The Teeswater has a lean meat with a good meat to bone ratio and light bone. 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 adapted to the heat and humidity of a tropical climate, and this adaptation has several manifestations. I grew up on a 100-acre sheep farm in Maine, was an active member in 4H, and I showed my flock across New England and at the national show in Louisville, Kentucky. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. The St Croix sheep breed originated in the Virgin Islands and as a result it is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Island White. After slaughter, all thats left is hide, manure and stomach contents. 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. This website uses cookies and third party services. As mentioned earlier, the Katahdin breed has served us well. - Unlike my goats, Hair sheep breeds (Katahdin, St. Croix, Barbados) generally have much greater parasite resistance than wooled breeds, especially after one year of age. They have a long compact body with long legs. Additionally, cell phone coverage can be spotty in some remote areas of the island. Today, there are several landrace populations within this breed family in the Caribbean. We regularly offer St. Croix rams for sale, and annually have St. Croix ewes available. The breed standard calls for the St. Croix to be white. If We feel this has contributed to the introduction with the Turkish Boz Shepherd Livestock Guardian dogs that seemed more like bringing together old friends. He buys 4-6 The pros of living in St Croix are its low crime rate, stable currency and beautiful beaches. If you are looking for manageable, high-yield livestock to raise on limited acreage, you should seriously consider St. Croix hair sheep. St. Croix rams offer an impressive and exotic looking mane of long white hair around their shoulders and chests, giving them a strong and imperial presence. I sincerely doubt that a statistically average St. Croix ewe, bred to a St. Croix ram, is going to produce more pounds of lamb than a statistically average Suffolk ewe bred to a Suffolk ram. Thank you for joining the journey! The thickness of a Katahdin sheeps winter coat will vary among individuals, but it needs to shed completely for an A or AA coat classification, which is the norm. 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. Aust shares his entire conversation with Susan Napotnik about selecting the perfect breed of sheep here on thePioneer sheep episode. American Rambouillet Breeders Association, 1610 S State Rd 3261, Levelland, TX 79336 Ph: 806-894-3081. They are of a medium well sprung frame with long muscle type or pattern. 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. Answer (1 of 2): I was a resident of St. Thomas for four (4) years beginning in 2004. 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. Compared to other breeds, these sheep are relatively new, dating back to the 1950s. 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. Good luck! My email is . 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 . Senepol. clean up what my little princesses (goats) won't touch. 1. Libyans prefer old worn out buck goats for their stronger flavor. #5 Company Street, Christiansted, VI 00820. info@remax-stcroix.com | 340.773.1048 | 855.909.9152 | Fax: 340.773.1917. Unfortunately, as the percentage of Dorper increases, more wool is found in their coat and some animals lose some of their shedding ability. A large-framed, late-maturing breed will not have the necessary carcass quality at these weights, whereas Katahdin sheep or Dorpers will. broke, don't fix it". A qualityregistered lamb will bring triple the fat lamb price. To showcase the commercial qualities of our animals, all breeding stock we sell comes directly from pasture, having received no special treatment. Contrary to the benefits of Barbado sheep, it has more disadvantages. Barbados Blackbelly and St. Croix sheep. (Grabbing a Romanov thats been walking through cockleburs is like wrestling with a 130-pound cocklebur.). The Teeswater sheep breed is a hardy sheep breed that can withstand most climatic and environmental conditions. Four years ago we began converting all our cropland into pasture and expanded the flock. . document.write(OT); The capital, Charlotte Amalie is located on St Thomas. Length of breeding season heritability is estimated at about 26%, Dr. Inskeep . 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. The first St. Croix were imported into the USA in the 1960s to develop the Katahdin sheep breed. 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. Did you know: To be successful, you must sell quality, and I stress quality animals; send anything else to slaughter. ST. I enjoy reading your blog and watching your videos. Washington 99117. Its carcass size is even smaller than most other wool breeds. I just recentky discovered your Youtube channel and now your blog. (Lynne Vanderlinden) live in Cave Junction (extreme SW), Oregon, outside unavailability of shearers and then having to practically give away the Dorset ewes weigh between 150 and 200 pounds, while rams can weigh up to 275 pounds. They will stand on their hind feet like goats to strip any low hanging limbs of their leaves. I say this because unlike some other breeds mentioned, this breed only becomes hostile when challenged (if trained properly.) They have a mild Roman nose profile with a finer boned facial structure. I wish to sign up to your exclusive club but I dont think that it is much needed at this point as I dont have a farm or even a garden yet. To appeal to ethnic buyers, it often requires a change in flock management. In 1975, Dr. Warren Foote of Utah State University imported 22 ewes and three rams from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. The St. Croix Legend X Spinning Rod collection has fewer options to pick from - about 5 different options in fact. In terms of lambing, youll find Katahdins mostly give birth to multiple lambs. Rather than stay in a group, they will scatter in all directions like a covey of quail. Kingshill, St. Croix,, Virgin Islands 00850. They have many similarities with the Corriedale sheep. As a result, their carcasses are lean and muscular, which is why their meat is one of the most valuable in the sheepmeat industry. ), In fall 2000, we grazed our flock on cocklebur and waterhemp that followed an oat crop. In my own life, with a family, a job, and multiple interests, needs, and dreams, learning to make decisions has become a necessary skill. 2, I usually have ewes and lambs (on the hoof or freezer-ready) meat-to-bone ratio. The main reason this hybrid was created was for its meat, not its wool. Dorpersare known for their fast weight gains as lambs. These are the toughest sheep you will find anywhere in the US. wool. On the Island of St. Croix, they come in shades of brown, white and black. $ 350. I've mentioned the good along with the bad here . That means you will receive protection via the criminal laws of the United States. Docking tails is unnecessary, although you still see some old timers that dock just because they always have. This may or may not be the case in other states. Having raised them since 1999, here's my honest evaluation of the St. Croix breed - They require food in the winter, when the lawns of New England are covered in snow, medical attention, and shelter. Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and longer growing season. Many Greeks eat lamb for Easter, which is not always the same date as the traditional Easter. When the pastures are poor, hair animals hold their body condition much better. When it comes to sheep, meat market buyers want lambs to weigh 100 lbs before slaughter and they desire the lambs to reach this weight by half dozen-8 months. Breeders Association. In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. To learn more you can read our completeadvertising policy. They were an excellent choice for this as they seldom bothered the pine trees. However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. Myth #1: They're too small to be of commercial value. My wife and I feel theres no best breed, but rather which breed best fits your operation. Most parasite resistant sheep breed! Here are my pros and cons (in no particular order). Keeping Boer Goats: 5 Biggest Disadvantages, 4 Best Places with Sheep for Sale in Missouri, They are easy to breed and commonly give birth to multiple lambs, They arent great for milk or wool production, They dont require shearing, tail docking, or crutching, Lambs take a little longer than some breeds to reach market weight. The sheep and I - They seem They are extremely aggressive foragers towards brush . Dorper Vs Katadhin Sheep: Which is better for your homestead? How Many Sheep Per Acre of Pasture is Ideal? A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. St. Croix - more affordable (but still expensive), poor economy, Anquilla landfill and Hovensa - not the most scenic sites on the island however the F'sted sunsets are magnificent. We are avid fans of St. Croix Hair Sheep, and support the advancement of this excellent breed. If you'd care to discuss this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and just want to exchange thoughts, I'd love to chat. In this area, hair sheep often sell higher than wool sheep. Many of the Dorper you see have been crossed with Katahdin sheep for several reasons. RaisingSheep.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. available for sale. Barbado Sheep Cons. 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. OT+=ML.charAt(MI.charCodeAt(j)-48); 1. In short order, it just leaves their system. We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. A type of hair breed, Katahdin sheep originate in the United States. Ive seen Shropshire being used to keep weeds and grass down in Christmas tree plantations. Ewes usually have twin lambs but triplets are not unusual. Love the podcast, by the way. starting with the cons: The pros: (a We would definitely like a breed that is more docile, hardy and produces. wonderful pets, lawn mowers and weed eaters. Noise - Loud bleating, cud chewing, and even just digesting may well be audible from inside your home if your sheep are right outside. They can be used for the sheep skin which has a good quality to it. Mexicans prefer a larger lamb, and let nothing go to waste. 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. Do the numbers add up in favor of sheep?Find out on Part 1 of this FIRST serialized episode of Homesteady! The main differences between these two breeds are the colors available, and what they can be used for. Most hair sheep breeds will lamb out of season without resorting to hormone therapy. Although they are one of the newest sheep breeds introduced in America, Katahdin sheep have quickly become a popular choice. In 2001, my friend with Polypay paid $2 to shear $.50 worth of wool per animal. Some of the main pros of keeping Katahdin sheep include: Katahdin sheep are one of the easiest breeds of sheep to care for. of Grants Pass. raise a lamb from birth to market weight, even though you get a better Both males and females are horned, sporting two, four and occasionally six horns. Decision-making is an art and a science. Due to "con" number Aside from the obvious (they taste good), they make While I cant speak for other hair breeds, Katahdin sheep are tough, hardy animals with eating habits more like that of a goat. Which brings us to the sheep in men's underwear from . The Senepol breed combines the N'Dama characteristics of . We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. available for sale. I'm not saying they . Your email address will not be published. St. Croix are a medium size sheep with ewes weighing around 125 lbs and rams weighing 165 lbs. this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and Animals dont grow as fastbut dont need to with milder winters and growing. A result it is sometimes referred to as the traditional Easter numbers add up favor!, or if you are looking for then this breed only becomes hostile when challenged ( trained... 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