Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Dorpers and Katahdins

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: paxamicus AT earthlink.net
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Dorpers and Katahdins
  • Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:14:13 -0400

Roy "works" our sheep without dogs, they come running when they see him. Remember that old song "Candy Man"? They would follow him anywhere.

Me, I dislike working socialized sheep, the wilder the better. These Katahdins have basically become pets.

I could sheer wool sheep with my giant horse clippers. I went and got a lesson from a wandering sheep man on a friend's commercial flock. It isn't so very hard once you've nailed down the containment issue...head gate, sling, hammock, whatever. I mean, it's not like you actually need them to look pretty when you're done. I've done horses where I sweated over every blade mark.

Oddly, one thing I would be interested in is trying my hand at sheep milk's cheese....it's pretty hard to find fresh soft cheeses around here, but...BIG but, that's a long way off. I'm not even close to thinking about it yet.

MY first time ewes got mostly twins, a few singles, and one set of trips which were then orphaned, and which we successfully bottle raised to maturity.

I selected for color so I could tell them apart. Ha!


On Oct 23, 2008, at 11:09 PM, EarthNSky wrote:

I've had great luck with Katahdins, the breed Moon also has. I don't
know if Dan Settles is still around, but I think he had them, too. Up
until 3 years ago, I ran 10-30 head on my front pasture. I've never had
any other breed, but I can say I was very pleased with Katahdins and
will get them again. I won't rule out a Dorper cross though, as several
people in this area have Dorper/Katahdin crosses.
My Katahdins, while stupid like other sheep, looked more like goats due
to their hair. I selected for white Katahdins because we live in a
remote area, the front pasture is next to the road, and spotlighters are
common. I wanted anyone with bad intentions to know that my sheep are
sheep, not deer. I had no parasite issues, and from my experience,
they almost always twin, and I had triplets at least once a year it
seemed. However, and maybe it was just my ewes, but whenever we had
trips, one would always suffer and end up dying eventually, either the
mother would abandon it, wean it too early, or the ram/queens would take
it out. For whatever reason, I'd always lose the third. I think I had
singletons possibly 4 or 5 times, always from very young ewes, first
time mothers. In our climate, it did seem like they breed year around.
I've had lambs born at Christmas, in March, and in August.
I had sheep and goats at the same time. I had a hands on approach with
the goats, and a hands off approach with the sheep. They were rounded
up and 'worked' once, maybe twice a year. No shearing necessary, just
hoof work, immunizations, worming, checks, etc. I bottle fed a few
lambs over the years, and if Ray is still around, he can give you an
update on two I sold to him...
If I did not have milk goats, I might try a more hands on approach with
the sheep. My sheep were so wild that it was hard to work them. That
is why I finally resorted to a dog. I think it is possible to work
sheep without a dog-I did it, and with a hands on approach it would be
easier to do without a dog, but I think I'll give serious thought to
renting someone's herder come time to work the sheep. For me, I'm just
not into trialing and herding competitions, and my pasture is not some
wide open expanse, so I don't need a dog everyday, just a few times a year.
The reason we raised sheep, and will raise them again is for the lamb.
I can eat lamb once a week...love it. Of course, I can't afford to buy
it but once a year.

Bev



Lynda wrote:
Don't have him yet but are considering a Dorper as a ram vs. the St. Croix
due to the beard on the St. Croix. Around here we'd end up with a BIG mess!
The total body weight to cut weight is better on the St. Croix and they are
"nicer" sheep to work with but, well, heck, the ram's gonna stay in a
limited area and not be something one works with much, so no big deal. The
Dorper still have a better dressed weight to useable weight then your
"average" lamb that goes to market.

Lynda
----- Original Message -----
From: <paxamicus AT earthlink.net>


snip<

Let's step away from the politics together, you and I..... tell me
about your Dorpers, I was thinking about a dorper ram for my ladies...




On Oct 23, 2008, at 6:06 PM, Lynda wrote:

This is silly. So you don't like Drudge. Click on the info and go
to the
original source. He certainly doesn't write the headlines that he
tracks
down. So here's links to the actual reports:

House shot up over McCain sign:
http://www.local6.com/politics/17784129/detail.html

McCain volunteer attacked and mutilated, "the robber took $60 from the
woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the
victim's
car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using
the knife
to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said."
http://www.local6.com/politics/17784129/detail.html

Now, I'm just curious, no pun intended. Were you all worked up when
there
was a whole magazine on Dumbya that had him as Curious George?

Lynda

----- Original Message -----
From: <paxamicus AT earthlink.net>
_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/lurine%40softcom.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead



_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/erthnsky%40bellsouth.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead



------------------------------------------------------------------------


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com
Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.8.2/1741 - Release Date: 10/23/2008 7:54 AM


--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda
_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/paxamicus%40earthlink.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page