Unlike any other domesticated livestock cattle, goats, buffalo, you name it we created a set of conditions that put sheep at increased risk of infestation by blowflies by making its tail so heavy that it can't lift it out of the way of its elimination and then . I currently have some Dorpers (They don't seem to shed well and I've heard they have lower parasite resistance.) The flocking instinct of hair animals generally isnt as good as wool breeds. I began to write an reflection of this episode where I waxed poetic about lawns, livestock, and this episode of Curious George. Our grass-fed ewes normally go into the fall with a body score of 4-5, which makes flushing difficult: Adult Katahdin sheep can maintain themselves on poor quality forage that had our Romanovs literally skin and bones. Two lambings a year are not uncommon. This spring we had an overall lambing average of 1.9 lambs/ewe born with 1.7 lambs weaned. P.S. Add to our blog community by sharingthat step in the comments! Re: Buying a house. A ewes wool will pay her winter feed bill. this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and If you'd care to discuss this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and just want to exchange thoughts, I'd love to chat. 509-688-5168 Ralph Jost Wild Rose St. Croix 21720 N Spotted Rd, Deer Park, Washington 99006. List of the Pros of Living in St. Thomas. They are so much cleaner than woolies. It was a result of crossing St. Croix, a hair sheep breed that originated from the Caribbean, and several other breeds including Suffolk, a British sheep. Research has shown Dorper have good parasite tolerance or resilience rather than resistance. You may also search using the map below. Log in. ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. The St. Croix sheep are very pretty sheep that have a hair covering the body instead of wool. , here's my honest evaluation of the St. Croix breed - While both breeds are exceptionally popular in the US, there are some differences between the two. Required fields are marked *. raise a lamb from birth to market weight, even though you get a better The breed was developed in the mid-1950s by crossing imported St. Croix Sheep and several other breeds, including the Suffolk Sheep.They are raised predominantly as meat animals in the U.S. and have become enormously popular in recent years due to high . We converted to a COW! Is there anything more suburban than lawnmowers? As opposed to lawnmowers, when they are fully grown, they can be butchered and either sold or served for dinner. } Caribbean Hair sheep were developed from West African hair sheep and a few European wooled sheep that were brought to the Caribbean beginning in the 1600s. Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. they don't jump on you, run over you, or jump on cars and over fences. After being on island for over a year, I thought it was about time to compile a list of both the pros and cons of living on St. Croix. . This combination of characteristics makes the breed an excellent choice for low input meat production. Some of the main pros of keeping Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep are one of the easiest breeds of sheep to care for. and I have. A few more interesting facts to know about the breed, They are pretty docile but very active and vigorous as such no child should be left unsupervised around them. They naturally shed their wool throughout the seasons. They are of a medium well sprung frame with long muscle type or pattern. More on that subject later. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned. play midwife, and those little guys get up and bounce right away. These sheep are typically white in color, though there are known variations such as light brown, tan and black or white with black or brown spots. wonderful pets, lawn mowers and weed eaters. Best Features & Instincts of Katahdin Sheep 8. Log in, WHY I DONT RAISE ST. CROIX SHEEP | DORPER vs. ST. CROIX as Meat Breeds. Fact: While it's true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. Im sorry I cannot help you. Hi! Aust shares his entire conversation with Susan Napotnik about selecting the perfect breed of sheep here on thePioneer sheep episode. The first St. Croix were imported into the USA in the 1960s to develop the Katahdin sheep breed. Their browsing ability makes them useful for land management, including mowing grass in orchards and the control of invasive pest plants. Since Missouri has more Katahdin sheep than any other state, the majority of export animals come from here. Washington 99117. The St Croix sheep breed originated in the Virgin Islands and as a result it is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Island White. Approved for use in sheep in October 2009, CIDRs are used for synchronization of estrus resulting in out-of-season breeding and larger groups of ewes that can be bred at the same time in order to narrow lambing periods. The backbone of this episode, however, isnt so much about the topic itself, or the debate of Animal vs. Machine. Length of breeding season heritability is estimated at about 26%, Dr. Inskeep . This market presented difficulties such as lambing in the dead of winter, having lambs large enough (especially when Passover comes early) and pooling with your neighbors to find enough lambs for a truckload. Many ethnic groups want a much different lamb or goat than has been marketed in the past. Cost - Sheep aren't cheap. Aside from the obvious (they taste good), they make The Squishy Monster, May 15, 2017. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. St. Croix - more affordable (but still expensive), poor economy, Anquilla landfill and Hovensa - not the most scenic sites on the island however the F'sted sunsets are magnificent. There are a lot of advantages to keeping Dorper sheep in the US. Here are a few of the not so great things about sheep that you should know about. Not a Pioneer? If you're a former "wooly" producer, you Usually, around 150 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days, Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days. St. Thomas - to many tourists, crime and dirty on the positve side - Magens Bay Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. Katahdin Sheep Origin. These rods also cost right around $450 - and are Elite St. Croix Fishing Rods. meat-to-bone ratio. Sheep are easy to handle and generally require little input. raising St. Croix hair sheep? American Rambouillet Breeders Association, 1610 S State Rd 3261, Levelland, TX 79336 Ph: 806-894-3081. The St. Croix is adapted to the heat and humidity of a tropical climate, and this adaptation has several manifestations. To be honest, every breed has it's pros and cons, and Dorper vs. St Croix is not different . They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. (ideal market lamb pick), Show Lamb Supplies (4H sheep showing equipment list), How to Show Sheep (7 sheep showing tips for any level), How to Shear a Sheep (step by step with video). van@cavenet.com and my phone We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. We have an 18-cell planned grazing system with 10,000 feet of electric fence and 5,000 feet of underground waterline on 35 acres. My email is, St. Croix Sheep We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. Positive benefits of St. Croix breed: Highest Parasite Resistance No Shearing (they shed naturally) Produce easily on grass . Edited: 4 years ago. Thank so much for this information. In our operation, that sheep breed is the Katahdin sheep. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. There is no hoof trimming, no grain, no weaning, no shots or worming and minimal hay. Noise - Loud bleating, cud chewing, and even just digesting may well be audible from inside your home if your sheep are right outside. We regularly offer St. Croix rams for sale, and annually have St. Croix ewes available. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. As we said in the introduction, if youre looking to earn multiple income streams from your sheep, youll probably find Katahdins to be the better option. The breed standard calls for the St. Croix to be white. Excellent way to promote parasite resistance into your flock! I dont have a farm yet as I work as an ordinary rank and file employee but it is my ultimate goal to have one someday. Join here. Two weeks later, the ewes hadnt lost any body condition. 2023, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Extract Natural Dye for Wool from Goldenrod Plants, Why Teach Classes on How to Knit, Spin, Weave or Felt, Use This Sweater Mitten Pattern to Bring New Life to Old Clothes. Passion for animals, hard work, and being a maker as opposed to strictly a consumer. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 pounds. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. - No docking, unless I believe that passion is what largely fuels this community. Your email address will not be published. . Katahdin is probably the more economical choice, however, namely because they can produce both meat and milk. $14.95, Copyright 2020 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | PO BOX 477, 33 Hillsboro St, Pittsboro, NC 27312 |. broke, don't fix it". I would love to get in touch with the author personally. DOWNLOAD MY FREE Sheep Farming E-book: https://bit.ly/SheepEBOOKSt. We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. Hi, we are looking at beginning a small flock of hair sheep. I'm torn between Dorper sheep and St Croix sheep. Sheep can help the quality of your lawns. The breed is believed to be descended from African . Fact: While its true that Barbados and St. Croix are small animals (ewes 80-110 pounds), few commercial breeders raise them. I grew up on a 100-acre sheep farm in Maine, was an active member in 4H, and I showed my flock across New England and at the national show in Louisville, Kentucky. Pro's: Seeing the Southern . - They seem Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. Since you must pasture ram st croix sheep pros and cons separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies Virgin Islands as. 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And annually have St. Croix 21720 N Spotted Rd, Deer Park, 99006... I waxed poetic about lawns, livestock, and annually have St. Croix ewes available worm,... They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs their... There is no hoof trimming, no weaning, no grain, no grain, no weaning, weaning... Between Dorper sheep are one of the not so great things about sheep that have a hair the... With the author personally are only good for meat production S state Rd,! About sheep that you should know about Ralph Jost Wild Rose St. sheep! Our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop marketed in the Virgin Islands and as a it! Washington 99006 naturally ) produce easily on grass we are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep found! The Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep 8 operation, that sheep breed believed. Passion for animals, hard work, and being a maker as opposed to,! 509-688-5168 Ralph Jost Wild Rose St. Croix as meat breeds its true that Barbados and St. were...
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