which is bred for producing more meat, less fat and less wool with the goal of producing lean tender meat. He experimented with breeding them to meat breeds, finally reaching a point, in the 1970s, where he named the breed, Katahdins after a nearby mountain in his home state of Maine. 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. In this area, hair sheep often sell higher than wool sheep. Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. 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. Fencing. To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. The lambing rate is not as high as other hair breeds. You can even crossbreed them to develop unique varieties for your farm or homestead. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? And some shed one year but not totally the next for no apparent reason at all. -. Youll find these sheep to have an easy-going temperament, and they tend to produce leaner meat with even fat distribution. In winter puts on coat that is shed as temperatures increase. Id recommend getting in touch with the author of this article- he might have some good insight for you. Because of the wool, the Icelandic sheep do need to be sheared once to twice per year. keep checking it out! Are Llamas Dangerous? An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Coat & Color: Solid white or white with black head. All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, God Save the Beef: Trials of Sustainable Farming in the UK . Last but not least on our list is the Cheviot breed. The major disadvantage is that they grow slower and produce a lighter weight carcass than most breeds of European origin. The Dorper is highly adaptable and does well in harsh conditions. With an annual rainfall of approximately 175mm (7 inches), the grazing is mainly scrubland with a stocking rate of 1 LSU per 32 hectare. Cole, N.A. 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. Cheviots are easy to breed, meeting a 90% lambing average without assistance. You can find out more about lambing Dorper sheep through the American Dorper Sheep Breeders Society. People converting to hair sheep breeds all notice certain things. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. If there were a hair Hampshire or Suffolk that would do a better job, wed be raising them. Hair coat becomes thick and long as cold weather sets in and the length decreases. 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. Crossing these breeds with woolen breeds for efficient meat production does hold some potential. 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 ? Hair sheep dont bring as much on the slaughter market. However, they have been cross-bred with other breeds over the years to develop the modern breed we see today. I really like all three breeds. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. To be successful, you must sell quality, and I stress quality animals; send anything else to slaughter. 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. Currently have a friend running dorper but was looking at katahdins since they are a little bigger. Ewes weight approximately 200 pounds, and rams average out to around 260 pounds. Hairbreeds have many positive traits that make them an ideal animal for small farms, homesteads, and of course, larger commercial farms. The ewes produce vigorous, healthy, robust lambs that have a high survivability. They do produce wool, and need to be shorn on a regular basis. There are a lot of advantages to keeping Dorper sheep in the US. 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. and, as such, the data are estimates. I am trying to locate a couple of nice ewe lambs now. I would also be interested in bred young ewes. He is a native of Germany and lives in the US since 1995. We let them be sheep and just help them along. 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. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. including sheepamong them an extra-special Dorper-Katahdin lamb named Mopple. BREEDING DORPER SHEEP Myth #2: Hair sheep don't bring as much on the slaughter market. Two varieties of Dorper Sheep were created: the black headed Dorper and an all white variety, the White Dorper sheep. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. The Dorper sheep is a meat sheep breed. 46:131-143.. Making a Good Ewe Flock. For several years weve had Romanov/Katahdin crosses. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. A ewes wool will pay her winter feed bill. The reproductive rate of true hair sheep is excellent. 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 meat tends to be leaner than many other breeds. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility. The carcass of the Cheviot tends to be plump and meaty, with just enough fat to produce a succulent meat. Katahdin sheep will strip the bark from cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark. I have a black face ewe and she is very fat and is 7 months old, should I be worried about her having a lamb and is she old enough to get in lamb. 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. Ta Paul.5. Baby Sheep: What a Baby Sheep is Called & Other Fun Facts. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare productive performance of F 1 Dp vs . The best genetics wont keep an animal from starving to death. I no longer sell at livestock auctions mainly because I dont have to. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogoh:n dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogoh:n people, past and present, to these lands and waters. Due to its heavily muscled carcass, the Texel sheep is a very popular meat breed. The only problem with colesterol is that the big pharma found a new drug to sell. As mentioned earlier, hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds. 80 pounds at 90 days can be expected. I have no way of weighing him. Selling Price: $325.00 / Head. 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. Though not year-round breeders, Tunis often breed out of season, with the occasional lamb (or two) born in late Summer / Fall. While Dorper sheep are considered a hair breed, Ive found a large number have quite a bit of wool or curly fibers in their coat. To learn more about how you can make money off of sheep, read my article What Do Sheep Produce? When the price of raw wool fleece is below the cost of shearing the animal, this is not cost effective. I'd go with Dorper ram on Katahdin ewes. The shedding process may take some getting used to but will not litter your pasture with wool Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. He can be reached at 585-554-3313 or by e-mail at ulf@whitecloversheepfarm.com. Your email address will not be published. I bottle fed him for three months and give him grain 2x a day, and free choice hay as well as pasture grass. The cross breeding results in the best of both breeds but also in the benefits of heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor. This breed is also exceptionally hardy, able to thrive in both the cold, and the hot, humid climates in which many farmers struggle to. After 13 years of medical education and military service they landed in Maine to put down roots. In conclusion, based on RT and RR, resilience to high HLI conditions ranked St. Croix > Katahdin > Dorper, with lowest . This site is owned and operated by Wild Wire Media, LLC. Any sheep can technically produce meat, but if youre looking to raise sheep for commercial meat production, youll want to make sure you get a good return on investment. I think that we are asking for bloat. This is not a true hair sheep. Lambing %: Approximately 125%, exceeding 200% with subsequent lambing. Bred to produce less back fat, their meat is lean and flavorful. That is normal. I sell a lot of culled ewes as roasts, ground meat, stew meat and various sausages. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. I would say try the dorpers.. we only raise a few for there is only us out here. 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. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. 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. Thanks, Noela. Ewes with young lambs show protective behavior and may raise front feet to strike dogs and cats when confronted. 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.