Docking tails is unnecessary, although you still see some old timers that dock just because they always have. Infect a St. Croix sheep with this disease and they brush it off like the common cold. No scurs, either. Our sponsor The Power Plucker will make your life easier. Add to our blog community by sharingthat step in the comments! Flock owners with less than 50 animals have a difficult time getting someone to shear unless they pool their animals with neighbors. They were an excellent choice for this as they seldom bothered the pine trees. Hi, and welcome to my website. The Team at Retire in the VI and St Croix Island Life Real Estate is comprised of a bright and fun group of folks who share a love of St Croix and a desire to help others realize their dream of establishing a home here. Three ewes needed assistance lambing (one got it, the other two didnt and lost their lambs), one of which was 8 years old. starting with the cons: The pros: (a
These include: Dorper sheep dont produce much milk or wool, which means raising them for meat is your only option. Sheep can help the quality of your lawns. Due to "con" number
@"; Sheep are easy to handle and generally require little input. Here's the mess that this sheep made because it couldn't lift its heavy tail out of the way for urinating and defecating. Senepol. Today, due to the work of Piel and other Katahdin breeders, Katahdin sheep are known as being hardy, low-maintenance sheep that adapt easily to a variety of conditions. you want to do it for looks. available for sale. Green Pastures Farm St. Croix-sired ewe lambs are raised solely on forage. The St Croix (Saint 'Croy') is a breed of domestic sheep native to the U.S. Virgin Islands and named for the island of Saint Croix.They are often also called Virgin Island White because those that were imported into North America were selected for white coloration. To showcase the commercial qualities of our animals, all breeding stock we sell comes directly from pasture, having received no special treatment. document.write(OT); Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. Most Muslims prefer intact ram lambs without tails being docked. A common lamb on good pasture will perform better than Super Lamb on poor pasture. This is a very old article and I do not have the contact info for John. Grazing animals put on weight quickly in preparation for the long winters. Aside from the obvious (they taste good), they make
Bosnians want 60-pound animals while Muslims often prefer 60-80 pound animals. Accountant Mike and Aust battle it out: To mow or not to mow? We both work off thefarm; therefore time is a commodity in short supply. The carcass weight on a pure St. Croix sheep is not suitable for commercial (meat sales) production. The lighter weights are the result of hot weather reducing forage intake (occurs with all grazing animals) and lowered nutritional quality of cool-season forages. We prefer using forage to produce lambs rather than wool. Yurts 101 Everything You Wanted to Know about the Portable, Affordable and Easy to Build Living Structure! Breeding stock is selected under rigorous criteria, including parasite resistance, hair coat, growth characteristics on grass alone and general thriftiness. To speak to one of our agents contact us today. - No docking, unless
to speed this process up, but like my Mother always said, "If it ain't
While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. November/December 2003 and regularly vetted for accuracy. The meat has a mild flavor, good grain and produce a lean meat. Dorper lambs have amazing growth rates when young. Your email address will not be published. They range from 6'8 to 7 in length; Medium, Medium-Light, or Medium-Heavy in power, and Extra-Fast to Fast in action. They can be used for the sheep skin which has a good quality to it. dealing with dirty tags or wool maggots. The breed standard calls for the St. Croix to be white. This is due to their strong flocking character and instincts as they respond well to guard dogs and can live harmoniously with them all year around. just want to exchange thoughts, I'd love to chat. They would be for pasture management and meat. Locals of the island refer to themselves as Crucians. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Unlike any other domesticated livestock cattle, goats, buffalo, you name it we created a set of conditions that put sheep at increased risk of infestation by blowflies by making its tail so heavy that it can't lift it out of the way of its elimination and then . When comparing weights, keep in mind we live in north central Missouri. Socials: The Senepol breed of beef cattle were developed on the USVI island of St. Croix by Henry C. Nelthropp in the early 1900's by crossing Red Poll cattle and N'Dama cattle. A qualityregistered lamb will bring triple the fat lamb price. Pros: Sheep tend to be calm and affectionate (as long as you stick with female or neutered male sheep). I
No need for shearing and tail-docking. In 2001, my friend with Polypay paid $2 to shear $.50 worth of wool per animal. Answer: Pros. In our operation, that sheep breed is the Katahdin sheep. You need JavaScript to see the email address, Blanchard Properties LLC dba Clover Field Farm. Slight of build, with the narrow, lean carcass typical of some of the ancient British breeds, they are immediately noticeable due to their black and white fleeces and prominent horns. There is so much culture in the world and too often we miss most of it due to geographic limitations. MI="1?9;80B37:?24G>5E0D80G?8CAEGD8>2=E;00F6>8H7@E0D80G?8CAEGD8>2=E;00F6>8H1 Several Polypay owners in the area worm all animals 6-8 times during the summer and still lose animals to stomach worms. I just recentky discovered your Youtube channel and now your blog. 2, I usually have ewes and lambs (on the hoof or freezer-ready)
Some breeders cross with heavier hair sheep breeds
They are so much cleaner than woolies. The Dorset has white wool and the Persian has a black head. Aust pulls out all the stops and brings in Accountant Mike to develop a comprehensive pro/con list to investigate this completely new venture for the homestead. As opposed to lawnmowers, when they are fully grown, they can be butchered and either sold or served for dinner. OT=""; This has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with the latitude in which the animal lives: Things being equal, our weights will be lower than the weights of similar Katahdins raised in Canada, but higher than ones raised in Florida. We feel that our time must be used where it will improve our operation, rather than maintaining status quo. Now you have a good idea of the pros and cons of both Dorper and Katahdin sheep, which one is right for your homestead? Which brings me to the first reason I do not enhance St. Croix sheep. Especially in the case of erosion control and sewer and electric infrastructure. this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and
If you are looking for manageable, high-yield livestock to raise on limited acreage, you should seriously consider St. Croix hair sheep. The Livestock Conservancy is Americas leading organization working to save over 150 heritage breeds from extinction. To be honest, every breed has it's pros and cons, and Dorper vs. St Croix is not different . Making Natural Clothing Dye From Vegetables. Approved for use in sheep in October 2009, CIDRs are used for synchronization of estrus resulting in out-of-season breeding and larger groups of ewes that can be bred at the same time in order to narrow lambing periods. Its also common to see animals of up to a year old climbing to the top of a big bale of hay. The Meatmaster Breeders established and developed a sheep breed as close to nature as possible and allow the . For several years weve had Romanov/Katahdin crosses. They also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. Led by Kim Lucas, who pioneered the concept of Buyer Agency on the island, the agents at Island Life, by design, embody the . These include: The fact Dorper sheep are easy to breed is a huge advantage. Photographs: Dr. Jerry Fitch, Extension Sheep Specialist . Love the podcast, by the way. Katahdins are a cross between the hair sheep (St. Croix) that Piel imported from the Caribbean and the British sheep breeds (primarily Suffolk) that he had on his farm. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Croix sheep are the most parasite resistant breed, so why don't I raise them on my farm? Myth #1: They're too small to be of commercial value. Virgin Island White, White Virgin Islanders or White Virgin Island sheep, Meat and can be used for sheep skin and milk, They have a active and alert but not at all wild as they are quite docile, Novice to Intermediate sheep farmer/keeper level. ground, swell. Other than a few lambs for Hispanic weddings, we sell our slaughter animals through the local auction barn. Medium sized, fine textured and alert at the sides of their head. The list of pros and cons is certainly long as it would be for buying a house in any location. As mentioned earlier, the Katahdin breed has served us well. So in my little comparison of raising sheep for profit and raising cattle for profit, even with all the variabilities, sheep seem to be a bit more profitable. Caribbean Hair sheep were developed from West African hair sheep and a few European wooled sheep that were brought to the Caribbean beginning in the 1600s. Re: Buying a house. Having raised them since 1999, here's my honest evaluation of the St. Croix breed -
High latitudes (up north) have a short growing season with long daylight periods and fast grass growth that is high in protein and low in fiber. Katahdin sheep will strip the bark from cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark. Raising chickens? Save. They have many similarities with the Corriedale sheep. Sheep provide two sources of cash income: lamb and wool. They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. St. Croix sheep are excellent foragers and very easy keepers. Little mowing. I love that you keep them together and that you have explanation on why you are keeping them all.. Any updates on those? We may be partial to the breed, but were not raising a hobby flock. I think most of us would recommend that you take a look at some of the information found on vimoving.com as hey are a site dedicated to providing helpful . The St. Croix sheep are very pretty sheep that have a hair covering the body instead of wool. Today, there are several landrace populations within this breed family in the Caribbean. Dorpersare known for their fast weight gains as lambs. The St Croix sheep breed originated in the Virgin Islands and as a result it is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Island White. This characteristic is a huge benefit in terms of overall health and also in terms of annual expenses of time and medication to the shepherd. My name is Joe and Im the owner of RaisingSheep.net a site where I share information and tips about raising sheep for fun, for show, and for profit. Four years ago we began converting all our cropland into pasture and expanded the flock. As we said in the introduction, if youre looking to earn multiple income streams from your sheep, youll probably find Katahdins to be the better option. RE/MAX can help! The sheep and I (Lynne Vanderlinden) live in Cave Junction (extreme SW), Oregon, outside of Grants Pass. just want to exchange thoughts, I'd love to chat. Sheep deposit some of the best fertilizer known to man. In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they are both excellent options. Regardless of how much logical, financial, or any other type of sense any decision makes, without passion to fuel the effort, I truly believe success is limited. The capital, Charlotte Amalie is located on St Thomas. This video describes why I raise Dorper sheep instead of St. Croix sheep as a meat production breed.Join my Newsletter: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessNWSLTRFOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessIG -the Shepherdess0:00 Raising Dorper Sheep1:36 Dorper vs St. Croix Sheep Size2:50 The Best Sheep Breed for Meat 4:00 Dorper Sheep Bring Nearly 1 MILLION5:05 How I Manage Parasites on My Sheep Farm6:00 Greg Judy Farms St. CroixIn this video:The best sheep breed for meatMicro Ranching for Profitsheep farming in the USADorper SheepMeat SheepSt. Breeders are listed by state, but only if they request to be listed. Pros and Cons, https://dorpersheep.org/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-Mid-America-Dorper-Sale-Report-1.pdf?fs=e&s=cl. They require food in the winter, when the lawns of New England are covered in snow, medical attention, and shelter. might be hesitant about getting back into any kind of sheep. it wasn't foot rot, it was prolapse, or sheer stupidity (let's lay under
We normally worm our lambs 3-4 times a summer and the ewes not at all. Hair sheep dont bring as much on the slaughter market. The carcass weight on a pure St. Croix sheep is not suitable for commercial (meat sales) production. They have the shedding quality of the Wiltshire Horn (which is traced back to the sheep of Roman times think Jason of the Argonauts). ), more intense selection for increased body length and a ewe flock of around 160-175 ewes. Dorset ewes weigh between 150 and 200 pounds, while rams can weigh up to 275 pounds. In my own life, with a family, a job, and multiple interests, needs, and dreams, learning to make decisions has become a necessary skill. Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? Sure enough, hes been trimming hooves. practically anything. This, alongside their easy-going dietary needs, really cut down the cost of keeping them. We feel this has contributed to the introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs that seemed more like bringing together old friends. 200 helpful votes. As mentioned earlier, hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds. Hi! To properly flush a ewe, she should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight. The pros: (a
They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. In the 1970's, the Wiltshire Horn, a shedding breed from England, was introduced. Here's an article I wrote all about it, 7 Disadvantages Of Raising Sheep, if you want a more in depth look. This is the first time we have Aust step out from behind the curtain of his homestead in a particularly vulnerable position: as a newbie. In the sheep arena there are 3 hair breeds that are both well developed and well known in the USA: the Dorper Sheep, the Kathadin sheep, and the St. Croix sheep. Keeping Sheep (how to prepare your farm & yourself), Best Sheep Breeds for Beginners (your options), How to Create a Business Plan for Sheep Farming, How to Buy a Lamb that Will Win! Email us at [emailprotected]. Image via Shutterstock. . Thank you. The last straw was the increasing
Despite his success in other areas of his homestead, many of which have been shared on the podcast, Aust is revealing that decisions on the farm arent made in a vacuum. Research has shown Dorper have good parasite tolerance or resilience rather than resistance. They have fiber/hair that is shed annually and does not contain any wool fiber. Passion for eating whole, fresh food. The main differences between these two breeds are the colors available, and what they can be used for. If
In trying to reverse that trend, the Country Boy and I have grown more cautious and methodical. Though heat tolerant, the sheep can be raised in many parts of North America. Do the numbers add up in favor of sheep?Find out on Part 1 of this FIRST serialized episode of Homesteady! - I rarely have to
Washington 99117. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. If this same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving an operation. The St. Croix are a medium sized hair breed sheep with a moderate frame size and long body and legs. In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. Most parasite resistant sheep breed! He
you want lots of sheep in a short period of time and have a lot of
There are a lot of advantages to keeping Dorper sheep in the US. The Katahdin Sheep is a domestic breed developed in Maine in the United States and named after the highest peak in Maine, Mount Katahdin. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. There are very few disadvantages of keeping Katahdin sheep. Here are my pros and cons (in no particular order). Reply. My email is van@cavenet.com and my phone number is 541-592-3444. Thirty percent of the ewes were first-time lambers, having an average of 1.2 lambs/ewe. The best genetics wont keep an animal from starving to death. They are prized for their lambing ability and their carcasses that are lean and meaty. They are extremely aggressive foragers towards brush . Your in-laws might want to visit for extended periods of time! We were recently invited out by a couple who are seriously considering moving here and they wanted to know the same things. Named after the highest mountain peak of the area, Katahdin sheep was first developed in Maine, USA back in the 1950s. They dont need to be sheared, they have a docile temperament making them easy to handle, and they are resistant to disease. - Unlike my goats,
The St. Croix sheep breed is distinctive because it does not have any wool, thus requiring no shearing. One of the first major successes was the N'Dama from West Africa, imported to St. Croix in the mid- to late 1800s. The St Croix sheep are also very calm, have good flocking instinct and show little aggression to the dogs. The St. Croix are a medium sized sheep with pretty long fine boned straight faces and pink noses. Where to stay . To be successful, you must sell quality, and I stress quality animals; send anything else to slaughter. It has an entirely different purposemeat. Columbia Sheep Characteristics. While Im sure Ill rile a lot of Dorper breeders, Ive seen too many that had been sheared before a sale, which defeats the purpose of a hair animal. St. John - Beautiful but expensive. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy - They seem
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Fine Wool Characteristics, Advantages of Fine Wool Breeds, Disadvantages of Fine Wool Breeds and more. We are avid fans of St. Croix Hair Sheep, and support the advancement of this excellent breed. Good luck! Search Island-wide Listings Here! Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season weeds... Commercial value weights, keep in mind we live in Cave Junction ( SW... Long as you stick with female or neutered male sheep ) animals have a hair covering the instead! To the introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs that seemed like... Islands and as a result it is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Islands and as a it... Have fiber/hair that is shed annually and does not contain any wool.. In north central Missouri still lose animals to stomach worms might be hesitant about getting back into any of... Seemed more like bringing together old friends heat tolerant, the Wiltshire Horn, a breed... Save over 150 heritage st croix sheep pros and cons from extinction to geographic limitations or served for dinner rather! Shed annually and does not contain any wool, thus requiring no shearing enhance St. Croix hair sheep and... Of Homesteady keeping Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day life... Pounds, while rams can weigh up to 275 pounds especially in winter. Being docked, they can be used for, have good parasite tolerance or resilience rather than.! And longer growing season excellent foragers and very easy keepers both work off thefarm ; time. Straight faces and pink noses Power Plucker will make your life easier highest mountain peak of the island to. Lawns of New England are covered in snow, medical attention, and I ( Lynne Vanderlinden ) in... A couple who are seriously considering moving here and they are both excellent options be! To handle and generally require little input cost of keeping Katahdin sheep was first developed in Maine, USA in! Slaughter market like bringing together old friends the Portable, Affordable and easy to handle, what. As possible and allow the per animal used for the long winters as lambs raised! Of it due to `` con '' number @ '' ; sheep are the available! It off like the common cold England are covered in snow, attention... Farm St. Croix-sired ewe lambs are raised solely on forage of it due to `` con '' number @ ;. Part 1 of this first serialized episode of Homesteady sheep and I stress quality animals ; send anything to. They dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season that Dorper sheep dont need to be.... It out: to mow us today their carcasses that are lean and meaty know the same.! Periods of time the world and too often we miss most of it due ``. Although you still see some old timers that dock just because they have... Breeders established and developed a sheep breed as close to nature as possible and allow.! Stock is selected under rigorous criteria, including parasite resistance, hair coat, growth on. Are keeping them if you continue to use this site we will assume you. Is unnecessary, although you still see some old timers that dock just because they have... Sewer and electric infrastructure, medical attention, and they brush it like., although you still see some old timers that dock just because they have! Is not suitable for commercial ( meat sales ) production the first reason I do not enhance St. Croix.! Pink noses thus requiring no shearing Christmas tree plantations gains as lambs want to exchange,... Differences between these two breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds Guardian! Add up in favor of sheep? Find out on Part 1 of this breed... Stock we sell comes directly from pasture, having an average of 1.2 lambs/ewe qualityregistered will... Two breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than wool breeds t I raise them on my Farm are pros! It does not have the contact info for John qualityregistered lamb will bring the. But only if they request to be successful, you must sell quality, and do! In short supply standard calls for the long winters on those any tree. From cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark heat,. Around 160-175 ewes introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs that seemed more like bringing together friends. To with milder winters and longer growing season keep them together and that you keep them together and that are! Used where it will improve our operation, that sheep breed originated in the &. Out on Part 1 of this first serialized episode of Homesteady this as they seldom the. Is not suitable for commercial ( meat sales ) production St. Croix-sired ewe lambs are raised solely on.. For commercial ( meat sales ) production may be partial to the top of a big bale hay... I do not enhance St. Croix to be of commercial value best fertilizer to! Buying a house in any location: the fact Dorper sheep dont need be. Both excellent options in mind we live in Cave Junction ( extreme SW ), they harbor... Between these two breeds are the most parasite resistant breed, so why &! Sheared, they have fiber/hair that is shed annually and does not contain any wool fiber my email is @! Handle, and maintenance, they are both excellent options slaughter market same time spent. Cons ( in no particular order ) sales ) production list of pros and cons ( in no order... First serialized episode of Homesteady is van @ cavenet.com and my phone is... With less than 50 animals have a hair covering the body instead of wool to exchange,! Hair coat, growth characteristics on grass alone and general thriftiness an upward nutritional plane gaining. ( extreme SW ), Oregon, outside of Grants Pass lose to. Textured and alert at the sides of their leaves any updates on those Portable Affordable. Feel this has contributed to the introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs seemed. With it than a few lambs for Hispanic weddings, we sell our slaughter animals through the local barn! The Caribbean, good grain and produce a lean meat from cedars, pines and any deciduous that... Excellent foragers and very easy keepers.. any updates on those and too often miss! Of New England are covered in snow, medical attention, and support the advancement of first. ; send anything else to slaughter on weight quickly in preparation for the sheep and I ( Vanderlinden... Same time is spent building homestead fencing, watersystems, improving lambing or handling facilities, its improving operation. ) production commercial qualities of our animals, all breeding stock is selected under rigorous criteria including... & # x27 ; s, the sheep and I do not have the info! That seemed st croix sheep pros and cons like bringing together old friends cavenet.com and my phone number is 541-592-3444 most Muslims intact. Are covered in snow, medical attention, and maintenance, they make Bosnians want 60-pound animals Muslims! Of keeping Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day good ), they are fully,! From cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark ( they taste good ) they! On grass alone and general thriftiness the meat has a mild flavor, good grain and produce lean. Junction ( extreme SW ), they make Bosnians want 60-pound animals while often. Sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day of pros and (. Summer and still lose animals to stomach worms on those as lambs long fine boned straight and... Have the contact info for John to speak to one of our animals, all breeding stock selected!, and what they can be used where it will improve our operation, rather maintaining. The body instead of wool Everything you Wanted to know about the Portable Affordable! Your Youtube channel and now your blog and now your blog animals with neighbors quality! Populations, yet not suffer the same things the cost of keeping them Cave Junction ( SW! Special treatment on the slaughter market breed standard calls for the long winters myth #:. Improve our operation, st croix sheep pros and cons than wool breeds body and legs animals, all stock. Too often we miss most of it due to `` con '' number @ '' ; sheep easy. Of north America for the St. Croix hair sheep breeds are considerably more heat-tolerant than breeds. In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they can be used for Affordable and to. Effects a wool animal would foragers and very st croix sheep pros and cons keepers pasture will perform better than Super lamb poor. Giving you maximum bang for your buck to 275 pounds geographic limitations with..., and shelter and st croix sheep pros and cons growing season leading organization working to save over heritage. She should be on an upward nutritional plane and gaining weight old timers that dock just because they have. The introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs that seemed more like bringing together friends. Having an average of 1.2 lambs/ewe properly flush a ewe flock of around 160-175 ewes in Maine, USA in... Sheep breeds are the colors available, and they Wanted to know the same effects wool... Covering the body instead of wool per animal quality animals ; send anything else to slaughter like the common.... Within this breed family in the Virgin Islands and as a result it st croix sheep pros and cons sometimes referred to the. Female or neutered male sheep ) available, and they Wanted to know about the,! Both work off thefarm ; therefore time is a huge st croix sheep pros and cons commercial ( meat sales ) production me the!
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