One of most important events that ever happened in human history was domestication of animals. Although, sheep were not the first animals to be domesticated by human beings, they proved to be important and that is why they were brought into the fold. There are several different breeds of sheep spread across the world. Some are exotic while others are indigenous. For instance, katahdin sheep is indigenous in Maine, United States. This is worth knowing about katahdin hair sheep for sale.
History records that this breed was named after the highest peak of the mountain Katahdin. It was first developed during the 1950s in the United States. Different breeds of sheep were cross bred to attain the new desirable characteristics that Katahdins exhibit today. The st. Croix, Suffolk, and Wiltsshire horn sheep were some of the breeds that were used for breeding. The breeders considered factors such as hair coat, high fertility, flocking instinct, conformation and meat-type when selecting the breeding stock.
There are numerous reasons why the breed has been popular in a number of places in the world, America included. To begin with, a feature considered by commercial keepers and other individuals is the lack of need for shearing. In some locations, it costs a lot to shear yet wool costs very little. The nature of the hair coat is assumed to have been inherited from St. Croix sheep from which they descent.
It is recorded that in order to improve the size and quality of katahdins, the first breeder introduced an Englinsh descent sheep, the Wiltshire Horn. Mature ewes weigh between 125 and 185 pounds and since rams are larger, they weigh about 180 to 250 pounds. At birth, a young one is usually about 8 pounds but can weigh more or less depending on a number of factors.
An additional key trait passed down from the ancestors of the katahdin sheep is resistance against parasites. They are highly tolerant to both internal and external parasites. As a result, if proper care is provided, less parasite treatment will be needed. The implication is that they are cheap but very productive.
The productivity of this breed is almost comparable to none considering that ewes and rams exhibit early puberty. Besides this, they have long productive life. It is quite normal for fully grown ewes to have twins and occasional quadruplets or triplets. The protective mothering instinct of ewes is quite strong. Most of them do not need assistance with lambing.
Most ewes produce enough milk for the young ones. They seldom reject lambs due to their heightened mothering instinct. Rams on the other hand form part of the most aggressive breeds. They are generally fertile all year round. Thus, they have the capacity to settle numerous ewes on the first mating contact. For this reason, flocks need to lamb yearly with the proper selection.
To finalize, this breed is hardy and therefore can adapt to a wide range of environments. In cold climates, they grow winter coats which provide protection against the cold. On the other hand, their hair coats enable them to tolerate and thrive in places with high temperatures. They can be raised under forage/grass management systems or pasture lambing.
History records that this breed was named after the highest peak of the mountain Katahdin. It was first developed during the 1950s in the United States. Different breeds of sheep were cross bred to attain the new desirable characteristics that Katahdins exhibit today. The st. Croix, Suffolk, and Wiltsshire horn sheep were some of the breeds that were used for breeding. The breeders considered factors such as hair coat, high fertility, flocking instinct, conformation and meat-type when selecting the breeding stock.
There are numerous reasons why the breed has been popular in a number of places in the world, America included. To begin with, a feature considered by commercial keepers and other individuals is the lack of need for shearing. In some locations, it costs a lot to shear yet wool costs very little. The nature of the hair coat is assumed to have been inherited from St. Croix sheep from which they descent.
It is recorded that in order to improve the size and quality of katahdins, the first breeder introduced an Englinsh descent sheep, the Wiltshire Horn. Mature ewes weigh between 125 and 185 pounds and since rams are larger, they weigh about 180 to 250 pounds. At birth, a young one is usually about 8 pounds but can weigh more or less depending on a number of factors.
An additional key trait passed down from the ancestors of the katahdin sheep is resistance against parasites. They are highly tolerant to both internal and external parasites. As a result, if proper care is provided, less parasite treatment will be needed. The implication is that they are cheap but very productive.
The productivity of this breed is almost comparable to none considering that ewes and rams exhibit early puberty. Besides this, they have long productive life. It is quite normal for fully grown ewes to have twins and occasional quadruplets or triplets. The protective mothering instinct of ewes is quite strong. Most of them do not need assistance with lambing.
Most ewes produce enough milk for the young ones. They seldom reject lambs due to their heightened mothering instinct. Rams on the other hand form part of the most aggressive breeds. They are generally fertile all year round. Thus, they have the capacity to settle numerous ewes on the first mating contact. For this reason, flocks need to lamb yearly with the proper selection.
To finalize, this breed is hardy and therefore can adapt to a wide range of environments. In cold climates, they grow winter coats which provide protection against the cold. On the other hand, their hair coats enable them to tolerate and thrive in places with high temperatures. They can be raised under forage/grass management systems or pasture lambing.
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