- Legumes (alfalfa, white clover, red clover, alsike clover, Kura clover, birdsfoot trefoil)
- Sod-forming grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, smooth bromegrass, reed canary grass)
- Bunch grasses (orchardgrass, timothy, tall fescue, Italian ryegrass, perennial ryegrass)
Why choose a Katahdin sheep?
That being said, superior forage will reduce the need to provide supplemental feed, like grain, so the better the pasture quality, the lower your costs of production will be, too (and you’ll also have healthier sheep!). 7. Personality Finally, Katahdin sheep are easy to manage.
How many ewes can a Katahdin feed?
In colder climates, Katahdins grow a downy wool undercoat that sheds in the spring. Ron, a credit card machine salesman, did the math before purchasing his first Katahdin ewes. He could feed one cow or six ewes with the same amount of pasture and hay.
What do you feed sheep?
Lambs or adult sheep are generally finished on pasture or with grain in confinement. You can also supplement with grain and allow them to graze on pasture. Pasture-finished meat tends to be leaner and healthier than meat from grain-fed lambs. There are several easy ways that you can reduce the expenses involved when feeding sheep.
How much does a Katahdin Lamb cost?
Depending on demand and availability, a Katahdin lamb will typically go for $300-$600. They have swiftly become one of the most popular breeds in the United States and are easy to obtain.
Do Katahdin Sheep Need grain?
Grass fed, just like nature intended it. Our flock of Katahdin Sheep are rotated around our farm to fresh ground throughout the warm seasons and feed local hay during the winter. It's pretty simple, sheep thrive on grass alone so why complicate things with adding grain to their diet? We don't!
What do you feed hair sheep?
Sheep can eat hay, silage, green chop, balayage or crop by-products. Hay is the most common choice. However, silage or haylage can also be fed to sheep, but you need to be careful about feeding it. It should be fermented and stored in a silo that keeps air out.
Do Katahdin sheep need Dewormer?
Are Katahdin sheep "easy care?" They can be. Katahdin sheep do not require shearing, crutching, tail docking, or frequent deworming.
How much grain should a sheep eat per day?
The amount offered depends on the condition or fat covering of the ewes and quality of the forage. If ewes are in fair to good condition, 0.5–0.75 lb (225–350 g) daily is usually sufficient. The roughage content of the ration should provide all the protein required for all nonlactating ewes.
What is the best grain for sheep?
Barley is a useful feedstuff for sheep. It contains a similar level of energy and higher level than corn. Barley is an excellent supplement to ewe diets during late gestation and lactation or when forage quality is low.
Are alfalfa pellets good for sheep?
If you are asking about sheep, goats, and cattle, the answer is no. Ruminants cannot live on a diet of only alfalfa pellets. Ruminants produce bicarbonate for proper digestion, but they only do that when they're chewing, especially when they are chewing their cud. The longer stemmed forage takes more chewing.
When should I worm my sheep?
Traditionally, most flocks have wormed ewes at lambing. This practice is designed to combat the drop in immunity to worms that ewes experience from around 2 weeks before lambing to 6 weeks afterwards.
How fast do Katahdin lambs grow?
Growth Rates At 90 days, we've had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72 percent digestible organic matter-“DOM”) will average 55-60 pounds.
What age do you butcher a Katahdin sheep?
They are butchered at 9-12 months old, full-grown, standing as tall as their parents and weighing 100-150 lbs. If you try to “finish” your lamb on any amount of grain — the meat will be horribly greasy and fatty.
How many bales of hay does a sheep need?
If you have 10 ewes in your flock, you'll need to feed a 45.5 pound bale everyday. If you have 5 sheep, you'll be feeding about half a bale, you get the idea. The 45.5 pounds that you need would be about the weight of a nice small square bale or 1.5 light weight small square bales.
Is Whole corn good for sheep?
Adult sheep should only be fed whole corn, never cracked corn, to reduce the potential for developing acidosis. Acidosis is a serious condition that can cause the rumen to stop working and may lead to death.
How much corn should I feed my sheep?
Ewes can be fed whole grains during flushing, late-gestation, and lactation. In years of drought, it may be more economical to supplement ewes with whole grain than hay. Thin ewes can be flushed with 0.5 to 1 lb. of corn or barley per day.
What do you need to raise hair sheep?
2:127:03Raising Hair Sheep - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou got to protect them from the Predators you got to make sure they got clean water and then youMoreYou got to protect them from the Predators you got to make sure they got clean water and then you want to manage your pasture. So it's sustainable it recovers well and it's highly nutritious.
What kind of diet is given to sheep for good growth of shiny hair?
Answer: Protein rich food such as mixture of corn, pulses, jowar and oil cakes should be given to the sheep for good growth of curly and shiny hair.
Will hair sheep eat brush?
However, they are not as large as wool breeds of sheep and may not be as pleasing in appearance to some owners as wool breeds. Also, sheep will graze grass better than goats but will not eat brush from a woody area as well as goats. There are “unimproved” and “improved” hair sheep breeds.
Do hair sheep need shelter?
Hair sheep and wool breeds that have been recently shorn require more shelter than animals with longer wool. Ewes that are lambing during the cold winter months should be housed in a barn and check regularly.
How big can a Katahdin sheep grow?
They are prized for their lambing ability and their carcasses that are lean and meaty. In fact, they can grow up to 250lbs.
What are the challenges of raising katahdin sheep?
Although the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages, there are a few challenges to raising Katahdin sheep that you should be aware of. 1. Poor Flocking Instinct. Flocking instinct is the ability of sheep to follow each other and to herd together.
What sheep did Piel breed?
By the 1970s, Piel succeeded in creating a superb meat sheep that did not need to be sheared. He named them Katahdin sheep after the tallest peak in the state. Later, he improved upon the breed by crossing them with Wiltshire Horn sheep to improve their size and bone structure.
Why do Katahdin sheep shed their coat?
This coat helps to keep them warm during the winter months but once spring arrives, they shed the coat to be able to withstand the heat and humidity. The hair of Katahdin sheep can vary in the texture and length among individuals and it can be just about any color.
What did Piel want from his sheep?
His plans included breeding a combination of ewes from Tunis, Suffolk, Hampshire, Southdown, and various African breeds. In his selections, Piel sought traits such as hair development ( rather than wool), meat conformation, flocking instinct, and high fertility.
Do Katahdin sheep eat grain?
Because Katahdin sheep will eat just about anything, they tend to be less costly to feed, too. That being said, superior forage will reduce the need to provide supplemental feed, like grain, so the better the pasture quality, the lower your costs of production will be, too (and you’ll also have healthier sheep!).
Do Katahdin sheep have mothering instincts?
Katahdin ewes are prized for their excellent mothering instincts. They lamb easily, often lambing successfully on their own, on pasture, with little intervention from the shepherd. The lambs have a tendency to be alert upon birth and are vigorous growers, too.
What is the highest demand on an ewe?
Late gestation and lactation present the highest demands on a ewe especially if she is carrying/nursing multiple lambs. For the rest of the year, a good ewe, especially a Katahdin ewe, needs little more than average quality pasture.
Is copper safe for sheep?
Copper is an essential micronutrient for all animals. Very trace amounts are needed for nervous system function. It’s in the grass and clover on pasture, in their hay, and in their grain. Measured amounts are present in minerals as well. Most sheep breeds have a low tolerance for copper and can suffer toxicity especially if fed supplemental sources of copper. Copper has a complex relationship with another element, Molybdenum (and to a lesser extent Sulfur), that can affect copper availability. Compounding this concern is that copper is stored in the liver and not readily eliminated from the body. In times of stress, however, Copper can be mobilized and become lethal to individuals fed higher than recommended levels. Commercially prepared minerals for sheep as well as professionally-balanced pelletized grain and sweet feed rations have levels of copper that are safe for sheep. Feeding grain or minerals designed for cattle, goats or other species should be avoided.
Do sheep need grain?
Do sheep need grain?? Well that depends, mostly on what their nutritional requirements are at that point in time and what other feeds they have available. It’s not advisable to feed strictly grain to sheep. A certain amount of roughage helps keep their gut functioning properly requiring that they actively ruminate to break it down. The biggest need for grain is often in not meeting their protein requirement. Fresh green forages, typically grasses and legumes, have adequate protein levels so supplementing protein to sheep on pasture is considered unnecessary. A shortage of protein in their diet is most common when feeding late harvested, first crop hay when confined like in winter. Good supplemental sources of protein include:
What is a Katahdin sheep?
Katahdin sheep is a type of hair sheep that is very popular in the United States. Apart from being raised mainly for meat, they are known to be parasite-resistant and require little care.
Why do farmers keep katahdin sheep?
Farmers love to keep the Katahdin for their meat, which is also the true purpose, and milk production. Besides, these sheep can naturally shed their hair, resulting in no regular shearing cost like other breeds.
How Much Does A Katahdin Sheep Cost?
Because of its popularity, this sheep breed is sold widely across the United States. A lamb usually costs around $300-$600. It’s necessary to check whether or not the lambs are purebred through paperwork before purchasing.
How long does it take for a Katahdin sheep to gestate?
The Katahdin sheep have a gestation period of 144 to 152 days. External factors like increased weather temperature or a nutritious diet can result in a shorter gestation period (for 2-3 days).
What is NSIP sheep?
NSIP is a program that helps breeders select the most resistant sheep in the flock.
How much does a sheep weigh?
This breed of sheep is categorized as medium-sized. A fully grown-up male sheep is 180-250 pounds while a ewe weighs 125-180 pounds. They usually lamb twins which are about 8 pounds in weight.
How often do sheep breed?
But farmers who want a sheep with different breeding seasons can purchase them from farms or on special lambing systems, usually by selecting the ewes that continuously breed out-of-season or once every 8 months.
What breed of sheep is Katahdin?
Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep.
Where do Katahdin sheep live?
Fact: Katahdin sheep, at least, will thrive from hot, humid Florida to the western provinces of Canada. Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal.
How much does a Katahdin lamb weigh?
As with any young growing animal, the weight gains of a Katahdin lamb increase as the protein and digestibility of the forage increases. At 90 days, we’ve had November-December lambs on pasture, hay and whole grain (corn or milo) average 75 pounds. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72 percent digestible organic matter-“DOM”) will average 55-60 pounds. May-June lambs on pasture alone (10-13 percent protein and 60-65 percent DOM) will average 45 pounds.
What breed of sheep is Barbados Black Belly?
Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. While Dorper sheep are considered a hair breed, I’ve found a large number have quite a bit of wool or curly fibers in their coat. Many of the Dorper you see have been crossed with Katahdin sheep for several reasons.
How many lambs are in an ewe?
Thirty percent of the ewes were first-time lambers, having an average of 1.2 lambs/ ewe. Of the ewe lambs exposed, 95 percent gave birth at the age of 11-13 months. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned.
How much weight do Katahdin sheep gain?
When comparing weights, keep in mind we live in north central Missouri. In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. People in the Midwest or southern states see this and make a trip to Alberta to purchase a super ram. A year and many dollars later, they can’t understand why the ram’s offspring doesn’t grow any faster than the rest of their animals.
Where are ewe lambs exported?
For a number of years, there has been a good export market for ewe lambs going to Mexico. They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. While we’ve missed out on export sales the last several years because of retaining ewes to increase flock numbers, Mexican buyers will be coming by this spring.
Where do sheep get their food?
In most cases, your sheep are going to get everything they need from a good lot of pasture and the occasional scoop of grain. However, it can be tough to resist the cuteness of those adorable sheep eyes begging you for a treat!
How much fiber do sheep need?
They also need about a pound of fiber each day. You’ll be able to tell that your sheep aren’t getting enough fiber if they start nibbling on wood or even wool.
Why is Good Nutrition Important for Sheep?
Meeting the energy requirements of your sheep without overfeeding or underfeeding your flock can be a major challenge. In fact, most health problems in sheep are somehow tied to improper feed.
How does the rumen work in sheep?
When sheep eat food, it travels to the rumen, which takes up a large percentage of the abdominal cavity. It’s just a brief storage space, holding the food until it is regurgitated, chewed back up, and then re-swallowed (also known as cud-chewing).
What is a sheep's cud?
Sheep are ruminants, which means that they are characterized by a four-chambered stomach and cud-chewing behavior. The cud is regurgitated, re-chewed, and swallowed. Yum!
What are some plants that are poisonous to sheep?
There are some weeds that aren’t great for your sheep and can be found growing in many pastures – such as ragwort, bracken, and capewood.
Why are some plants toxic to sheep?
Some plants are toxic to sheep either because they contain harmful toxins or because they contain too much of a certain nutrient for your sheep to digest effectively.
What is a katahdin sheep?
Katahdins were developed as a hardy and prolific meat breed. This makes them an excellent substitute for a dairy sheep breed because they are easy to care for and they regularly lamb with twins and sometimes triplets. They are well-known for being able to feed all of these lambs without help from the farmer. If they have enough milk for their lambs, then they certainly have enough for you. A katahdin ewe, milked once a day, can produce between a pint and a quart of milk per day. With this breed, milk production depends on the ewe, some are just milkier than others. There is a variation in production as milk production hasn’t been bred for specifically in this breed. However, a small-scale farmer starting with a small herd of katahdin sheep, can select only the milkier ewes when breeding for next year’s lambs and after a few generations, one can produce a herd that produces more milk, more consistently.
What breed of sheep is good for dairy?
Katahdins also make an excellent dairy breed for the hobby farmer because they are a hair sheep. This means they do not produce wool like many of their sheep counterparts. Instead, they are covered in hair which becomes very thick during the winter months and falls out quite cleanly for the spring. When this breed sheds, it looks as if it has been shorn. This makes them very low maintenance and this is part of the reason they were developed. Their growing popularity as a meat breed has a lot to do with the declining wool prices. It is no longer as lucrative for farmers to pay to have their sheep sheared regularly because the demand for wool has been slowly decreasing and therefore so have the prices. If this is true for larger-scale formers, then it is certainly true for the hobby farmers. Unless you would like to learn to shear your own sheep or you can find a shearer to shear just a few sheep for a reasonable price, then it is best just to go with hair sheep.
Can sheep be raised for milk?
Raising sheep for meat is becoming more common in the US but it also becoming much more common for people to raise sheep for milk. Sheep milk is rich and delicious. It can be used to make a variety dairy products. New sheep dairies are springing up every year in the US and more hobby farmer’s are looking into dairy sheep as an alternative or in addition to their dairy cows or goats. Large-scale sheep farmer’s usually have access to dairy sheep breeds such as East Friesians and Lacaune’s. These sheep have the longest lactation and highest daily production of any breed now in the US. A lot of the breeding stock for these breeds are found in area’s where the large-scale sheep farms are located. This is generally around Wisconsin, New York and other parts of the North East. Unfortunately, the location of this breeding stock, is a bit too far for most of the hobby farmer’s in the country, who are looking to add dairy sheep to their homestead. For people that can not find one of the still rare dairy breeds, it is possible for them to keep non-dairy breeds in order to milk them. Katahdins are one of the best non-dairy sheep breeds out there. They have many qualities that make them suitable for the small-scale or hobby farmer. So read on to find out why you may soon find yourself adding a few katahdins to your homestead.
Can you raise katahdin sheep for meat?
Another added bonus of raising Katahdin sheep for milk, is raising them for their true purpose which is meat. Sometimes those raising sheep for meat won’t even consider milking them, the same goes for those raising sheep for milk, some won’t consider them for meat, but this breed can easily be dual-purpose. As stated above,they are prolific and will regularly produce twins or triplets at lambing. Single lambs are actual quite uncommon for this breed. These lambs grow quickly due to all that rich milk the ewes produce for them. They continue to grow quickly when weaned to grass and grain. A katahdin lamb can easily reach 100lbs or more at 9 to 10 months of age. There is no affect on the growth rate of the lamb if the mother is milked once a day. In this scenario, the lambs are locked up away from their mothers at night. The ewes are milked in the morning and lambs are let out to spend the day with their mom. If one is looking to meet a certain weight by a certain time, the lambs can be creep fed like any other lamb.
Where do Katahdin sheep live?
He and his wife raise Katahdins near Fayetteville, Arkansas. He says the ewes are excellent mothers and don't reject multiple lambs. Docking (removing tails) and crutching (removing wool on ewes before lambing) aren't necessary.
How much does a katahdin weigh?
Docking (removing tails) and crutching (removing wool on ewes before lambing) aren't necessary. Katahdins are a medium-size breed; ewes range from 140 to 185 pounds. The lambs don't reach market weight as fast as some meat breeds, but they do just fine.
How many ewes can Ron feed?
Ron, a credit card machine salesman, did the math before purchasing his first Katahdin ewes. He could feed one cow or six ewes with the same amount of pasture and hay. Six ewes could potentially produce 12 or more lambs - some to market, some to eat, some to breed.
What did Ron learn about sheep?
He learned about potential sheep diseases and what genetic lines had the best resistance . He also wanted bloodlines with bigger ewes.
Where do Ron and Judy Monson raise sheep?
The Katahdin breed has hair instead of wool, and that means less work, according to the couple, who raise the sheep near Perham, Minnesota. Ron remembers raising wool sheep as a teenager. "Shearing the wool was tough," he recalls, but the price paid for wool nearly covered ...
What is the best fence for sheep?
Sheep-proof fence. Woven wire is typically the best option. Electric fence works, but requires more maintenance. It needs to have low-impedance fence chargers and high-tensile wire. 2. Predator protection. Guardian dogs or guardian animals such as donkeys or llamas work well.
Do lambs have wool?
The lambs don't reach market weight as fast as some meat breeds, but they do just fine. Though they have no wool, they are hardy in climates from South America to Canada. Unlike many sheep breeds, they do well in hot, humid weather, thanks to their West African heritage.
