Greetings from Northern New Mexico

[StandingOakHomestead]

Talk to Baymule about Katahdins. The Texas Dahl may not do what you want if you want a decent meat yield.

TD are flighty, have a lower carcass weight and the trophy stock puts more into its headset than it does its body score. The trophy stock is second to none…but a royal pain. Lol.

 

[farmerjan]

Welcome to BYH.... I commented on your cattle thread.

One thing I didn't mention is that the best way to get the cattle to do what you want is to use some grain as a treat/reward.... 99% of our cattle will come to call because they have learned that they will get a treat of grain when they come... They see you with a bucket and will be "right there".... It beats the devil out of having to go out and "chase them" to get them in... When you go out there to their area, call them and shake a bucket with some grain/ or cubes, and then leave them little piles while you are around... time will teach them that you are the "good guys" bringing them something that tastes pretty good... and they will learn to come when you call... We ALWAYS try to give them something when we call our cattle... even if it is just a new salt block or something... no different that using treats to train a dog....it is a reward for them doing what you want them to do...

We raise White Texas Dahl sheep.... agree with @StandingOakHomestead ... their meat yield is much less than other breeds bred for their meat as opposed to their trophy heads. They are also a semi wild breed... unless you bottle raise the lambs, they are always looking for an "out" away from people.... They can hurt you if you try to get them in to "work them"... and they will go ove or under a fence if they get a chance or get spooked. We sell the rams to a couple of "hunting preserves" and it is all about their heads.... We just like the horns on them... I had horned Dorset sheep years ago and like the horns... and since the wool market has been awful for years, were glad to go with a hair breed. Ours are truly just a hobby... 15 ewes at a time and then the males...

Katahdins and Dorpers are the meat breeds.... in hair sheep.

 

[Baymule]

I am partial to my Katahdin sheep! The rams, or at least the ones I’ve had, are calm and don’t try to run me down to bash me to a pile of broken bones. Good carcass, they are a meat breed.