Katahdin sheep was first bred in USA in the state of Maine. The breeding took place during the twentieth century specifically in the 2nd half. The breeding happened after the original breeder Michael Piel read an article in National Geographic in the year 1956. He crossed other breeds with St. Croix sheep which he imported. The crossing was done basing on animals with good flocking instinct, fertility, hair coat, and meat-type conformation.
Michael used the best breeds in the interbreeding to ensure that lambs that came out were of the best quality. The recent past has seen a great rise in popularity of this species in the United States because of high shearing prices and low wool price. The breed has continued to spread from the motherland state of Maine and when in necessity of best Katahdin sheep Kentucky should be the place to check out.
The name Katahdin was given to these animals by Piel himself. He chose the name after Mount Katahdin, which is in Maine. After Piel died, these breed of sheep underwent some small changes. It was crossed with other horned breeds even though those changes were dropped in favor of the hornless strains. Various countries have organizations for managing the standards in these sheep and Kentucky has one of its own.
The key trait observed in these creatures is that as opposed to other breeds which are covered in wool, their body has hair instead. However, some wooly hair might still be observable. The hair is shed during spring eliminating the need to shear them periodically. This is an essential trait desirable by many farmers. The tails do not have to be docked too.
Ewes have good parental instincts and provide protection to their young ones. They are observed to give birth to triplets at times and often require no assistance when lambing. Research indicates that twins or single lambs are preferable for the first time lambing. The amount of milk they produce is sufficient for their young ones. The gentle nature of these breed allows the animals to flock moderately well, although rams may sometimes be a bit pushy.
The general color is white with a brown area along the neck on the upper side. Sometimes they have brown and black hair, and occasionally they are spotted. Hair offers protection against parasitic attack, rendering them highly resistant to parasitic ailments. The ewes weight between 120 and 160 pounds in weight whereas males are about 180-240 pounds. This weight places them in the medium size sheep class.
This breed is mainly raised because of their meat. The meat quality is good and lean with a mild flavor. Another purpose for which they are raised is grazing. They are good grazers hence are used in controlling weed and herb growth. They consume most plantations ignored by other breeds. The amount of maintenance they require is less compared to other strains.
These species reaches its peak productivity at the age of 3 to 6 years and deteriorates at 7 and beyond. The life expectancy lies between ten and twelve years. It is advisable to group animals according to age with older ones being removed to provide room for younger ones.
Michael used the best breeds in the interbreeding to ensure that lambs that came out were of the best quality. The recent past has seen a great rise in popularity of this species in the United States because of high shearing prices and low wool price. The breed has continued to spread from the motherland state of Maine and when in necessity of best Katahdin sheep Kentucky should be the place to check out.
The name Katahdin was given to these animals by Piel himself. He chose the name after Mount Katahdin, which is in Maine. After Piel died, these breed of sheep underwent some small changes. It was crossed with other horned breeds even though those changes were dropped in favor of the hornless strains. Various countries have organizations for managing the standards in these sheep and Kentucky has one of its own.
The key trait observed in these creatures is that as opposed to other breeds which are covered in wool, their body has hair instead. However, some wooly hair might still be observable. The hair is shed during spring eliminating the need to shear them periodically. This is an essential trait desirable by many farmers. The tails do not have to be docked too.
Ewes have good parental instincts and provide protection to their young ones. They are observed to give birth to triplets at times and often require no assistance when lambing. Research indicates that twins or single lambs are preferable for the first time lambing. The amount of milk they produce is sufficient for their young ones. The gentle nature of these breed allows the animals to flock moderately well, although rams may sometimes be a bit pushy.
The general color is white with a brown area along the neck on the upper side. Sometimes they have brown and black hair, and occasionally they are spotted. Hair offers protection against parasitic attack, rendering them highly resistant to parasitic ailments. The ewes weight between 120 and 160 pounds in weight whereas males are about 180-240 pounds. This weight places them in the medium size sheep class.
This breed is mainly raised because of their meat. The meat quality is good and lean with a mild flavor. Another purpose for which they are raised is grazing. They are good grazers hence are used in controlling weed and herb growth. They consume most plantations ignored by other breeds. The amount of maintenance they require is less compared to other strains.
These species reaches its peak productivity at the age of 3 to 6 years and deteriorates at 7 and beyond. The life expectancy lies between ten and twelve years. It is advisable to group animals according to age with older ones being removed to provide room for younger ones.
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