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.
Katahdins strangely enough despite their foreign sounding name comes from right here in the United States. It is named after Mt. Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. It is a domestic breed of sheep developed in the late 1950s by Michael Piel who crossbred selected St. Croix sheep with other breeds including the Suffolk. In time two genetic varieties of the Katahdin arose, one being very hairless and raised primarily for meat, while the other which has hair and produces the highest quality wool.
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.
Katahdin main strength is that not only are they adaptable to any environment, but that they are resistant to parasites as well. This trait of parasite resistance was inherited from its St. Croix ancestors. As such, this trait, alongside their fairly low maintenance, makes this breed a very viable option for many commercial shepherds out there.
Katahdins are animals with a 200% lamb crop, meaning that 200% of its offspring are viable for breeding or for selling. To make it simpler and easier to grasp, just think of it as every ewe having two commercially viable lambs every four or five months. As lambs are more profitable when sold less than a year old, you can easily see the commercial viability of a 200% lamb crop.
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.
In sum this article has given you some basic ideas about raising this kind of sheep. It may also help further if you will do further market analysis to see if it is a viable venture for you or not. In, any case always try to get as much information as possible.
Katahdins strangely enough despite their foreign sounding name comes from right here in the United States. It is named after Mt. Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. It is a domestic breed of sheep developed in the late 1950s by Michael Piel who crossbred selected St. Croix sheep with other breeds including the Suffolk. In time two genetic varieties of the Katahdin arose, one being very hairless and raised primarily for meat, while the other which has hair and produces the highest quality wool.
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.
Katahdin main strength is that not only are they adaptable to any environment, but that they are resistant to parasites as well. This trait of parasite resistance was inherited from its St. Croix ancestors. As such, this trait, alongside their fairly low maintenance, makes this breed a very viable option for many commercial shepherds out there.
Katahdins are animals with a 200% lamb crop, meaning that 200% of its offspring are viable for breeding or for selling. To make it simpler and easier to grasp, just think of it as every ewe having two commercially viable lambs every four or five months. As lambs are more profitable when sold less than a year old, you can easily see the commercial viability of a 200% lamb crop.
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.
In sum this article has given you some basic ideas about raising this kind of sheep. It may also help further if you will do further market analysis to see if it is a viable venture for you or not. In, any case always try to get as much information as possible.
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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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