The state of Maine in the US is the mother to a special breed of sheep known as Katahdin. The development of this breed happened at the foot of Mount Katahdin and it is in recognition of this that they were named after the mountain. Despite initially having been reserved to the state of Maine, they have become an international breed due to their superior characteristics and quality. Today, they are spread all over the world. This is what Katahdin sheep for sale are all about.
These animals have many characteristics and some of them include being extremely adaptable and hardy. The two qualities make it very possible for them to survive in any type of weather and environmental conditions without many difficulties. They normally grow a thick coat as part of their adaptability so as to be able to survive in the cold weather. To prevent overheating, the coat is normally shed during summer due to the hot weather.
Tolerance to heat and humidity is very high in these animals. Another form of tolerance is exhibited to both internal and external parasites. They can perfectly tolerate a huge amount of internal and external parasites compared to wooled sheep. Only minimal parasite treatment is necessary provided that they are given good care.
Katahdins exhibit docility, which makes them very easy to handle. Unlike other breeds of sheep and animals, it is easy to get them to move from one area to another with minimum disturbance. This is made much easier with the fact that they also exhibit moderate flocking instinct. The flocking instinct is one of the major characteristics that the developer of this breed was aiming for. This was achieved by crossbreeding animals that have the trait.
These sheep grow into weighty animals. The available evidence shows that they are among the biggest breeds of sheep currently in existence. One should expect a weight rang of 125 to 185 pounds from a ewe that is well taken care of. Mature rams on the other hand have the ability of achieving a weight range of 250 and 180 pounds. At birth, most twins usually average 8 pounds in terms of weight.
These animals have a very lengthy reproductive life since they reach puberty early in their life. The ewes normally reproduce twins in most of the cases. Nevertheless, it is very common to find them reproducing triplets and quadruplets in other instances. The lamb crop in a flock which is well managed is at 200 percent. The rams portray high aggression level in breeding. They are also fertile the whole year.
The length and texture of the hair usually varies from one individual to another. The coat can be of any color, with a combination of colors also being possible. The coat is composed of two layers, with the inner layer being soft and wooly, while the outer one is rough. The length of the coat varies with the prevailing weather conditions too.
The katahdins demand is extremely high in this world nowadays. Individuals buy these animals for their meat as well as for the purpose of rearing them. They can be used in crossbreeding programs in order to produce different breeds of sheep with superior qualities.
These animals have many characteristics and some of them include being extremely adaptable and hardy. The two qualities make it very possible for them to survive in any type of weather and environmental conditions without many difficulties. They normally grow a thick coat as part of their adaptability so as to be able to survive in the cold weather. To prevent overheating, the coat is normally shed during summer due to the hot weather.
Tolerance to heat and humidity is very high in these animals. Another form of tolerance is exhibited to both internal and external parasites. They can perfectly tolerate a huge amount of internal and external parasites compared to wooled sheep. Only minimal parasite treatment is necessary provided that they are given good care.
Katahdins exhibit docility, which makes them very easy to handle. Unlike other breeds of sheep and animals, it is easy to get them to move from one area to another with minimum disturbance. This is made much easier with the fact that they also exhibit moderate flocking instinct. The flocking instinct is one of the major characteristics that the developer of this breed was aiming for. This was achieved by crossbreeding animals that have the trait.
These sheep grow into weighty animals. The available evidence shows that they are among the biggest breeds of sheep currently in existence. One should expect a weight rang of 125 to 185 pounds from a ewe that is well taken care of. Mature rams on the other hand have the ability of achieving a weight range of 250 and 180 pounds. At birth, most twins usually average 8 pounds in terms of weight.
These animals have a very lengthy reproductive life since they reach puberty early in their life. The ewes normally reproduce twins in most of the cases. Nevertheless, it is very common to find them reproducing triplets and quadruplets in other instances. The lamb crop in a flock which is well managed is at 200 percent. The rams portray high aggression level in breeding. They are also fertile the whole year.
The length and texture of the hair usually varies from one individual to another. The coat can be of any color, with a combination of colors also being possible. The coat is composed of two layers, with the inner layer being soft and wooly, while the outer one is rough. The length of the coat varies with the prevailing weather conditions too.
The katahdins demand is extremely high in this world nowadays. Individuals buy these animals for their meat as well as for the purpose of rearing them. They can be used in crossbreeding programs in order to produce different breeds of sheep with superior qualities.
About the Author:
Get a detailed list of the factors to keep in mind when choosing a sheep breeder and more information about Katahdin sheep for sale at http://www.stablerockkatahdins.com now.
