American Blackbelly Sheep
The American Blackbelly sheep is a hair sheep, originally developed by
crossbreeding programs involving primarily Mouflon and Barbados Blackbelly.
Resulting hybrids produced poor horn growth that interfered with the animals'
faces. Repeated back crossing on the Mouflon improved horn growth to the extent
that the hybrid attracted the attention of trophy hunters. Eventually, a strain
of exotic looking animals with massive horns evolved and came to be referred to
as "Corsican" in reference to the origin of the Mouflon ancestors. The original
cross has subsequently been developed into several distinctive breeds of hair
sheep.
The American Blackbelly is a breed of Corsican descent that is readily
identifiable by a very well-defined coat pattern and is registered by the
Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International. Rams generally display
spectacular horns, while ewes generally are polled (hornless.) The sheep sport a
distinctive hair coat in a range of tan to brown to red, with dramatic black
markings.
The American Blackbelly is a thrifty, energetic, small- to medium-sized sheep
with a strong flocking instinct. They are well adapted to a broad range of
environments, breeding goals, and management styles. On the farm, They are desired for their productivity and thriftiness, great prolificacy, and fairly low maintenance. Mature ewes generally have two to three or more lambs in any season, and depending on management, are capable of three litters every year and a half or so. They are very good mothers. Because of their out-of-season breeding, ewes are suited to an accelerated lambing program.
American Blackbelly sheep will grow more or less winter wool, mostly in response to local winter conditions, which is entirely cast in spring/summer to
reveal a coarse, flat hair coat with distinctive, antelope-like markings. Their tail is never docked .
crossbreeding programs involving primarily Mouflon and Barbados Blackbelly.
Resulting hybrids produced poor horn growth that interfered with the animals'
faces. Repeated back crossing on the Mouflon improved horn growth to the extent
that the hybrid attracted the attention of trophy hunters. Eventually, a strain
of exotic looking animals with massive horns evolved and came to be referred to
as "Corsican" in reference to the origin of the Mouflon ancestors. The original
cross has subsequently been developed into several distinctive breeds of hair
sheep.
The American Blackbelly is a breed of Corsican descent that is readily
identifiable by a very well-defined coat pattern and is registered by the
Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International. Rams generally display
spectacular horns, while ewes generally are polled (hornless.) The sheep sport a
distinctive hair coat in a range of tan to brown to red, with dramatic black
markings.
The American Blackbelly is a thrifty, energetic, small- to medium-sized sheep
with a strong flocking instinct. They are well adapted to a broad range of
environments, breeding goals, and management styles. On the farm, They are desired for their productivity and thriftiness, great prolificacy, and fairly low maintenance. Mature ewes generally have two to three or more lambs in any season, and depending on management, are capable of three litters every year and a half or so. They are very good mothers. Because of their out-of-season breeding, ewes are suited to an accelerated lambing program.
American Blackbelly sheep will grow more or less winter wool, mostly in response to local winter conditions, which is entirely cast in spring/summer to
reveal a coarse, flat hair coat with distinctive, antelope-like markings. Their tail is never docked .
Katahdin Sheep
Ewes
The Katahdin is a heavy muscled, medium sized, easy-care meat type sheep.
They exhibit a natural tolerance of climatic extremes and are capable of high performance in areas that vary in geography, temperature, and humidity, as well as feed and forage systems.
Katahdins usually have a docile and quiet disposition - a temperament which contributes to easy handling, so that women and children have no problem moving them around.
The shedding coat of the Katahdin does not require shearing and is preferably free of permanent woolly fibres. The coat can be any colour from white to brown to spotted. Polled animals are preferred; scurred or horned animals are recorded as such (only ewes can carry horns and rams that are horned cannot be registered).
Lambing is easy for Katahdin Ewes, exhibiting strong maternal instincts with sufficient milk supply to raise twins or triplets. They possess a high potential for arriving at early puberty, for fertility, and for having a high rate of lamb survival.
Small at birth, lambs grow and mature rapidly to an acceptable market weight. Katahdin produces a well-muscled, lean carcass with a mild flavour. Some producers have experienced very little taste variation in the Katahdin meat even at a mature age, therefore maintaining a marketable product past the 'lamb' stage.
Our Katahdin Sheep are from Tracy Oram Prince Edwards County., ON. Thank you Tracy.
and Larry Ellis Norwood., ON. Thank you Larry.
Our Katahdin Ram came from Jim Sabin Plainfield., ON. Thank you Jim.
They exhibit a natural tolerance of climatic extremes and are capable of high performance in areas that vary in geography, temperature, and humidity, as well as feed and forage systems.
Katahdins usually have a docile and quiet disposition - a temperament which contributes to easy handling, so that women and children have no problem moving them around.
The shedding coat of the Katahdin does not require shearing and is preferably free of permanent woolly fibres. The coat can be any colour from white to brown to spotted. Polled animals are preferred; scurred or horned animals are recorded as such (only ewes can carry horns and rams that are horned cannot be registered).
Lambing is easy for Katahdin Ewes, exhibiting strong maternal instincts with sufficient milk supply to raise twins or triplets. They possess a high potential for arriving at early puberty, for fertility, and for having a high rate of lamb survival.
Small at birth, lambs grow and mature rapidly to an acceptable market weight. Katahdin produces a well-muscled, lean carcass with a mild flavour. Some producers have experienced very little taste variation in the Katahdin meat even at a mature age, therefore maintaining a marketable product past the 'lamb' stage.
Our Katahdin Sheep are from Tracy Oram Prince Edwards County., ON. Thank you Tracy.
and Larry Ellis Norwood., ON. Thank you Larry.
Our Katahdin Ram came from Jim Sabin Plainfield., ON. Thank you Jim.
Dorper Sheep
87.5% Dorper Ewes
The Dorper have a black head extending in the neck, with a white body. They are easy care sheep that divert most of their energy into producing meat instead of wool. Just like the Katahdin, you do not have to shear them as they shed their winter coat in the spring.
Dorper's have a high lambing rate, with the ability to breed all year, outstanding mothering skills, good milkers, hardiness and many other qualities that make them easy to raise. The ewes can produce offspring three times in two years. Twin Dorper lambs are generally between 7 to 9lb at birth, Dorper Ram lambs can weigh 100 lbs. at 90 days of age and Dorper Ewe lambs weigh from 80 to 90 lbs. Dorper's have well developed backs and hind quarters and their meat is lean and delicious.
Our 3 Dorper sheep (1 Ram and 2 Ewes) are from Cedar View Dorpers Perth., ON. Thank you Karen.
Dorper's have a high lambing rate, with the ability to breed all year, outstanding mothering skills, good milkers, hardiness and many other qualities that make them easy to raise. The ewes can produce offspring three times in two years. Twin Dorper lambs are generally between 7 to 9lb at birth, Dorper Ram lambs can weigh 100 lbs. at 90 days of age and Dorper Ewe lambs weigh from 80 to 90 lbs. Dorper's have well developed backs and hind quarters and their meat is lean and delicious.
Our 3 Dorper sheep (1 Ram and 2 Ewes) are from Cedar View Dorpers Perth., ON. Thank you Karen.
Wiltshire Horned Sheep
Wiltshire Horns are “easy care” being a hair sheep not a wool producer they do not need shearing and therefore do not have any of the problems associated with wool production, but they still grow thick enough hair to insulate against the
Canadian winter climate.
The Wiltshire Horn is an ideal crossing breed. Rams are used as superior terminal meat sires producing lambs which are lively at birth and finish quickly.
The characteristics of the breed make it a very important addition to the commercial flock where low maintenance and low input costs are of ever increasing importance.
Canadian winter climate.
The Wiltshire Horn is an ideal crossing breed. Rams are used as superior terminal meat sires producing lambs which are lively at birth and finish quickly.
The characteristics of the breed make it a very important addition to the commercial flock where low maintenance and low input costs are of ever increasing importance.