2024-2025 Sheep Showing

[Baymule]

I considered Royal White before choosing Black Head Dorper. Once having a Dorper ram, I changed my mind to Katahdins and never looked back. I never found out about docking tails on Royal White. Is that a breed standard or is that just for show?

 

[Mini Horses]

Instead of changing feed, buy Purina Enrich 32 & add some to the show feed animals. No big switch over no or later. I use on goats, found it in horse show days. Small pellet.

 

[Margali]

I considered Royal White before choosing Black Head Dorper. Once having a Dorper ram, I changed my mind to Katahdins and never looked back. I never found out about docking tails on Royal White. Is that a breed standard or is that just for show?

It was just for show I guess reading the official page. Mr Hoag in 1995 had good marketing skills I guess. A Royal White is just a St. Croix + White Dorper.

Biggest difference is the closed registry which I consider a negative and only white allowed. I don't see how they can avoid inbreeding issues with only a single generator flock.

 

[Ridgetop]

The White Dorper give Royal Whites the muscle, the St. Croix is already a component of the White Dorper breed and gives parasite resistance. Main difference is in the wool patterning in White Dorpers vs the completely hair coat of the Royal Whites. Not a lot of Royal Whites outside of Texas and Oklahoma. They are very similar to White Dorpers in body structure - I think they are slighty taller than WDs.

You can certainly change your feeding program to try to put on ore mscle, but remember that most Katahdins are a more gracile and slender framed sheep. You need to breed for the muscle you want. Since you have a small ewe flock, the best way to do that is to bring in thicker rams that produce more meat.

When is the market lamb show next year? I might have a lamb for her depending on the date of the show. We will be lambing mid January through February. You will want the lamb to be about 5-6 months old at show time. A single ram lamb castrated around 3 months, kept on its mother, and supplemented with a good grower ration can make 100 lbs. at 4 months so I think that may be best. Check for the required show weights at weigh in, so I know how much the lamb should weigh at weaning to do well for her.