Katahdin Sheep
A Few Facts About The Hardy Katahdin Sheep
A relatively new breed, developed privately during the late 1950’s, the Katahdin sheep is a cross bred variety who has gained popularity over the past twenty years. Rooing, or pulling, for wool when it is naturally shed cuts down dramatically on shearing costs, and this sheep allows for just such cost effectiveness. He sheds his winter hair, not wool, at the beginning of each spring, giving for one rooing harvest, and a great yield of meat thereafter. The parent breed of the Katahdin sheep is primarily of St. Croix descent, and the root stock for the breed was hand picked from the privately owned selection of Dr. Richard Marshall Bond. The other line of parentage was derived through a series of test breeding with many species, until the desired animal was produced.
The state of Maine holds credits for the origin of the Katahdin sheep, but they have been dispersed country wide since the early 1980’s. The entire straining process for the breed took nearly twenty-five years to accomplish, and in the 1970’s a steady population of consistent ewes were herded up and classified as a new breed. King Tut, the sire ram for the invention effort, was the building block for the entire operation. The Katahdin sheep was named for the highest mountain peak in Maine, and this hardy creature is growing fast in stature and in numbers.
The Katahdin sheep was select bred for easy keeping, giving much weight and health from little supplemental feeding. She is designed to impregnate, carry, and birth easily, giving the caretaker a great chance of profit and longevity within the herd. The lamb market thrives through the Katahdin sheep offspring, as they are consistently lean, well muscled, and healthy upon birth. At about 45 to 70 pounds, the lamb is ready for the meat market, and the yield is quite favorable. The meat is mild in flavor and texture, and is considered to be gourmet quality in most cases.
Early puberty is another plus with the Katahdin sheep, and most good breeding stock will stand for reproduction well into their latter years without risk of injury or death. Mature ewes will most often throw twins, and it is not at all uncommon for her to give three to four lambs per birth. No intervention is required as a general rule, as the ewe is a strong and intelligent instinctual mother with plenty of milk to go around. One can expect an annual herd increase of 200% when conditions are favorable, and it is not uncommon for lambing to continue year round in certain flocks. These sheep are also amiable and non-aggressive, giving a great learning experience to young children who are interested in animals and farming.