Katahdin sheep

[abigalerose]

I'm wanting to raise katahdin sheep in the future, so is there anyone out there who can tell me anything and everything you know about them?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Go over to BYH, there is a ton of information!

 

[baymule]

I have half Katahdin, half Dorper ewes and a Dorper ram. The lamb is out of this world, tender and delicious. I bought grade sheep because I am learning and didn't want to buy expensive sheep and kill them with ignorance. My next ram will be a registered Dorper and maybe 2-3 registered ewes.

Katahdins and Dorpers are both hair sheep, love 'em! Definitely mosey on over to BYH-link at the right, and join up. There is a good sheep forum there, lots of nice folks and everyone is very helpful.

 

[Beekissed]

I've had St. Croix/Kat crosses and just pure Katahdins and I prefer the Katahdins. I've seen a lot of the Dorpers but was not as impressed with their length of leg compared to the Katahdins, nor was I impressed with their overall temperaments compared to the Kats. At first I was determined to cross those breeds but after seeing them as individuals, I didn't feel like the Dorpers had anything they could contribute to the Kats to improve them.

Katahdins are a gentle, docile hair breed...IME, they seem the most easy to handle and they seem to shed their wool easier than the other breeds. They also kept better condition than my other sheep on just grass and hay feeds...stayed fat as ticks on it, even if it was poor quality hay. They also seemed to have better parasite resistance than the others.

Now, that's all very limited experience and I never got to keep them for years and years, so YMMV, but if I ever get the chance to have sheep again, it will be only the Kats.

 

[MoonShadows]

I would love to start raising some other animals besides chickens, but I keep getting outvoted. I really would like to start with sheep or small pigs. It's not fair my vote only counts as 1

 

[baymule]

I would love to start raising some other animals besides chickens, but I keep getting outvoted. I really would like to start with sheep or small pigs. It's not fair my vote only counts as 1

Just come home with a couple of pigs or lambs. This is a time when cuteness counts!

 

[MoonShadows]

Just come home with a couple of pigs or lambs. This is a time when cuteness counts!

Believe me @baymule, I have thought about that!

 

[baymule]

Believe me @baymule, I have thought about that!

Just say this cute little lamb followed you home!

 

[Britesea]

DH did something like that once, when we lived in CA. He was out in the front yard when a couple of weaner piglets came trotting up saying "Hi! What's for breakfast?" He scooped them up, one in each arm, and dumped them in the back seat of the car (door was handily open), then started looking for their owner. Never did find anyone that knew anything about them, so we kept them. Named them Bacon and Hamlet.

 

[sumi]

Some people are meant to have pigs @Britesea

I got into keeping chickens about 10 years ago when I guy arrived on our farm with a sob story and a truckload of chicks. WHO can resist a truckload of chicks? Not me… I bought 30 off him and he threw in an extra 10. I got ONE hen out of the batch (guess where he got them from?) and got hooked on chicken keeping.