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.
This breed also has a lamb crop percentage of 200%. This means in the most basic of terms that it will have at least 2 lambs every time it gives birth which will be commercially viable. Commercially viable in the sense that it these lambs can be kept for further breeding or sold for meat or other purposes. Thus expect to be commercially profitable within a year given a 200% lamb crop rating.
Medium to large grazing animals are what katahdins can be classified as. The females, or ewes can get as heavy as 72 kilos, while the males, or rams, can get as heavy as 114 kilos. Despite the fairly respectable size, they are quite easy to handle. First time shepherds will have no problems with a starter flock of 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.
This breed also has a lamb crop percentage of 200%. This means in the most basic of terms that it will have at least 2 lambs every time it gives birth which will be commercially viable. Commercially viable in the sense that it these lambs can be kept for further breeding or sold for meat or other purposes. Thus expect to be commercially profitable within a year given a 200% lamb crop rating.
Medium to large grazing animals are what katahdins can be classified as. The females, or ewes can get as heavy as 72 kilos, while the males, or rams, can get as heavy as 114 kilos. Despite the fairly respectable size, they are quite easy to handle. First time shepherds will have no problems with a starter flock of 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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