The Katahdin is a relatively new breed of ovine livestock. Developed in north central Maine, USA in 1957 by Michael Piel it is a combination of three African hair breeds that were imported from St. Croix, Virgin Islands and various other breeds. The result is an animal that truly pleases Katahdin sheep breeders.
These animals are a good investment for those who are looking for commercial marketing opportunities. They produce lean, mild sweet tasting meat that is more popular with the public. As an investment they are very low maintenance and are pasture feeders with minimal supplemental feeding. The ewes have an early puberty and live long and productive lives.
The rams are aggressive breeders and can produce off spring all year long. It is not unusual for the ewes to have twins or triplets and many have quadruplets. The size of a herd can triple in one year under normal circumstances. The lambs are fully weaned at six weeks and are alert and walking shortly after birth.
The lack of need to shear yearly and dock the tails at birth creates a very desirable situation to those who want to raise Katahdins. Wool fabric is not as popular as it once was and shearing costs for them is very high. While they grow a thick coat to keep them warm in the winter months shed it in the early spring months.
Their docile temperament and flocking abilities make them an easy animal to raise. They are easily controlled by man or dog and have a very high tolerance for climatic extremes. They are considered to be capable of excellent performance in most environments.
While it may be necessary to supply shelter from extreme heat and wet weather it does not have to be much. An open sided shed or a car port is adequate and many ranchers simply plant fast growing trees in the pasture for shade. The exception to this is if you have predatory wild animals that you must protect your stock from. In an enclosed shelter the main rule would be appropriate ventilation. Too much moisture or a lack of fresh air can be harmful to the health of your flock.
If you keep the habitat area clean and sanitary and watch the nutrition of the animals you should have minimal health issues to deal with. All health issues need to have veterinarian care. Skin rashes and ring worm are fairly common and easily dealt with. There are also more serious ailments such as scrapie and sore mouth that require immediate attention. Scrapie is similar to hoof in mouth in cattle.
Katahdins offer an easy path to success for those who are interested. The Katahdin sheep breeders are blessed with the tools to be prosperous in many markets. The versatility of their product leads to meat packers, land owners, dog trainers and other individuals who want to raise these amazing animals. The ease of obtaining their goals is obvious when one considers that their markets are self replenishing and their products are self reproducing.
These animals are a good investment for those who are looking for commercial marketing opportunities. They produce lean, mild sweet tasting meat that is more popular with the public. As an investment they are very low maintenance and are pasture feeders with minimal supplemental feeding. The ewes have an early puberty and live long and productive lives.
The rams are aggressive breeders and can produce off spring all year long. It is not unusual for the ewes to have twins or triplets and many have quadruplets. The size of a herd can triple in one year under normal circumstances. The lambs are fully weaned at six weeks and are alert and walking shortly after birth.
The lack of need to shear yearly and dock the tails at birth creates a very desirable situation to those who want to raise Katahdins. Wool fabric is not as popular as it once was and shearing costs for them is very high. While they grow a thick coat to keep them warm in the winter months shed it in the early spring months.
Their docile temperament and flocking abilities make them an easy animal to raise. They are easily controlled by man or dog and have a very high tolerance for climatic extremes. They are considered to be capable of excellent performance in most environments.
While it may be necessary to supply shelter from extreme heat and wet weather it does not have to be much. An open sided shed or a car port is adequate and many ranchers simply plant fast growing trees in the pasture for shade. The exception to this is if you have predatory wild animals that you must protect your stock from. In an enclosed shelter the main rule would be appropriate ventilation. Too much moisture or a lack of fresh air can be harmful to the health of your flock.
If you keep the habitat area clean and sanitary and watch the nutrition of the animals you should have minimal health issues to deal with. All health issues need to have veterinarian care. Skin rashes and ring worm are fairly common and easily dealt with. There are also more serious ailments such as scrapie and sore mouth that require immediate attention. Scrapie is similar to hoof in mouth in cattle.
Katahdins offer an easy path to success for those who are interested. The Katahdin sheep breeders are blessed with the tools to be prosperous in many markets. The versatility of their product leads to meat packers, land owners, dog trainers and other individuals who want to raise these amazing animals. The ease of obtaining their goals is obvious when one considers that their markets are self replenishing and their products are self reproducing.
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