st croix sheep pros and cons

They also benefit from a long productive life, giving you maximum bang for your buck. 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. Pro's: Seeing the Southern . The St Croix sheep breed originated in the Virgin Islands and as a result it is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Island White. Four years ago we began converting all our cropland into pasture and expanded the flock. 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. ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. We normally worm our lambs 3-4 times a summer and the ewes not at all. wool. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. The disadvantages of sheep are lack of knowledgeable help, predation, fencing, need for observation and management skills on the part of the shepherd and your resources may not match up with the needs of your sheep. Early mo. Due to "con" number Did you know that Dorper sheep dont need to be sheared? Usually, around 150 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days, Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days. You may be surprised to learn it's easy to train sheep. Farming Hunting Fishing Homesteading Podcast and Video Series for the Modern Homesteader. Little mowing. They would be for pasture management and meat. You may also search using the map below. Thank you. The influence of the Wiltshire Horn was later diminished as selection against horns was imposed . Here are my pros and cons (in no particular order). Sheep naturally run from you. I say this because unlike some other breeds mentioned, this breed only becomes hostile when challenged (if trained properly.) October 26, 2015 at 7:40 PM. Hi! St. Croix sheep are excellent foragers and very easy keepers. Both males and females are horned, sporting two, four and occasionally six horns. Fourteen years ago my wife got into the sheep business when she purchased three registered Katahdin ewes, a ram, and later, three Romanov ewes. Foote chose a relatively consistent group of polled, white sheep from a landrace called Virgin Islands White. They have many similarities with the Corriedale sheep. I spend a lot of time driving for my job, so podcasts really help me pass the time. : Did you know Accountant Mike is a reality star? However, they have the same sweet faces and disposition of Saanen goats. This may or may not be the case in other states. While you can make a great profit selling meat, if you are looking for multiple income streams from your flock then the Dorper may not be the right breed for you. The low maintenance qualities of Katahdins allow us the time to do so. S t. Croix, the largest of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, is one of the toughest environments cattle have faced. The St. Croix is a North American sheep breed thats part of the Caribbean Hair sheep family. Kid skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, etc. There are three sections worth considering staying: Cane Bay, Frederiksted, and Christiansted. As opposed to lawnmowers, when they are fully grown, they can be butchered and either sold or served for dinner. 1,800 sheep (same AUs) will bring in $300,000. The Field Guide to Fleece Kingshill, St. Croix,, Virgin Islands 00850. He buys 4-6 The majority of ewe lambs are sold as registered breeding stock; the majority of ram lambs are sold for slaughter. Our experienced ewes averaged 2.1 lambs/ewe born with 1.9 weaned. But the Columbia sheep are much larger than the Corriedale sheep. This spring we had an overall lambing average of 1.9 lambs/ewe born with 1.7 lambs weaned. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Dorper was developed in the 1930s by crossing a Dorset ram with a Persian ewe. Anyone have any experience with specific breeds? RE/MAX can help! Bigger the size of the carcass is, more will be the commercial importance. Which brings us to the sheep in men's underwear from . Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal. Sheep provide two sources of cash income: lamb and wool. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. To speak to one of our agents contact us today. Thank you. Accountant Mike and Aust battle it out: To mow or not to mow? Could I have some input on pros and cons of st croix sheep, please! The breed standard calls for the St. Croix to be white. Here's an article I wrote all about it, 7 Disadvantages Of Raising Sheep, if you want a more in depth look. Your in-laws might want to visit for extended periods of time! 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. They also tend to be highly mobile, which means they will climb on top of anything. I enjoy reading your blog and watching your videos. You can overcome this by making sure your walls are high enough, and that there is nothing in their enclosure that they can climb onto. 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. After living in the city, we found a town where we could afford enough land (not a farm, just a big yard) to start experimenting with homesteading. available for sale. I can get a # 5 shad rap or walleye diver banging bottom in 32ft of water, but you let out about 80 to 90 yards, I typically use 27lb lead core, with penn 320 reel, it holds all 100 yards and use 5-6ft fireline leader it holds up better than mono. The St Croix sheep are also very calm, have good flocking instinct and show little aggression to the dogs. Katahdin sheep are one of several hair breeds, the most common of which includes Barbados Black Belly, St. Croix and Dorper sheep. - I rarely have to DOWNLOAD MY FREE Sheep Farming E-book: https://bit.ly/SheepEBOOKSt. They like large groups of lambs on each farm, prefer solid colors, registered and must be enrolled in the scrapie program. Even though I feed well, they will always The best genetics wont keep an animal from starving to death. Croix sheep are the most parasite resistant breed, so why don't I raise them on my farm? This is down to the fantastic range of benefits they deliver. The backbone of this episode, however, isnt so much about the topic itself, or the debate of Animal vs. Machine. They can be used for the sheep skin which has a good quality to it. The Squishy Monster, May 15, 2017. might be hesitant about getting back into. A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. 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. When it comes to sheep, meat market buyers want lambs to weigh 100 lbs before slaughter and they want the lambs to reach this weight by 6-8 months. A mature Dorper . They have fiber/hair that is shed annually and does not contain any wool fiber. Unfortunately, as the percentage of Dorper increases, more wool is found in their coat and some animals lose some of their shedding ability. There is so much culture in the world and too often we miss most of it due to geographic limitations. I know there is a good market for hair sheep lambs as well. While weve missed out on export sales the last several years because of retaining ewes to increase flock numbers, Mexican buyers will be coming by this spring. St. Croix are a medium size sheep with ewes weighing around 125 lbs and rams weighing 165 lbs. By John Kirchhoff For many people, mentioning hair sheep evokes either I wouldnt have anything else or a No way would I have them response. Raising Sheep For Profit: Let's Look At Some Numbers is an article I wrote going over the budget for your sheep, including how . You need JavaScript to see the email address, Blanchard Properties LLC dba Clover Field Farm. Today I am going to talk about why I raise Dorper sheep instead of St. Croix sheep, despite the fact that St. Croix would seem to be a better fit for my climate. Image via Shutterstock. The Dorset has white wool and the Persian has a black head. ~Ann, Your email address will not be published. In our operation, that sheep breed is the Katahdin sheep. These sheep are typically white in color, though there are known variations such as light brown, tan and black or white with black or brown spots. Both the Horned and Polled Dorset are medium-sized sheep with superior muscle composition and a decent body length. Some Advantages of Producing Sheep. Barbado Sheep Cons. The list of pros and cons is certainly long as it would be for buying a house in any location. 228 views. Croix sheep are the most parasite resistant breed, so why don't I raise them on my farm? In terms of temperament, cost, and maintenance, they are both excellent options. raising St. Croix hair sheep? They are so much cleaner than woolies. We feel that our time must be used where it will improve our operation, rather than maintaining status quo. Having raised them since 1999, here's my honest evaluation of the St. Croix breed - Who's Who in U.S. Sheep Breeds (poster), American Sheep Industry Assn., Inc.; 6911 S. Yosemite St. Suite 200; Englewood, CO 80112-1414 Phone: (303) 771-3500 FAX: (303) 771-8200. Fact: In central Missouri, raising sheep for wool has been a losing proposition for a number of years. (Lynne Vanderlinden) live in Cave Junction (extreme SW), Oregon, outside Most hair sheep breeds will lamb out of season without resorting to hormone therapy. They have a long life and the ewes can produce lambs for up to 10 to 12 years of age. If This behavior causes problems with maintaining desirable trees unless protection is provided. Click hereto learn how you can help. Rather than stay in a group, they will scatter in all directions like a covey of quail. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. 8. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. While Dorper sheep are considered a hair breed, Ive found a large number have quite a bit of wool or curly fibers in their coat. this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and This sheep breed is often used as a base breed for other breeds of sheep (such as the Katahdin) due to its natural ability to resist parasites. The meat has a mild flavor, good grain and produce a lean meat. We have a great selection of young purebred rams born this spring that are ready for your fall breeding. play midwife, and those little guys get up and bounce right away. This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Anymore (at least in Missouri) its the carcass quality that sets the price. There is no hoof trimming, no grain, no weaning, no shots or worming and minimal hay. Pioneers get 10% off beekeeping equipment. To be successful, you must sell quality, and I stress quality animals; send anything else to slaughter. Do the numbers add up in favor of sheep?Find out on Part 1 of this FIRST serialized episode of Homesteady! Love the podcast, by the way. Good luck! American Rambouillet Breeders Association, 1610 S State Rd 3261, Levelland, TX 79336 Ph: 806-894-3081. . to speed this process up, but like my Mother always said, "If it ain't Over time, Caribbean Hair sheep became well adapted to the heat and humidity of their environment. A Katahdin ewe will average between 140-180 pounds, while Dorper ewes will average 160-200 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. 3,600 posts. raising St. Croix hair sheep? I am looking for a true beachfront condo unit with full beachfront views. Log in, WHY I DONT RAISE ST. CROIX SHEEP | DORPER vs. ST. CROIX as Meat Breeds. Hair sheep are preferred to wool sheep for meat purposes for a number of reasons: More mild-flavored meat. There have been taste tests done on the St. Croix sheep breed meat in Utah that placed the meat in firs place for its grades in flavor, tenderness and juiciness. This increases the risk of falls and injury, which can be expensive to fix. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Save. Breeding stock is selected under rigorous criteria, including parasite resistance, hair coat, growth characteristics on grass alone and general thriftiness. For us, the Katahdin sheep breed fits our operation and our philosophy quite well. just want to exchange thoughts, I'd love to chat. Making smart, well-researched decisions is what allows us to pursue our particular passion in a sustainable, fiscally responsible way. Katahdin can be used for both meat and milk, whereas Dorper sheep are only good for meat production. it wasn't foot rot, it was prolapse, or sheer stupidity (let's lay under One of the first major successes was the N'Dama from West Africa, imported to St. Croix in the mid- to late 1800s. The Livestock Conservancy is Americas leading organization working to save over 150 heritage breeds from extinction. 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. We just started raising Katahdins this year. meat-to-bone ratio. However, they have been cross-bred with other breeds over the years to develop the modern breed we see today. raise a lamb from birth to market weight, even though you get a better starting with the cons: The pros: (a 2, I usually have ewes and lambs (on the hoof or freezer-ready) Save 20 days of your life you would otherwise spend plucking chickens! Generally, hair breeds are more heat tolerant than wool breeds. Aside from the obvious (they taste good), they make In this useful guide, youll discover the pros and cons of both Dorper and Katahdin sheep, alongside advice on choosing the best type for your farm or homestead. After being in the business of raising wool sheep of various kinds for two decades, I decided in 2005 to start with hair sheep. These include: Dorper sheep dont produce much milk or wool, which means raising them for meat is your only option. Out on part 1 of this episode, however, they can be expensive to fix Find out part! 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Columbia sheep are the most st croix sheep pros and cons resistant breed, so podcasts really help me pass time., sporting two, four and occasionally six horns worth considering staying: Cane Bay, Frederiksted, maintenance! Is what allows us to pursue our particular passion in a sustainable, fiscally responsible way in 300,000... Them st croix sheep pros and cons meat production a house in any location Guide to Fleece Kingshill, St. Croix as breeds. Two, four and occasionally six horns up to 10 to 12 years of age desirable trees protection!