Thinking about sheep

[GLENMAR]

I am interested in Dorpers. I don't want horns or wool. I also think they are nice to look at.
What does everyone prefer: Dorpers or Katahdin???

Will Dorper/Dorset crosses still shed out?

Dorpers seem to be hard to find close to me.

 

[bonbean01]

We had both...now the little flock is Dorper/Kat crosses. Hubby prefers the Kat and I like the looks of the Dorper...white and black. With the crosses you never know what colours the lambs will be, which is kind of neat. I can't say which breed sheds off best as it seems to be different sheep, no matter Dorper or Kat will either be good at shedding off or not so good. For those that don't shed off well, I wait until they are 2 years old before I take my trusty scizzors to them once, and after that they shed off well. Right now I have a red coloured Kat ewe who I didn't finish the scizzoring on since it was getting so hot and I was afraid of her getting sunburn on her back...so, she is sporting a mohawk

As for parasite resistance, both breeds have been very good. Both breeds have been gentle and sweet and loved to be pet...except for rams.

 

[GLENMAR]

I love the different colors too. I like the look of the Dorpers because they look more like well groomed wool sheep.
Hopefully I will find some or some crosses close to me before summer.

 

[Southern by choice]

What is happening to us goat people.... maybe we are all turning to the dark side... slowly!

but i do love my new sheep!

 

[GLENMAR]

I want to eat them. I love lamb.

I don't think I can eat my goaties.

 

[RemudaOne]

Bwaahahaha!!! Welcome to the club, Glenmar . I'm partial and I'm sure you know which one I like, lol. I agree with Bon, the shedding is variable with the individual (I can only speak to the dorpers). With the cruel sun that we get here, I don't remove any hair/wool that remains on their backs. Most of mine shed completely but I have a couple that retain some. In my limited experience, their friendliness is also an individual thing. I have one or two that I've had from the beginning and I still can't get them to come to me. Others mob me. None of my new registered sheep are friendly...yet. I found that being there during lambing really helps to warm them up to you.

My two new sets of twins are getting to the "ants in the pants" stage and are so much fun to watch. I do try to handle the babies a good bit so that when we have a need to handle them, it's not so traumatic for them. There are also solid white dorpers but I prefer the black headed. Other than having a vet tell me that the black headed are a bit more fertile and a friend tell me that he has more health probs with his white dorpers (pink eye) than his black headed, I think it's just a matter of personal preference.

I hope you can find some and take the plunge, I think you'll like them.

 

[bonbean01]

Southern...the dark side????? Ummm no...you are now well rounded

Kristi's dorpers and their colouring are my favourite...only had one that looked like her...my barren and beloved Suzie...but I won't get started on that....also our last ram...who we pick up from freezer camp next week

Dolly our ewe is a white dorper and so far no health problems or pink eye...have had her now 5 years and she will be the first to lamb...very soon. The red Kat ewe lamb we bought grew into a very big girl...crossed with a Dorper ram and her babies were awesome...she has bigger lambs, even the twins...and a super large udder and feeding them was no problem. She needs her teats stripped each time at lambing and it looks like pure cream...no wonder her lambs grow so quickly!

I love watching them play...not just the lambs, but the ewes too...but not so much right now as they keep getting bigger. I've been called the person who hugs her sheep too much...hahahahha...they are all friendly and come running when I go outside...with or without their pellets. They all started out as lambs here, so all that loving on them...which I enjoy so much has made them all super friendly.

Not sure if it would be the same if I bought adult sheep though.

 

[boykin2010]

WELL.....

i LOVE my KATAHDINS. I have had dorpers, barbados, and katahdins. Katahdins are the best hands down.
For people who like the looks of the dorpers black head, I have Katahdins born like that sometimes.

With Katahdins, you never what you are going to get! You can have black and white spotted, red and white spotted, gray, white, brown, the possibilities are endless!
I have had white ewes bred to a white ram that had spotted lambs.

The Katahdins are parasite resistant, good mothers, and produce delicious meat! Great personalities also.
They are in high demand also. Most breeders sell out a year in advance.

 

[Royd Wood]

I want to eat them. I love lamb.

I don't think I can eat my goaties.

if you cant eat goat then just wait till the time comes to look for one last time into those big sheep eyes

 

[SheepGirl]