Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2014 1:03:42 GMT -7
In preparing for my near future flock...I have decided to do a bit of breed research. I know there are few, if any, pure breed Barbados Blackbelly sheep left in America, and that leaves me with the American Blackbelly, which is in fact a cross breeding of the Barbados with one of several other breeds from hair and wool breeds both. I REALLY like the blackbelly ewes...I watched my last flock of 6 ewes chase down and kill a fox over a week old lamb. No, that is not normal for sheep, but it DID happen.
Anyways...I am wondering about using a ram form a different breed and crossing with the blackbelly ewes. The lambs will be strictly for food. NONE will be sold or leave the farm. I will only have 5-6 ewes and 1 ram, so I won't have to worry about an over abundance of mutton. I know from experience that hair sheep do not have the strong flavor that wool sheep have, and a few lambs can be dressed out at weaning is there is an abundance. I had a ewe once that had 5 lambs EVERY single time, and I always had to bottle raise 2 of them. Those 2 would be dressed out for a small BBQ when they hit about 3 months old. The others were dressed out between 6 & 8 months old.
I know they are not technically a pure hair breed, but they do have an excellent meat quality to them, so I am strongly considering using a pure Dorper Ram...the next big decision is this...do I go ahead and use the blackbelly ewes..or do I switch to something else like the Katahdin? I know the Katahdin produce offspring that put on more carcass weight when crossed with the Dorper than the Blackbellys do...and I can get a few Katahdin ewes from a close friend for free. However, my neighbor had a few Katahdins...it has been my only experience with them...and I did not care for them very much. I did not like the ears being cut off, I did not like how flighty they were. Blackbellys are a flighty group and I have seen pregnant ewes jump an 8' tall deer fence at an auction when spooked...but the ones I had were handled daily and very gentle and sweet natured...unless it involved foxes or small dogs. The neighbors sheep (Katahdis) were handled regularly and gently and wee wild and spooky! And hers only ever had 1 lamb at a time. I like how prolific the blackbellies are. and the debate rages on for and on and on...
I do believe I will get a top quality black headed Dorper Ram, since I won't be selling for trophies and after having been hurt years ago by a sneak attack from a po'ed ram, I can do without the horns on my place (especially with little kids next door)!!
The decision comes down to this...what kind of ewes to use and why? I want to keep the ewes all of the same breed. It needs to be a breed I can find relatively easy in the midwest, for replacement ewes in the future, and they MUST be hair sheep. I DO NOT want wool sheep. So...if ANY of you have any information pertaining to hair sheep breeds...meaning first hand experience, both pros & cons, PLEASE share them with me. Thank you!!
Anyways...I am wondering about using a ram form a different breed and crossing with the blackbelly ewes. The lambs will be strictly for food. NONE will be sold or leave the farm. I will only have 5-6 ewes and 1 ram, so I won't have to worry about an over abundance of mutton. I know from experience that hair sheep do not have the strong flavor that wool sheep have, and a few lambs can be dressed out at weaning is there is an abundance. I had a ewe once that had 5 lambs EVERY single time, and I always had to bottle raise 2 of them. Those 2 would be dressed out for a small BBQ when they hit about 3 months old. The others were dressed out between 6 & 8 months old.
I know they are not technically a pure hair breed, but they do have an excellent meat quality to them, so I am strongly considering using a pure Dorper Ram...the next big decision is this...do I go ahead and use the blackbelly ewes..or do I switch to something else like the Katahdin? I know the Katahdin produce offspring that put on more carcass weight when crossed with the Dorper than the Blackbellys do...and I can get a few Katahdin ewes from a close friend for free. However, my neighbor had a few Katahdins...it has been my only experience with them...and I did not care for them very much. I did not like the ears being cut off, I did not like how flighty they were. Blackbellys are a flighty group and I have seen pregnant ewes jump an 8' tall deer fence at an auction when spooked...but the ones I had were handled daily and very gentle and sweet natured...unless it involved foxes or small dogs. The neighbors sheep (Katahdis) were handled regularly and gently and wee wild and spooky! And hers only ever had 1 lamb at a time. I like how prolific the blackbellies are. and the debate rages on for and on and on...
I do believe I will get a top quality black headed Dorper Ram, since I won't be selling for trophies and after having been hurt years ago by a sneak attack from a po'ed ram, I can do without the horns on my place (especially with little kids next door)!!
The decision comes down to this...what kind of ewes to use and why? I want to keep the ewes all of the same breed. It needs to be a breed I can find relatively easy in the midwest, for replacement ewes in the future, and they MUST be hair sheep. I DO NOT want wool sheep. So...if ANY of you have any information pertaining to hair sheep breeds...meaning first hand experience, both pros & cons, PLEASE share them with me. Thank you!!
