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.

 

[Margali]

I am officially insane. I will be showing Albus and Coconut at Houston livestock show. Albus had his first session with halter Sunday. He is convinced I am a mighty monster. Currently freezing my ass of getting him to think I’m a friendly monster.

 

[Margali]

Waiting for the attack. Do you see him?

 

[Mini Horses]

Two?

 

[Baymule]

He sees you!

 

[Margali]

So I missed the deadline for signing up to show sheep. Oh well.
This will also be the last year Cassandra shows sheep without water and power at our barn. Bathing sheep with ground temp water in 41F is a bit much. I was soaked to the skin and Cassandra fell full length in the mud.

 

[Ridgetop]

These are the stories that will become family legends. LOL

One year our 4-H club ws in a Chrstmas parade. Lovely California weather o we washed our paint horses till their white coats sparkled. (We used the laundry bluing trick on them too). No barn at the time so we blanketed them and turned them out in the front field. A freak storm blew in overnight. In the morning cries of grief and rage were heard as my children led their horses onto the driveway competely coated with mud.