Everyone has dreams and you are one of them. Since you have a bit of grazing land to your name, you feel that you can make it big in the business of sheep farming and herding and want to raise katahdins because some of your friends do. One day you also want to put up a katahdin hair sheep for sale sign and watch the money follow in. To get you started on your dream do finish reading this article first.
Strangely enough despite the seemingly foreign sounding name, the Katahdin is actually an America domestic breed and named after the highest spot in Maine, Mt. Katahdin. Michael Piel in the late 1950s out of curiosity mated the St. Croix sheep with a variety of other sheep breeds, like the Suffolk breed and came up with some interesting results. The experiment brought up a new breed with two distinct line. One genetic line gives hairless ones that is good for meat and dairy production, while the other line, which has wool, gives one of the finest if not highest quality wool around.
When comparing to other grazing livestock like cows and such, they will not require too much space. In fact for a flock or herd of six, you will only need an acre of land. This is the basic rule of thumb. So be prepared to have at least thirty acres if you plan to have around one hundred or more heads. They do give birth at least twice in a single year, so if you have a majority of ewes in your flock, expect to double your entire population by then.
The main strength of the Katahdin is that it can adapt to most environments. In addition to this they are also very resistant to parasites as well. This latter trait of course was inherited from its St. Croix parents. These very admirable trait, plus the fact that it is a fairly low maintenance breed, makes this particular sheep quite popular for those starting out in commercial shepherding.
Most katahdins will have a 200% lamb crop, which means that 200% of its offspring can be marketed or be good enough for breeding. In layman terms, just think of it as two lambs per ewe. Thus if you are using this breed for meat purposes, the highest value it can have is if the lamb is sold at less than a year old.
These animals are considered as medium to large sized grazing stock. Upon maturity the males can get as large as 114 kilos, while females around 72 kilos. They are fairly easy to handle and manage despite their large size and a beginning shepherd will have no problem with a starter flock. A starter flock is basically twenty ewes and one ram.
When you have decided to get your start flock, then you will need three things to begin with. First you will need a sheep proof fence to keep them in. Second thing you will need is a guardian dog or dogs to keep predators away and such. Third thing you will need will also be a shelter for lambing, as definitely you will be getting lambs within the year.
This article has shown some basic considerations an ideas to mull over before entering the shepherding business. Do also try to do more research into the long term market and viability of such an industry before making a solid commitment.
Strangely enough despite the seemingly foreign sounding name, the Katahdin is actually an America domestic breed and named after the highest spot in Maine, Mt. Katahdin. Michael Piel in the late 1950s out of curiosity mated the St. Croix sheep with a variety of other sheep breeds, like the Suffolk breed and came up with some interesting results. The experiment brought up a new breed with two distinct line. One genetic line gives hairless ones that is good for meat and dairy production, while the other line, which has wool, gives one of the finest if not highest quality wool around.
When comparing to other grazing livestock like cows and such, they will not require too much space. In fact for a flock or herd of six, you will only need an acre of land. This is the basic rule of thumb. So be prepared to have at least thirty acres if you plan to have around one hundred or more heads. They do give birth at least twice in a single year, so if you have a majority of ewes in your flock, expect to double your entire population by then.
The main strength of the Katahdin is that it can adapt to most environments. In addition to this they are also very resistant to parasites as well. This latter trait of course was inherited from its St. Croix parents. These very admirable trait, plus the fact that it is a fairly low maintenance breed, makes this particular sheep quite popular for those starting out in commercial shepherding.
Most katahdins will have a 200% lamb crop, which means that 200% of its offspring can be marketed or be good enough for breeding. In layman terms, just think of it as two lambs per ewe. Thus if you are using this breed for meat purposes, the highest value it can have is if the lamb is sold at less than a year old.
These animals are considered as medium to large sized grazing stock. Upon maturity the males can get as large as 114 kilos, while females around 72 kilos. They are fairly easy to handle and manage despite their large size and a beginning shepherd will have no problem with a starter flock. A starter flock is basically twenty ewes and one ram.
When you have decided to get your start flock, then you will need three things to begin with. First you will need a sheep proof fence to keep them in. Second thing you will need is a guardian dog or dogs to keep predators away and such. Third thing you will need will also be a shelter for lambing, as definitely you will be getting lambs within the year.
This article has shown some basic considerations an ideas to mull over before entering the shepherding business. Do also try to do more research into the long term market and viability of such an industry before making a solid commitment.
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Get an overview of important factors to keep in mind when choosing a sheep breeder and more information about Katahdin hair sheep for sale at http://www.stablerockkatahdins.com now.
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