Environmental Adaptability:They are adaptable to all climates. Weight Gain/Daily: 1 pound under intensive production. Ulf owns and operates White Clover Sheep Farm and breeds and raises grass-fed White Dorper sheep and Kiko goats without any grain feeding and offers breeding stock suitable for grazing. He is 8 months old. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. For the Katahdin vs Dorper analysis (Table 1), 8 SNPs under selection were observed in SOCS2, NOS2, TGFB2 and IL2RA genes within OAR3, 11, 12 and 13, respectively. If you combine all traits I have not found a better breed for a farming system based on pasture and direct marketing. Lambing %: Average lambing rate is between 150 and 250%. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa. Get Shipping Quotes Opens in a new tab. He is a native of Germany and lives in the US since 1995. Hair sheep breeds are growing in popularity as consumers look for economical ways to raise homestead meat animals. Compared to other breeds, these sheep are relatively new, dating back to the 1950s. The flavor of the market lambs is in my opinion mostly influenced by the fact that these lambs are grass-fed. As far as winter hardiness is concerned, I have my sheep out in zero degree weather. Tunis sheep are known to have an excellent flavor of meat. study was done that showed the parasite resistance. Yes, you can milk Dorper sheep! This information may be used to compare breeds of hair sheep. Have good flocking instinct. If this same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving an operation. The major disadvantage is that they grow slower and produce a lighter weight carcass than most breeds of European origin. When the price of raw wool fleece is below the cost of shearing the animal, this is not cost effective. While mutton and lamb may seem like more of a rarity in America, it is more popular as a main dish in other parts of the world. Hi currently running flock of 600. Lamb meat is known to be more tender and tasty. Since hair sheep dont have a heavy wool coat, they cant take the cold. Your email address will not be published. Feel free to contact the author, Ulf Kintzel, at [email protected] for further information. No wool to deal with makes perfect economic sense. Lambing Interval:It ranges from 6 to 8 months. One of the oldest breeds of sheep, the Tunis is still a favorite breed for meat production. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats. At 90 days, weve had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. Very interesting and informational! Why they are Crossed Waco Childbirth Education 74 subscribers Subscribe 127 Share. The breed was created by crossing Dorset and Blackheaded Persian sheep. I can only put this down to past genetics. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'savvyfarmlife_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-leader-1-0');Katahdins are a popular meat breed for sheep farmers. May-June lambs on pasture alone (10-13percentprotein and 60-65percent DOM) will average 45 pounds. A qualityregistered lamb will bring triple the fat lamb price. You can also use them for multiple income streams thanks to their excellent meat and milk production. 7 year old Katahdin ewe . 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. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. In addition, there is almost no incidence of flystrike with hair sheep breeds. Market Weight/Live/Age: 70 90 lbs / 7 8 months. Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. $300. (I know, Im not a good farmer) It improves from year one to year two of age but can again be reduced by external factors like disease or weight loss. If you plan on raising lambs for meat, youll need to know everything that comes with taking care of baby sheep. Kt ewes under low-input semiarid conditions of northern Mxico. Some general information on hair sheep is found on the next page. One of the first breeds to be recognized for its commercial production, the rams can reach more than 250 lbs. Just weaned 530 lambs .If we can get some weight on them worth $200+ in current market. This breed is medium-sized and is hardy with a high-quality carcass. "We liked their look," Ruby puts in. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. I belong to a herding club in Hawaii. Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. My customers are also distributors of various sizes who sell mainly at restaurants and their private customers. They do produce wool, and will need to be shorn annually. They are also well suited to survive in the arid extensive regions of South Africa. Thanks for the belly shaking laugh! Their main advantage is that they adapt well to hot humid climate where woolen breeds do not thrive well. But the dorpers always have say ten % that need shearing still. Disposition & Mothering Ability: Extremely reactive to dogs and cats usually as though they wish to flee. For more on the differences, plus potential pros and cons between the breeds, read on. Despite being a hairsheep, White Dorpers do not lack winter hardiness Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. This information may be used to compare breeds of hair sheep. Unsave Save. I think this is where the good reputation of hair sheep comes in. His website address is www.whitecloversheepfarm.com. Some hair breed rams are long-bodied which can create a lengthy birthing scenario for the ewe. These White Dorper female replacement lambs already look very much like purebred White Dorpers Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. Dorset ewes weigh approximately 150-200 pounds, with the rams weighing on average 275 pounds. The shedding process may take some getting used to but will not litter your pasture with wool Photographer: Ulf Kintzel. 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. But the pasture littered with wool as I had feared just did not happen. i do not want to cull her from the flock! Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! I like the Dorper temperament, generally they are a pretty docile breed. About. 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. Cheviots produce alert, strong lambs who are efficient foragers. This may or may not be the case in other states. There is a growing market demand for high-quality, naturally-fed lamb. 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. One needs to do a detail review of the information related to the hair breed one wishes to raise. Dorper's are by far the closest hair sheep to the wool breed. The Dorper sheep is a meat sheep breed. Special Notes The Dorper sheep are very hardy animals. There are many great options for meat-producing sheep. The Blackbelly is a smaller breed of sheep, with ewes maturing at around 100 pounds, and rams weighing on average 120 pounds. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. Very tolerant of the humid hot conditions in the Carribean andSomolia, Blackhead Persians have a white body and black head. (Weve heard them all.). 109:265-275. Because of the wool, the Icelandic sheep do need to be sheared once to twice per year. Interested in raising sheep for wool? 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. For specific questions, please contact the author. There were sequential 2-wk. Posted 11/18/2019 21:09 (#7854689) Subject: Dorper Sheep vs. Katahdin Sheep. We have all three breeds. They also do well eating the vegetation that other species reject. Later on I found out that this was the faster route to accomplish shedding in the offspring. Dorpers tend to be a little larger, and Katahdins are excellent mothers, so a Dorper /Kathadin cross is nearly perfect. 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. 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. Katahdin is probably the more economical choice, however, namely because they can produce both meat and milk. Other than a few lambs for Hispanic weddings, we sell our slaughter animals through the local auction barn. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. The thickness of a Katahdin sheeps winter coat will vary among individuals, but it needs to shed completely for an A or AA coat classification, which is the norm. Hi Qazi, my ewe with CL has had her first batch of lambs last month and she is a really good mother! Westexas. We currently have about 100 ewes. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Some are calling these shedding sheep. What is worse, however, is the fact that there are breeders who do not select for shedding ability and for the show ring instead. It is more flighty than Dorper, Kathadin and St. Croix breeds. Im sorry I cannot help you. Dorper sheep originated in South Africa and were the result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian sheep. There are very few disadvantages of keeping Katahdin sheep. Q. 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. Wondering whether to add Dorper or Katahdin sheep to your homestead? That applies to purebred WD market lambs as well. Sales at the 2022 mid America Dorper Show nearly broke $1 MILLION with the top Dorper ewe bringing $20,000 and ram $12,800. In California prices for hair sheep have surpassed prices for wool sheep and in New Holland they are catching up. The Katahdin breed has hair instead of wool, and that means less work, according to the couple, who raise the sheep near Perham, Minnesota. 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. To learn more about how you can make money off of sheep, read my article What Do Sheep Produce? Forty-six Dorper, 46 Katahdin, and 43 St. Croix female sheep (initial BW of 58, 59, and 46 kg, respectively, SEM = 1.75; 3.3 0.18 yr of age, 2.6 - 3.7) from 45 commercial farms in four regions of the USA (Midwest, Northwest, Southeast, and central Texas) were used to evaluate responses to high heat load index (HLI) conditions in a central . if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');This breed is also exceptionally hardy, able to thrive in both the cold, and the hot, humid climates in which many farmers struggle to raise sheep, making it a good choice for almost any climate in the United States. It is raised mainly for meat production. 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. Katahdins are docile, medium-sized sheep; ewes weigh 125 to 185 pounds, rams 180 to 250 pounds. To be successful, you must sell quality, and I stress quality animals; send anything else to slaughter. They can provide you with information pertaining to regulations, health requirements and local export brokers. With an annual rainfall of approximately 175mm (7 inches), the grazing is mainly scrubland with a stocking rate of 1 LSU per 32 hectare. Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? The Katahdin sheep is listed as a Recovering heritage breed on the ALBC Conservation Priority List. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. Dorset sheep thrive in a wide variety of climates, and being wool-producers, they will need to be sheared annually. Mature Weight (Lb): Ewe = 100 130, Ram = 120 150. 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. We just started raising Katahdins this year. 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. As a bit of trivia, the majority of cull ewes the U.S. exports go to the Mexico City area. So, what about littering the pasture with wool? Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados. We both work off thefarm; therefore time is a commodity in short supply. The Dorper is a breed of sheep that originated in the south of Africa in the 1940's. It is the product of cross-breeding between the Dorset Horn and Blackhead Persian breeds. 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. Consider the pros and cons featured above before making your decision. The Katahdin hair sheep is the fastest growing breed in the United States. For example, we consider time spent worming, shearing, docking and trimming hooves as merely maintaining an operation. 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). Subsequent generations with higher percentage shed better and better although shedding is not a black and white thing. I usually harvest my lambs between 80 and 90 lbs. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. 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. 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). The ewes are also heavy milkers with excellent maternal instincts. Research has shown Dorper have good parasite tolerance or resilience rather than resistance. These include: The fact Dorper sheep are easy to breed is a huge advantage. 2 are Katahdin and 2 are katahdin/dorper crosses. Because of their hair, they do not produce the lanolin that can lend gaminess to the meat, giving it a milder flavor. It should be kept in mind that performance varies greatly with genetic, management, climate, etc. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. Culling the genetic faults and only keeping the best rams for breeding will ensure a good future for any new hair sheep breeds. Many ethnic groups want a much different lamb or goat than has been marketed in the past. And does anyone have experience with katahdin ewes on dorper bucks . Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Originally, the established buyers at auctions resisted hairsheep in general and they fetched lower prices in places like New Holland. Weight Gain/Daily: 0.57 lbs under intensive production. Flock owners with less than 50 animals have a difficult time getting someone to shear unless they pool their animals with neighbors.