st croix sheep pros and cons

We are currently running 130 registered ewes with 10 commercial ewes that will be dispersed this year. Plus, they are also great with small livestock including baby livestock. 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 dont have a farm yet as I work as an ordinary rank and file employee but it is my ultimate goal to have one someday. 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. Our grass-fed ewes normally go into the fall with a body score of 4-5, which makes flushing difficult: Adult Katahdin sheep can maintain themselves on poor quality forage that had our Romanovs literally skin and bones. Our spring lambs on pasture alone (17-20 percent protein and 65-72percentdigestible organic matter-DOM) will average 55-60 pounds. (Lynne Vanderlinden) live in Cave Junction (extreme SW), Oregon, outside Croix SheepDeworming sheepPros and ConsDorper vs. St. Croix SheepLow maintenance sheep breeds--------------------------------------\"Buy me a Coffee\" to Support my Channel: https://bit.ly/ShphrdssCOFFEE READ MY BLOG: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessBLOG SHOP MY MERCH: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessMERCH#sheep #Dorpers #farming #ranching ----------------------------- About this Channel: This channel chronicles my journey as a sheep farmer from the very beginning. 3 years ago. I went to the St Croix line in 2008. and I currently run around 250 head. Do you want to earn multiple income streams from your flock. When the weathers hot and the pastures are dry, their wool animals will be under a tree while the hair animals are out grazing. We use it alot on the croix. Love the podcast, by the way. After being on island for over a year, I thought it was about time to compile a list of both the pros and cons of living on St. Croix. The main differences between these two breeds are the colors available, and what they can be used for. Generally, hair breeds are more heat tolerant than wool breeds. To speak to one of our agents contact us today. OT=""; In years past, 18-30 pound lambs sold well in Chicago for Jewish Passover. Best Features & Instincts of Katahdin Sheep This is inconvenient since you must pasture ram lambs separately from ewes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. We are fortunate that buyers for the large ethnic market in St. Louis often attend sales. In this article we will explore all the pros and cons of living in St Thomas. When it comes down to it, the choice of whether to add Dorper sheep or Katahdin sheep to your homestead is more about personal preference. The only things to consider include: The fact Katahdin sheep dont produce wool isnt necessarily a disadvantage. Required fields are marked *. Thank so much for this information. I just recentky discovered your Youtube channel and now your blog. Breeders Association. There is no hoof trimming, no grain, no weaning, no shots or worming and minimal hay. Kingshill, St. Croix,, Virgin Islands 00850. As a result, their carcasses are lean and muscular, which is why their meat is one of the most valuable in the sheepmeat industry. Purebred lambs can reach a weight of 19.9 kgs at 8 weeks old. Sheep can help the quality of your lawns. Any of the sheep breeds thats considered to be one of the true hair sheep breeds has an advantage in that cockleburs, briars, stick-tights and so forth dont become entangled. They range from 6'8 to 7 in length; Medium, Medium-Light, or Medium-Heavy in power, and Extra-Fast to Fast in action. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. Hi, we are looking at beginning a small flock of hair sheep. 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. Raising Sheep Has Some Cons. Locals of the island refer to themselves as Crucians. A few more interesting facts to know about the breed, They are pretty docile but very active and vigorous as such no child should be left unsupervised around them. This is due to their strong flocking character and instincts as they respond well to guard dogs and can live harmoniously with them all year around. If The pros: (a Click on any of the dots and you will be taken to the breeders website if they have one. For us, the Katahdin sheep breed fits our operation and our philosophy quite well. Excellent way to promote parasite resistance into your flock! this breed and its suitability for you, or if you already have them and Senepol. Pros: Sheep tend to be calm and affectionate (as long as you stick with female or neutered male sheep). Sheep Nutrition Guide: Sheep Feed Requirements Per Day, Our Weaving Loom Guide (everything you need to know), Sheep Trailer Options (choosing the best kind for you). If they each produce two lambs and the St. Croix lambs hit 70 pounds at 150 days and the Suffolk lambs hit 120 at the same age, the Suffolk wins. Aust shares his entire conversation with Susan Napotnik about selecting the perfect breed of sheep here on thePioneer sheep episode. (Weve heard them all.). Wondering whether to add Dorper or Katahdin sheep to your homestead? 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. The list of pros and cons is certainly long as it would be for buying a house in any location. 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. wonderful pets, lawn mowers and weed eaters. I would love to get in touch with the author personally. https://dorpersheep.org/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-Mid-America-Dorper-Sale-Report-1.pdf?fs=e&s=cl. 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. Despite his success in other areas of his homestead, many of which have been shared on the podcast, Aust is revealing that decisions on the farm arent made in a vacuum. Barbado Sheep Cons. They also tend to be highly mobile, which means they will climb on top of anything. In Canada, Katahdin sheep commonly gain well over a pound per day. I believe that passion is what largely fuels this community. For example, we consider time spent worming, shearing, docking and trimming hooves as merely maintaining an operation. We are interested purchasing Katahdin sheep and found this article very helpful. Katahdin sheep will strip the bark from cedars, pines and any deciduous tree that has smooth, immature bark. While I cant speak for other hair sheep breeds, Katahdin sheep are often more flighty than many other breeds: Several producers of both hair and wool animals have found coyote losses are considerably lower with Katahdins. They have a long life and the ewes can produce lambs for up to 10 to 12 years of age. $14.95, Copyright 2020 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | PO BOX 477, 33 Hillsboro St, Pittsboro, NC 27312 |. 220 reviews. The Dorper was developed in the 1930s by crossing a Dorset ram with a Persian ewe. of Grants Pass. If Bowdridge can figure out the genetic marker that allows St. Croix to be immune from this parasite, he could help the entire sheep population of America. The first St. Croix were imported into the USA in the 1960s to develop the Katahdin sheep breed. Several myths still surround hair sheep. 228 views. They produce excellent fertilizer. The sheep proliferated as subsistence livestock and were also valued for the manure critical . All things being equal 300 cows will bring in $150,000 a year. This year, we have purchased a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmshare with two goals in mind: increase the variety of vegetables in our freezer, and meet local farmers to begin the make the relationships that could possibly gain us a few mentors for our homestead journey. The breed is believed to be descended from African . You're still living in the United States. He buys 4-6 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 St. Croix is adapted to the heat and humidity of a tropical climate, and this adaptation has several manifestations. Over time, Caribbean Hair sheep became well adapted to the heat and humidity of their environment. I live in a small condo and armed by nothing but dreams and curiosity. 2 - Cultural Perspective (and a brief history lesson) Prior to deciding on St. Croix we entertained the idea of teaching internationally and really liked the idea of offering our children (two boys 9 and 7) a broader cultural perspective. 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. Great for a homestead, as I have witnessed first hand over a 3 year period. } Could I have some input on pros and cons of st croix sheep, please! they don't jump on you, run over you, or jump on cars and over fences. Offspring of this imported group were further selected for consistency of conformation, and this process has resulted in the development of the St. Croix, a standardized breed in the United States. Katahdin sheep and Dorper are bred as meat sheep breeds. Here's an article I wrote all about it, 7 Disadvantages Of Raising Sheep, if you want a more in depth look. A common lamb on good pasture will perform better than Super Lamb on poor pasture. ST. Slight of build, with the narrow, lean carcass typical of some of the ancient British breeds, they are immediately noticeable due to their black and white fleeces and prominent horns. it wasn't foot rot, it was prolapse, or sheer stupidity (let's lay under The St. Croix is a North American sheep breed that's part of the Caribbean Hair sheep family. Have you posted your Bee interview you talked about on this podcast? Because of this behavior, and the mild temperament of the Boz, I was able to raise . However, if thats what you are looking for then this breed might not be for you. St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders Inc focuses on protecting the future of St. Croix Sheep through preservation, promotion, development of performance characteristics, and supplying registration solutions. Fact: Eight or ten years ago you could expect a 5-10 cents/pound discount for hair animals. 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. Triplets are not unusual, and they can lamb twice a year. In my own life, with a family, a job, and multiple interests, needs, and dreams, learning to make decisions has become a necessary skill. The St. Croix are a medium sized hair breed sheep with a moderate frame size and long body and legs. 8. Twice a year my friend with Polypays shows up at work doubled over as he shuffles around in pain. . Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Fine Wool Characteristics, Advantages of Fine Wool Breeds, Disadvantages of Fine Wool Breeds and more. Breeding stock is selected under rigorous criteria, including parasite resistance, hair coat, growth characteristics on grass alone and general thriftiness. St. Croix sheep are excellent foragers and very easy keepers. Dorpersare known for their fast weight gains as lambs. List of the Pros of Living in St. Thomas. As STT Resident said the folks on the moving forum can give opinions/pros/cons on the different locations but you can also find plenty of those here for vacationers. ML="e@fycsptg"; How Many Sheep Per Acre of Pasture is Ideal? Not a Pioneer? Columbia Sheep Characteristics. Being aware of the pros and cons of each breed will help you to make a better-informed decision over which one is right for your setup. However, they have the same sweet faces and disposition of Saanen goats. Breeders often use less-expensive Katahdin ewes to initiate an upgrading program with registered Dorper as the final goal. Compared to other breeds, these sheep are relatively new, dating back to the 1950s. P.S. A year and many dollars later, they cant understand why the rams offspring doesnt grow any faster than the rest of their animals. The last straw was the increasing 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. The sheep and I Passion for the outdoors. The first generation grows quite well due to the heterosis effect, but nearly always has a wool coat. This market presented difficulties such as lambing in the dead of winter, having lambs large enough (especially when Passover comes early) and pooling with your neighbors to find enough lambs for a truckload. Answer: Pros. The Field Guide to Fleece 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. Two weeks later, the ewes hadnt lost any body condition. I was also told that St Croix are more. Our spring lambs require 4-5 pounds of dry matter forage to produce each pound of gain. 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 . : Did you know Accountant Mike is a reality star? We were recently invited out by a couple who are seriously considering moving here and they wanted to know the same things. Answer (1 of 2): I was a resident of St. Thomas for four (4) years beginning in 2004. (Grabbing a Romanov thats been walking through cockleburs is like wrestling with a 130-pound cocklebur.). They still dont take a huge amount of time to reach it, but it is something to be aware of if you are looking for fast production. St. Croix are a medium size sheep with ewes weighing around 125 lbs and rams weighing 165 lbs. Sheep help control weeds. (ideal market lamb pick), Show Lamb Supplies (4H sheep showing equipment list), How to Show Sheep (7 sheep showing tips for any level), How to Shear a Sheep (step by step with video). Mexicans prefer a larger lamb, and let nothing go to waste. . Hi Mary. It was a fairly bold move at . Little mowing. 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. They can harbor significant worm populations, yet not suffer the same effects a wool animal would. 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. They are of a medium well sprung frame with long muscle type or pattern. And yet, despite the careful mathematical calculations of profit margins, and scientific research on varieties and methods, and the technical ins and out of any pursuit, there is also that most incalculable of all variables: passion. Our flock is content to sleep outside in the coldest weather and will have unmelted snow on their backs like a wool animal. OT+=ML.charAt(MI.charCodeAt(j)-48); If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Akbash. He And we all know from the last episode the downside of growing useless grass. Three ewes needed assistance lambing (one got it, the other two didnt and lost their lambs), one of which was 8 years old. Aust pulls out all the stops and brings in Accountant Mike to develop a comprehensive pro/con list to investigate this completely new venture for the homestead. 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. A special thanks to our partner: RJS Bee Farm. Its important to have an animal thats pure or unaltered for sacrifice in observance of many holidays. (Lynne Vanderlinden) live in Cave Junction (extreme SW), Oregon, outside dealing with dirty tags or wool maggots. We rely on the support of our members, grants, and donations from the public to raise the $700,000 a year needed to maintain our conservation work with rare breeds of farm animals. After lambing season, most of our sheep time is spent managing our pastures so that we can provide our animals with the best quality forage possible. The Team at Retire in the VI and St Croix Island Life Real Estate is comprised of a bright and fun group of folks who share a love of St Croix and a desire to help others realize their dream of establishing a home here. It is small, with ewes averaging 120 pounds and rams 165 pounds. Lambs can also take a little longer to reach their market weight than some other breeds of sheep. for(j=0;j

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