The domestication of animals is said to be one of the most crucial happenings that have taken place in the history of man. Sheep are included in the fold even though they were not the first animals to be domesticated by man. A number of different breeds of sheep exist worldwide. There are those that are indigenous while others are exotic. For example, katahdin is an indigenous sheep found in Maine, USA. Choosing katahdin hair sheep for sale.
History shows that this breed of domestic sheep derives its name from the highest peak of Mount Katahdin. Its emergence in the United States is placed in the 1950s. In order to achieve various desirable characteristics seen today various breeds of sheep were cross bred. Among the breeds used were Wiltshire Horn, Suffolk and St. Croix sheep. The animals used were selected basing on factors like flocking instinct, high fertility, meat-type conformation, and hair coat.
A number of factors contributed to the rise in popularity of this breed in America and other areas on the globe. For starters, this breed does not need shearing, an advantage especially to commercial shepherds. The activity is normally very pricey in addition to wool being very cheap. Katahdin ancestors the St. Croix sheep is believed to have contributed to the hair coat quality.
According to history, the initial katahdin breeder had to bring the Wilshire Horn from England. This was aimed at improving the size and quality of their carcasses. In terms of weight, mature ewes weigh between 125 and 185 pounds. Rams, on the flip side are often bigger and weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. On average, lambs weigh 8 pounds at birth, though this is dependent on a number of factors that may result in a disparity.
Another important trait inherited from their ancestors is resistance to parasites. As such, they have higher tolerance to both external and internal parasites compared to other breeds. This means that under proper management they will need minimal parasite treatment. As a result they are not only low-cost option but also highly productive.
The rams and ewes from the breed reach puberty earlier in life than other breeds and this gives them a very long productive life. A mature ewe will normally give birth to twins, and occasionally to triplets or quadruplets. Most ewes raise lambs by themselves since they have a strong and protective motherly instinct.
Ewes are mostly able to produce a lot of milk for their lambs. They hardly ever neglect their young ones as a result of strong mothering instinct. Rams are fertile all year round. For this reason, they are able to settle high numbers of ewes by the first cycle. When the selection is done well, a flock should have the capacity to give rise to new young ones throughout the year.
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 shows that this breed of domestic sheep derives its name from the highest peak of Mount Katahdin. Its emergence in the United States is placed in the 1950s. In order to achieve various desirable characteristics seen today various breeds of sheep were cross bred. Among the breeds used were Wiltshire Horn, Suffolk and St. Croix sheep. The animals used were selected basing on factors like flocking instinct, high fertility, meat-type conformation, and hair coat.
A number of factors contributed to the rise in popularity of this breed in America and other areas on the globe. For starters, this breed does not need shearing, an advantage especially to commercial shepherds. The activity is normally very pricey in addition to wool being very cheap. Katahdin ancestors the St. Croix sheep is believed to have contributed to the hair coat quality.
According to history, the initial katahdin breeder had to bring the Wilshire Horn from England. This was aimed at improving the size and quality of their carcasses. In terms of weight, mature ewes weigh between 125 and 185 pounds. Rams, on the flip side are often bigger and weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. On average, lambs weigh 8 pounds at birth, though this is dependent on a number of factors that may result in a disparity.
Another important trait inherited from their ancestors is resistance to parasites. As such, they have higher tolerance to both external and internal parasites compared to other breeds. This means that under proper management they will need minimal parasite treatment. As a result they are not only low-cost option but also highly productive.
The rams and ewes from the breed reach puberty earlier in life than other breeds and this gives them a very long productive life. A mature ewe will normally give birth to twins, and occasionally to triplets or quadruplets. Most ewes raise lambs by themselves since they have a strong and protective motherly instinct.
Ewes are mostly able to produce a lot of milk for their lambs. They hardly ever neglect their young ones as a result of strong mothering instinct. Rams are fertile all year round. For this reason, they are able to settle high numbers of ewes by the first cycle. When the selection is done well, a flock should have the capacity to give rise to new young ones throughout the year.
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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