Hair Sheep
Hair sheep, though only 10% of the world's sheep population, are slowly growing in numbers. The market for wool has gone down and many farmers are finding that raising sheep for wool is non profitable. Unlike wool sheep that have more wool fibers than hair fibers, the hair sheep has more hair fibers than wool fibers. Hair sheep tolerate the heat much better than wool sheep do. Hair sheep do not need shaved because any wool they grow for the winter season will shed in the spring. Hair sheep also do not need their tale docked. Most wool sheep will need their tales docked due to health and sanitary reasons. Hair sheep also tend to have a higher production efficiency. Due to their tropical origins, hair sheep have higher production rates. They are also more resistant to parasites. Many people find that hair sheep are easier to manage than wool sheep.
The positives don't end there. Hair sheep produce better leather because of their firm fiber network in their skin. Many hair sheep will fatten the way goats do, and focus fat concentrations on their organs and not on the outer muscles. Hair sheep lambs also have better physical health and strength.
The positives don't end there. Hair sheep produce better leather because of their firm fiber network in their skin. Many hair sheep will fatten the way goats do, and focus fat concentrations on their organs and not on the outer muscles. Hair sheep lambs also have better physical health and strength.
Breeds
American Blackbelly:
Barbados Blackbelly:
Dorper:
Katahdin:
St. Croix Sheep:
Wiltshire Horn:
- Weight: Rams (110-140 pounds), Ewes (75-95 pounds)
- Height (at withers): Rams (30-32 inches), Ewes (24-28 inches)
- Extremely easy maintenance
- Very worm resistant
- Reach sexual maturity at 4 months of age
- Twins are common
- Lambs are slow growing
- Does not require high quality forage or feed
- Rams have large spiraled horns
- Have tendency to behave like deer
Barbados Blackbelly:
- Originates from Barbados island in Caribbean
- Can lamb year round
- Twins and triplets are common
- Excellent forager
- Resistant to disease
- Can tolerate worm load
- Black face, legs, and belly
- Reddish brown body
- Has thick mane
- Matures later
- Ideal weight reached at 2 years of age
- Weight: Rams (100-130 pounds), Ewes (85-100 pounds)
- Polled
Dorper:
- Most are polled
- Weight: Rams (around 230 pounds), Ewes (180-210 pounds)
- Ewes can lamb up to 7 years
- Can breed year round
- Produces quality meat
- Lambs grow fast
Katahdin:
- Weight: Rams (180-250), Ewes (125-185)
- Have twins
- Can be any color
- Docile
- Ewes may produce as much milk as Friesians, around 5 liters
- Gestation period: 145-148 days
- Birth weight: 6-10 pounds
- May have lambs out of season
- Ewes make excellent mothers
St. Croix Sheep:
- Originated from St. Croix (tropical island below the U.S.)
- Are fly-strike resistant
- Are resistant against hoof rot
- Coats are completely white, some have brown or black on them
- Coat sheds water
- Both genders are polled
- Rams have large throat ruff
- Weight: Rams (200 pounds), Ewes (150 pounds)
- Birth Weight: 6-7 pounds
- Adapted to a large variety of climates
- Reach puberty at 3 months of age
- Ewes' first estrus cycle at 7-8 months
- Are year round breeders (can lamb three times in two years)
- Have 1-4 lambs in one lamb crop
- Lamb survivability is high
- Ewes are instinctive mothers
- Ewes produce ample quantities of milk high in butterfat, some are milked for cheese production
- Lambs finish with low bone to meat ratio
- Meat is high quality
- Lambs grow at a slower rate
- Sheep have docile gentle temperaments
- Have good herding instinct
- Not selective or picky eaters
Wiltshire Horn:
- Both genders have large spiraling horns
- The skin and coat is white
- Originated from Britain
- Weight: Rams (250 pounds), Ewes (150 pounds)
- Can reach slaughter weight at 16 weeks
- Primarily raised for meat
American Blackbelly Barbados Blackbelly Dorper Katahdin
St. Croix Wiltshire Horn