Sunday, March 27, 2016

For Best Katahdin Sheep For Sale Kentucky Is Worth Visiting

By Carol Anderson


Katahdin sheep is a breed of hair sheep that was developed on Piel Farm in the state of Maine, United States. The development was done by an amateur breeder named Michael Piel in later 1950s. Piel enjoyed raising livestock and sheep became one of his specialties. Since its development, the breed has spread all over the US and into the whole world over. Thus, when in need of the best Katahdin sheep for sale Kentucky is a good place to 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.

Part of the reason why katahdins were developed was to produce a breed that does not need shearing. Piel wanted to enable farmers to raise flocks for meat without being forced to raise the same flocks for wool too. Thus, katahdins were meant for meat production and not wool. That is why they have lean, high-quality meat liked by many. Flocks may be used for utility reasons apart from production purposes.

The size of the breed is usually medium. Healthy ewes will weight as much as 160 pounds although typical ones range in weigh between 120 and 155 pounds. On the contrary, the weight of the rams ranges between 180-250 pounds. Finally, at the time of birth, most lambs will weigh approximately ten pounds on average.

Mothering abilities of females is exceptional. They lamb vigorously, easily, and do not need help during the process. Ewes remain productive for long even though they reach puberty much earlier too. Ewes become protective when they birth and the milky is enough for the lambs. They commonly give birth to twins, but will sometimes give birth to quadruplets and triplets.

Rams are aggressive breeders and they remain fertile all months of the year. A single ram can service a huge number of ewes with ease. Most ewes will be fertilized at the first cycle of exposure. This makes the work of the farmer easier when it comes to mating. Breeding can be done in grass/foragebase or pasture lambing management systems.

The adaptability of these animals is very high. This feature results partly from the places of origin where the animals used during breeding were derived. When temperatures grow cold, they develop a thick winter coat, which remains until when winter ends. At the end of winter, the thick coat is shed in preparation for hot summer months. The characteristics of the coat give them high tolerance to humidity and heat.

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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