St Croix Hair Sheep
The St Croix (Saint ‘Croy’) is a breed of domestic sheep native to the U.S. Virgin Islands and named for the island of Saint Croix. They are often also called Virgin Island White because those that were imported into North America were selected for white coloration. On the Island of St. Croix, they come in shades of brown, white and black.
The breed is believed to be descended from African sheep that were brought to the Caribbean on slave ships, and is a breed of hair sheep which does not grow wool. The St Croix is a hardy tropical breed known for its parasite resistance, and is raised primarily for meat production. Breeders have crossbred the St Croix with other breeds to impart these important traits into their bloodlines. The St Croix breed is the foundation breed for Katahdin and Royal White breeds.
St. Croix sheep can live in a wide variety of climates. They are well adapted to the hot humid climate of the tropics and can survive in cold temperatures. Their hair coat lets them tolerate the heat, and they grow a thick wool coat in cold winter temperatures. Their coat sheds water. These sheep are known as ‘Parasitic Pasture Vacuums’ for their ability to clear a pasture of parasites reducing the need to worm sheep. This trait can be beneficial in producing parasite resistant crosses with meatier carcasses than purebred St. Croix alone. In 2012, Langston University in Oklahoma began a three-year study which included a flock of Persimmon Creek St. Croix Dorper crosses that had not been wormed for several years and had been selectively culled for parasite resistance. This flock demonstrated very low fecal egg counts despite ingesting large amounts of eggs under study conditions.
St. Croix also show resistance to hoof rot. Due to their hair shedding ability, sheep should be fly strike resistant
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Dorper Hair Sheep
The Dorper is a South African breed of domestic sheep developed by crossing Dorset Horn and the Blackhead Persian sheep. The breed was created through the efforts of the South African Department of Agriculture to breed a meat sheep suitable to the more arid regions of the country. It is now farmed in other areas as well, and is the second most common sheep breed in South Afric.
A Dorper is a fast-growing meat-producing sheep. The Dorper is an easy-care animal that produces a short, light coat of wool and hair that is shed in late spring and summer. The Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of South Africa was founded in 1950.
This breed was developed by the crossing of a Dorset Horn x Blackhead Persian around the 1930s. Other breeds such as the Van Rooy are also believed to have contributed to the development of the White Dorper breed. The name ‘Dorper’ is a coupling of the first syllables of the parent breeds Dorset and Blackhead Persian.
The breed is well adapted to survive in the arid regions. It has high fertility and maternal instinct, combined with high growth rates and hardiness. The breed has the characteristic black head.
Lambing percentages in South Africa of 150% are not uncommon, as well as an average fecundity of 160%. Rams reach sexual maturity at an early age; rams have been observed to start working by five months. Live weight gains that allow lambs to reach about 36 kg (79 lb) (17 kg (37 lb) – 18 kg (39 lb) carcase) in 100 days has been obtained from first cross animals grown in the Mallee region. Local experience indicates that carcasses with fat scores[3] of 2 to 3 to be easily obtained under these conditions.
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Associations
US: https://dorpersheep.org/
Australia: https://www.dorper.com.au/
South Africa/Zambia: http://dorpersa.co.za/
Katahdin Hair Sheep
Katahdin Sheep work very well in a variety of production situations as a low-maintenance, easy care sheep. Katahdins have generated a great deal of interest from all parts of North America. Katahdin hair sheep provide a practical option to producers who are primarily interested in raising a meat animal, with great lamb vigor, mothering ability and do not want to shear or are no longer able to find shearers.
The breed was developed during the second half of the 20th century by crossing selected St. Croix sheep from the Virgin Islands with various other breeds, including the Suffolk. Lambs were selected based on hair coat, meat-type conformation, high fertility, and flocking instinct.
The Katahdin sheep breed was the first in the United States to reach sheep industry standards of carcass quality. The average Katahdin ewe weight is 120 to 160 pounds and the ram’s weight is 180 to 250. Most Katahdin ewes will have a 200% lamb crop. The Katahdin sheds its winter coat, and so does not have to be sheared. The Katahdin’s hair can come in any color, as the emphasis of the breed is on production rather than appearance. When Katahdins are crossed with wool sheep, their offspring will usually have a mix of predominantly wool with some hair.
The Katahdin’s popularity in the USA has increased in recent years due to low wool prices and high shearing costs. This, combined with the fact that the Katahdin sheep breed is also resistant to parasites – a trait inherited from its St. Croix ancestors – makes the breed a highly productive, low-cost option for commercial shepherds.
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Dorper/Katahdin cross
Blackhead Persian Sheep
Source: https://www.roysfarm.com/blackhead-persian-sheep/
The Blackhead Persian sheep is a breed of domestic sheep which was originated from South Africa. It is a fat-tailed breed and raised mainly as a meat sheep breed for meat production.
It is also known as Swartkoppersie. The breed is a direct descendant of the Somali sheep and is originally from Somalia (actually from the Somali inhabited areas of the Horn of Africa). It is also a type of hair sheep breed, that means these animals do not grow wool. And they can tolerate heat better than wool sheep breeds.
The Blackhead Persian sheep actually originated from Somalia, despite it’s name. It was imported into South Africa in about 1870. In the year of 1906, a South African studbook was set up, and there were around 4000 registered animals by 1930. The breed was crossbred with local sheep breeds and also was improved by crossing it with such sheep breeds as the Dorper.
The Blackhead Persian sheep are small to medium sized animals. They are mainly white in coloration.
But as the name suggests, their head is of black color. Their ears are long and pendulous, and the neck is also black.
There were estimated to be 2 million Blackhead Persian sheep in South Africa in the 1950s. These animals have also been introduced to Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
The Blackhead Persian sheep breed has also been imported into the Caribbean region, Central and South America for cross-breeding purposes.
It is recognized as an official breed by the Brazilian Sheep Breeder’s Association. Today the breed is raised mainly for meat production. However, read some more information about this sheep breed below.
The Blackhead Persian sheep are small to medium sized animals. They are mainly white in coloration. But as the name suggests, their head is of black color. Their ears are long and pendulous, and the neck is also black.
The rump and the base of the tail have an accumulation of fat. Both rams and ewes are generally polled. Both rams and ewes weight around 2.6 kg at birth.
Average live body weight of the mature Blackhead Persian rams is around 68 kg. And the mature ewe’s average live body weight is around 52 kg.
The Blackhead Persian sheep are well adapted to their local climates. Previously they were bred mainly for the large quantity of fat stored in the tail region which gave resilience in arid conditions and which was prized for cooking.
The ewes are pretty good mothers, and they lactate for approximately 84 days. They produce around 50 kg of milk in their lactation period, and their milk contain around 5.9 percent fat.
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