The Royal White produces more meat than Katahdin sheep and Dorper sheep.. Summary. I raise St. Croix hair sheep. The first St. Croix were imported into the USA in the 1960s to develop the Katahdin sheep breed. Dorper x St. Croix progeny had heavier carcass weights than St. Croix-sired or Katahdin lambs. The Royal White sheep shed their wool naturally, it saves the cost of shearing.. Contact a breeder in your area about St. Croix hair sheep. Dressing percentage and 12th rib fat thickness was lower for St. Croix lambs compared to Dorper-sired progeny or Katahdin. In 2005 they bought Hemmer Hill Farm outside of Louisville, Kentucky’s Northeast End and began raising Saint Croix sheep. Sheep & Goat Research Journal, Volume 20, 2005 51. While Joyce’s family had experience with both beef cattle and wool sheep, she preferred the smaller size of sheep. Katahdin sheep are medium in size, with ewes weighing 120–160 pounds and rams weighing 180–250 pounds. Katahdins do well in that climate, but also tolerate cold climates, as do St. Croix and other hair sheep breeds once they have a chance to acclimate to it. Loin muscle areas were largest for Dorper-sired progeny, smallest for St. Croix-sired, with Katahdin intermediate. Sheep were man-aged on grass pasture and were supplemented with corn/soy-bean meal and free-choice, trace-mineral mix. You may also search using the map below. A second group was imported into the USA in 1975 and these animals were kept pure.The St. Croix breed is recognized as “threatened” by the Livestock Conservancy … With a high rate of multiple births and a gentle temperament, this is a good choice for people looking to start a hair sheep business, particularly in warm climates. Started out with 2 and now have 15. Wethers were evaluated only in 2001 and 2002, and no Caribbean hair sheep ewe lambs were tested. I have been raising Katahdin sheep for 3 yrs. 509-688-5168 Ralph Jost Wild Rose St. Croix 21720 N Spotted Rd, Deer Park, Washington 99006. Michael Piel created these sheep after importing three St. Croix sheep (referred to as African sheep at the time). In fact, some studies suggest that Katahdin sheep, along with other hair sheep, are resistant to internal and external parasites like the barber’s pole worm. ... Washington 99117. As hair sheep… The Katahdin is a breed of domestic sheep developed in Maine, United States and named after Mount Katahdin - the state’s highest peak. Katahdin. Katahdin lambs were purchased at weaning (approximately 60 days) from a total of 10 different flocks, and St. Croix x Barbados Blackbelly wethers were introduced at weaning from the Virginia Tech Sheep Center, Blacksburg. Ewe production traits and ability to breed out of season were compared for the Dorper (DO), Katahdin (KA), and St. Croix (SC) breeds between 2000 and 2005. Katahdins were first bred in the United States in the mid-1950s. Have from the beginning wanted to raise grass-fed chemical free sheep with the hope of selling the meat to good restaurants sometime in the future. The St. Croix breed is descended from the original West African hair sheep although some believe they are a cross breed of Criollo and Wiltshire White sheep. Piel experimented with the breed, playing around with different combinations until the … Ewes were Although Katahdin sheep aren’t 100% resistant to parasites, they are much more parasite-resistant than most other breeds. The breed is famous in the United States for its high performance and low maintenance.. Otherwise they are very quiet. Progeny had heavier carcass weights than St. Croix-sired, with Katahdin intermediate progeny... 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