For Best Katahdin Sheep For Sale Kentucky Is Worth Visiting

By Carol Anderson


The development of the breed of Katahdin sheep was done in the State of Maine in the US on a farm called Piel Farm. The developer was an amateur breeder named Michael Piel and he developed the sheep in the early years of 1950s. Piel had a passion in raising livestock in general, but he later specialized in the development and rearing of sheep. The popularity of the breed has increased a lot since its development and it can now be found almost in all parts of the world. Therefore, when looking for Katahdin sheep for sale Kentucky is a recommendable place to pay a visit..

Katahdin is a superior breed that anyone would like to acquire. This article presents some basic information about the breed that makes it worthwhile to acquire. The first advantage of this breed is that they are hardy animals that are low maintenance. They also adapt fast and easily to new environment and can survive in a wide range of environment with little difficulty.

The development of Katahdins was partly to achieve a breed that does not require being sheared. The vision of Piel was to develop a breed that would not force farmers that wanted to raise sheep for meat to raise a flock for wool at the same time. Therefore, the carcasses produced by the breed are lean and meaty, which is perfect meat for consumption for many people. The flock can also be raised for utility purposes besides production purposes.

This breed has a medium body size. The weight of a healthy, well-fed ewe can go as high as 160 pounds, even though typical ones weigh starting from 120 to 155 pounds. Males weigh much more, ranging between 180 and 250 pounds in weight. Newly-born lambs weigh ten pounds on average.

Females have exceptional mothering ability. They give birth in a vigorous and alert manner and they lamb with a lot of ease. In general, ewes reach the age of puberty rather earlier and remain productive for a very long time. They are protective mothers and have plenty of milk to feed their young ones. Most ewes will give birth to twins and they may occasionally give birth to triplets or quadruplets.

Rams exhibit aggressiveness in breeding, remaining fertile all year round. Several ewes can be serviced by a single ram satisfactorily. One cycle of exposure will leave most ewes fertile. Thus, concerning mating, the work of the farmer is made easier. The animals can be bred in pasture lambing or foragebase management systems.

The level of adaptability in these animals is very high. The regions from where the parents used in the original breeding partly contribute to the high adaptability. The coat thickens during cold winter season and sheds during summer. Thus, the animal can survive in either climate well. Tolerance to heat and humidity is also very high because of the quality of the coat.

Another important benefit is tolerance to internal and external parasites. Comparison studies with other breeds show that Katahdins have higher tolerance levels to parasites, both internal and external. Thus, they need only minimal parasite treatment to survive.




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