Katahdin sheep is a breed of hair sheep that was developed on Piel Farm in the state of Maine, United States. The development was done by an amateur breeder named Michael Piel in later 1950s. Piel enjoyed raising livestock and sheep became one of his specialties. Since its development, the breed has spread all over the US and into the whole world over. Thus, when in need of the best Katahdin sheep for sale Kentucky is a good place to visit.
Katahdin are preferred by many farmers because they are a superior breed. The advantages of these animals are the topic of discussion in this article so that one can understand why they are preferred by many. The first advantage comes from the animals being hardy and low maintenance. They can survive in a variety of environments easily.
Part of the reason why katahdins were developed was to produce a breed that does not need shearing. Piel wanted to enable farmers to raise flocks for meat without being forced to raise the same flocks for wool too. Thus, katahdins were meant for meat production and not wool. That is why they have lean, high-quality meat liked by many. Flocks may be used for utility reasons apart from production purposes.
The size of the breed is usually medium. Healthy ewes will weight as much as 160 pounds although typical ones range in weigh between 120 and 155 pounds. On the contrary, the weight of the rams ranges between 180-250 pounds. Finally, at the time of birth, most lambs will weigh approximately ten pounds on average.
Mothering abilities of females is exceptional. They lamb vigorously, easily, and do not need help during the process. Ewes remain productive for long even though they reach puberty much earlier too. Ewes become protective when they birth and the milky is enough for the lambs. They commonly give birth to twins, but will sometimes give birth to quadruplets and triplets.
Rams are aggressive breeders and they remain fertile all months of the year. A single ram can service a huge number of ewes with ease. Most ewes will be fertilized at the first cycle of exposure. This makes the work of the farmer easier when it comes to mating. Breeding can be done in grass/foragebase or pasture lambing management systems.
The adaptability of these animals is very high. This feature results partly from the places of origin where the animals used during breeding were derived. When temperatures grow cold, they develop a thick winter coat, which remains until when winter ends. At the end of winter, the thick coat is shed in preparation for hot summer months. The characteristics of the coat give them high tolerance to humidity and heat.
A high level of tolerance to internal and external parasites is another advantage of Katahdins. Comparison studies between this breed and other breeds have revealed that katahdins are more tolerant to parasites. As such, only minimal parasite treatment is needed to keep a flock healthy and safe from both internal and external parasites.
Katahdin are preferred by many farmers because they are a superior breed. The advantages of these animals are the topic of discussion in this article so that one can understand why they are preferred by many. The first advantage comes from the animals being hardy and low maintenance. They can survive in a variety of environments easily.
Part of the reason why katahdins were developed was to produce a breed that does not need shearing. Piel wanted to enable farmers to raise flocks for meat without being forced to raise the same flocks for wool too. Thus, katahdins were meant for meat production and not wool. That is why they have lean, high-quality meat liked by many. Flocks may be used for utility reasons apart from production purposes.
The size of the breed is usually medium. Healthy ewes will weight as much as 160 pounds although typical ones range in weigh between 120 and 155 pounds. On the contrary, the weight of the rams ranges between 180-250 pounds. Finally, at the time of birth, most lambs will weigh approximately ten pounds on average.
Mothering abilities of females is exceptional. They lamb vigorously, easily, and do not need help during the process. Ewes remain productive for long even though they reach puberty much earlier too. Ewes become protective when they birth and the milky is enough for the lambs. They commonly give birth to twins, but will sometimes give birth to quadruplets and triplets.
Rams are aggressive breeders and they remain fertile all months of the year. A single ram can service a huge number of ewes with ease. Most ewes will be fertilized at the first cycle of exposure. This makes the work of the farmer easier when it comes to mating. Breeding can be done in grass/foragebase or pasture lambing management systems.
The adaptability of these animals is very high. This feature results partly from the places of origin where the animals used during breeding were derived. When temperatures grow cold, they develop a thick winter coat, which remains until when winter ends. At the end of winter, the thick coat is shed in preparation for hot summer months. The characteristics of the coat give them high tolerance to humidity and heat.
A high level of tolerance to internal and external parasites is another advantage of Katahdins. Comparison studies between this breed and other breeds have revealed that katahdins are more tolerant to parasites. As such, only minimal parasite treatment is needed to keep a flock healthy and safe from both internal and external parasites.
About the Author:
If you are searching for the facts about Katahdin sheep for sale Kentucky locals can visit our web pages online here. More details are available at http://www.stablerockkatahdins.com now.
No comments:
Post a Comment