Katahdin Sheep Characteristics. One female was tan in color, the male and another female were white. Most Katahdin ewes will have a 200% lamb crop. Stan Musgrave, an animal scientist from Maine familiar with the Piel flock, inspected all Katahdins known to exist across the United States. The Katahdin Hair Sheep International Breed Standard . Scrotum, Udder: Two large, well-developed and balanced testicles in rams. The first KHSI members were accepted in 1987, and 23 breeders agreed to join KHSI and register their Katahdin stock. The breed is ideal for pasture lambing and grass/foragebased management systems. Ideal candidates are farms that primarily raise sheep on rotationally grazed pasture with some supplemental feed. They demonstrate adaptability by performing well in areas varying in geography, temperature, and humidity, feed and forage resources, and management systems. Live weight of a mature ewe in good condition usually ranges from 120 to 160 pounds; a mature ram will weigh 180 to 250 pounds. NOTE: The form can also be used for Comments, Suggestions, and Corrections. The first crosses were born in 1976. The purpose of this cross was to eliminate the wool while improving the prolificacy, hardiness, meat conformation and rate of growth of the hair sheep. • Very light bone structure. Katahdin are hardy, adaptable, low maintenance sheep that produce superior lamb crops and lean, meaty carcasses. The coat can be any color or pattern. They have demonstrated wide adaptability. This Guide to Katahdin Hair Sheep is being provided as a courtesy to KHSI members, new owners of registered Katahdins and to those interested in raising Katahdin sheep in the future. Rams are distinctly masculine and well-muscled; ewes strong and feminine. The Katahdin is a breed of domestic sheep developed in Maine, United States and named after Mount Katahdin - the state’s highest peak. Four Hills Farms raises Katahdin sheep and sells lamb meat wholesale to grocery stores and restaurants. Average birth weight of twins is about 8 pounds. The first inspection of animals for the original registry flock book was conducted in 1986. Back: Strong, smooth, and broad; loin long, wide, deep and well-fleshed. His first intentions related to establishing a sheep enterprise were to use sheep to graze power lines instead of spraying or mowing the vegetation. Muscles of the thigh are thick, with obvious muscularity on the inner and outer thigh, carried down to the shank. • Weak pasterns or splayed hoofs. He selected from his large flock approximately 120 of the best ewes and called them "Katahdin" sheep after Mt. They exhibit moderate flocking instinct. Mature Katahdin's rarely require deworming. A well-managed and selected flock should produce a 200% lamb crop. They purchased some sheep from Piel in the mid-1970s and established the first satellite flock of Katahdins. Lambs are desirable for specialty markets at a variety of ages and weights, wethers are appropriate for conventional North American markets at 95 to 115 pounds. ), Katahdin Hair Sheep International | PO Box 739, Fowlerville, MI 48836 | Phone: (717) 335-8280, KHSI Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports. The purpose of the breed is to efficiently produce meat. Katahdin Katahdin sheep are a breed of hair sheep developed in the United States.
It usually takes at least 3 generations, depending on the type of wool sheep parentage, to obtain offspring with a shedding hair coat and other purebred characteristics. Katahdin, the highest peak in the state of Maine. Please mail your original copies with our email form
Lambs are comparable to other medium-sized maternal breeds in growth and cutability. The Jepsons then experimented with incorporating St. Croix blood (another hair sheep breed akin to the original "African Hair" type) into their flock in the early 1980s. Agricultural Research Service in St. Croix, Virgin Islands who was working with hair sheep flocks on the island. However, the undesirable presence of horns, decreased prolificacy and flocking instinct, and a flightier disposition resulted from incorporating the Wiltshire Horn. Lambs grow and mature rapidly to an acceptable market weight range and produce relatively lean and well muscled carcasses with a very mild flavor. Fact: In central Missouri, raising sheep for wool has been a losing proposition for a number of years. Ewes and rams exhibit early puberty and generally have a long productive life. Rams are aggressive breeders, generally fertile year round, and can settle a large number of ewes in the first cycle of exposure. The Katahdin sheep breed was the first in the United States to reach sheep industry standards of carcass quality. The Wiltshire Horn influence in the Piel Farm flock increased in the late 1970s as scale and bone improved somewhat. Katahdins are also significantly tolerant of internal and external parasites and if managed carefully require only minimal parasite treatment. The average Katahdin ewe weighs 120 to 160 lbss and the ram 180 to 250 lbs. It is a special issue of the Katahdin Hairald magazine. The ram lamb, "King Tut," was used for breeding a handful of ewes in December 1957, including Tunis, Southdown, Hampshire, Suffolk, and the "African" ewe lambs. HPI realized that Katahdins were well suited to the southern U.S. and built a sizeable flock at their center in Arkansas through the 1980s based on stock from Piel Farm and Jepsons. They naturally shed their winter coat, and so do not need to be sheared. They are medium-sized and efficient, bred for utility and for production in a variety of management systems. (Refer to the Animal Inspection section of the General Instructions for a description of coat types. We have members from Mexico to Northern Canada and have exported to Ecuador, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom, Chile, and Central America. It generally consists of coarse outer hair fibers and an undercoat of fine wooly fibers that becomes very thick and longer if cold weather sets in and day length decreases. Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal. Usually, though, it will consist of coarse outer fibers and an undercoat of finer wool fibers. Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. Ewes have exceptional mothering ability and lamb easily; lambs are born vigorous and alert. The coat shall preferably consist of hair rather than wooly fibers, though hair texture will vary. The Katahdin ewe shows a strong, protective mothering instinct, usually lambs without assistance, and has ample milk for her lambs. animal-science-mail-form
Legs: Medium length and bone in proportion to size. They were derived from breeds that originated in the Caribbean and British Islands and the state of Maine was their original home. [Sheep Breeds || Breeds of Livestock || Animal Science Home Page || Comment ]. The hair of Katahdin sheep can vary in the texture and length among individuals and it can be just about any color. They possess high potential for early puberty, fertility, and lamb survivability. Neck: Strong, of medium length: extends straight into the shoulder. The Katahdin sheds its winter coat, so it doesn’t have to be sheared. Sound leg structure: properly angled at hock, front legs straight, strong pasterns, straight feet free of defect.
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