NicelyMeadows
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Looking for someone else who has them in VA. I live close to the WV Line just outside of Roanoke, VA.
Dorper/Katahdin cross sheep in VA
- Thread starter NicelyMeadows
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Baymule
Herd Master
Welcome to the forum. I’m in Texas and have Dorper/Katahdin cross ewes with a registered Katahdin ram. My ram was bred by Virginia Tech University in their parasite resistance program. Glad to have you here!
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NicelyMeadows
Chillin' with the herd
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Thank You! I'm new to this breed... and sheep in general. I posted a while back in the welcome section about it. I used to deliver fuel oil and gas to VT, at all of their farm locations. It was always a fun day to go to the farm. Even got to see the "pardoned" presidential turkeys and pet them.
I received our first ewe from a friend of mine that breeds these on the side from his day job as a local deputy. We had 2 twin goats we had purchased and the boy had to be put down. I called him up to see if I could buy one of his sheep to put with my goat for companionship till I could find another.
1 turned into 2, which my "toddler" is a bottle baby. She was a triplet that was not able to compete with her siblings. He called and asked if I wanted her...... Of course!
She wasn't able to go outside yet when my other goat passed suddenly so I then called him up again to ask if I could get another. He called and asked if I wanted 2 more bottle babies.
Mother was pregnant and never produced a milk bag, didn't even appear to be be pregnant, and then... here is 2 babies on the ground.
Both males this time!
I want to get into breeding them and selling also. It's been really fun so far.
I received our first ewe from a friend of mine that breeds these on the side from his day job as a local deputy. We had 2 twin goats we had purchased and the boy had to be put down. I called him up to see if I could buy one of his sheep to put with my goat for companionship till I could find another.
1 turned into 2, which my "toddler" is a bottle baby. She was a triplet that was not able to compete with her siblings. He called and asked if I wanted her...... Of course!
She wasn't able to go outside yet when my other goat passed suddenly so I then called him up again to ask if I could get another. He called and asked if I wanted 2 more bottle babies.
Mother was pregnant and never produced a milk bag, didn't even appear to be be pregnant, and then... here is 2 babies on the ground.
Both males this time!
I want to get into breeding them and selling also. It's been really fun so far.
Baymule
Herd Master
Why did your goats die? They may have had a high worm load. Barber pole worms attach to the intestinal wall and suck blood. An animal can get so anemic that they lay down and die. Sheep will do this too. Talk to your friend and ask him what he does for worms.
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NicelyMeadows
Chillin' with the herd
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The vet said the boy was banded too early and his urethra did not grow completely which lead to him having issues with his urine crystallizing in the tract. He never showed signs of issues until it was too late. Even having minerals available.
As for his sister, she had a selenium deficiency, which we had to give her shots for. Apparently our ground here is lacking in minerals needed. Even with the supplemental it didn't help. She then started to swell in her face, and it would last for 2 days and go away. Took her to the vet, did a fecal and everything came back normal. So we are not really sure.
We did worm them regularly as well, as we do with the sheep. Knocking on wood, I have not had any issues with the sheep like I did goats. Bad batch maybe? I don't know.
As for his sister, she had a selenium deficiency, which we had to give her shots for. Apparently our ground here is lacking in minerals needed. Even with the supplemental it didn't help. She then started to swell in her face, and it would last for 2 days and go away. Took her to the vet, did a fecal and everything came back normal. So we are not really sure.
We did worm them regularly as well, as we do with the sheep. Knocking on wood, I have not had any issues with the sheep like I did goats. Bad batch maybe? I don't know.
Baymule
Herd Master
Sometimes despite our best efforts, it still all goes wrong. It is a learning experience. I kept my sheep off copper until last year. I started giving them an all purpose feed that had less copper than Sheep and goat Feed, and they are doing well on it. Their black coloring is black, not the brownish burnt black like it was before.
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NicelyMeadows
Chillin' with the herd
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I've been doing hay and Midwestern Sweet Feed from Rural King as supplement this winter.... Only Downside it has some added copper... but not enough to worry i suppose.... They have been doing fine so far.
We also pick up discounted veggies at our local stores as a treat.
Midwestern Mix
(Processed Grain By-Products, Roughage Products (16.5%-Rice Hulls), Grain Products, Cane Molasses, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Propionic Acid (a preservative), Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors Added)
We also pick up discounted veggies at our local stores as a treat.
Midwestern Mix
(Processed Grain By-Products, Roughage Products (16.5%-Rice Hulls), Grain Products, Cane Molasses, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Propionic Acid (a preservative), Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors Added)
