What is the best hair sheep for meat?

[FarmersDigest]

I have read a lot about hair sheep's being good for meat, but is there one that is better than the others? Is there one that is easier to take care of? Also, do you clip the tail? If so when? I have read that it's better for the sheep health wise to clip them. Do you guys feed grain? DH said if we do sheep, he wants to know what's the best way to take care of them, and feed them out for butcher. So I thought who better to help me, than all of you who are so willing to help. We have asked about other animals as well, we are just trying to see what animal will be the best for us! Thank you so much, and I hope you are having the best New Year ever!

 

[Southern by choice]

I don't have sheep- well actually I do but they don't count... we don't do anything with them. Having said that... some meat sheep breeds may do better in your region than others. Some have tails removed some don't.
In my region the Katahdin does better than the Dorpers. We are hot humid and wet... out toward the coast where it is dryer and sandy the Dorper does great. That makes a big difference as well as the stock you get. Stock that lives off the land year round and stock that has constant creep feed and are grained year round will be very different. Knowing which breeds have better parasite resistance for your region will be critical.

 

[FarmersDigest]

W

I don't have sheep- well actually I do but they don't count... we don't do anything with them. Having said that... some meat sheep breeds may do better in your region than others. Some have tails removed some don't.
In my region the Katahdin does better than the Dorpers. We are hot humid and wet... out toward the coast where it is dryer and sandy the Dorper does great. That makes a big difference as well as the stock you get. Stock that lives off the land year round and stock that has constant creep feed and are grained year round will be very different. Knowing which breeds have better parasite resistance for your region will be critical.

Wonderful, thank you! You are just all around full of great info!

 

[Sweetened]

We have dorper katahdin crosses, one of which has romanov a few generations back. Anything about -30, and they are outside their shelter milling about. In the heat theres a lot of pawing the ground to lay in the cool dirt, but they refuse to take shelter in the shade. I have only owned these crosses, and my pure dorper ram, but have enjoyed them. We are hoping for may/june lambs! We strictly grass feed, and will continue that. There is alfalfa in our hay and fields.

 

[FarmersDigest]

What's the harness I see on the rams?

 

[Southern by choice]

What's the harness I see on the rams?

where are you looking...

 

[FarmersDigest]

We have dorper katahdin crosses, one of which has romanov a few generations back. Anything about -30, and they are outside their shelter milling about. In the heat theres a lot of pawing the ground to lay in the cool dirt, but they refuse to take shelter in the shade. I have only owned these crosses, and my pure dorper ram, but have enjoyed them. We are hoping for may/june lambs! We strictly grass feed, and will continue that. There is alfalfa in our hay and fields.

Thank you for your info. What made you decide to cross those two breeds? From what I've read, this looks like a really good breeds to mix. My DH was wondering if you know the hanging weight of the carcass of a lamb? Or does anyone?

 

[FarmersDigest]

where are you looking...

http://www.katahdins.org/
I also noticed it on one of the threads on here too.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

What's the harness I see on the rams?

Its a marking harness. When the ram mounts the ewes it will leave (whatever color use) on the ewes so you have an estimated due date.

 

[Sweetened]

Its crossed out here for higher growth rate, better wool shedding for dorpers (problem with the lines here having been wool crossed so some dont shed well). Honestly, i bought them as bottle babies to get into them on the cheap in case i didnt like having sheep or didnt do well, that way i didnt waste several hundred dollars if something happened. when the lady told me she had one lamb that had romanov genes, i jumped on it for milking and multi birth purposes. Romanovs are known for having and auccessfully raising 6+lambs a year. Our ram is decent quality, i traded chickens for him so didnt pay anything really. I would like more romanov, but they require a stronger and more abundant pasture and summer lambing here.