adapted for the American Southeast
Named for the famed Mt. Katahdin, this breed of sheep was initially developed in the 1950s in Maine. The original Katahdins were intentional crosses between Virgin Island hair sheep and Suffolk wool sheep in an effort to create a high quality, strong, and hardy warm-weather sheep. The result was an adaptable sheep, well-suited to the meat industry and could thrive in both warm and cool climates. Considered a medium-sized sheep, Katahdin ewes routinely weigh in from 120 to 160 lbs., while the rams can weigh anywhere from 180 to 250 lbs. They shed their winter wool naturally every spring, never needing shearing. The breed is also known to exhibit more natural parasite resistance, which has led to their popularity in the southeast.
Why Katahdins?
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Katahdins, due to their lack of wool, are better able to withstand the intense heat and humidity of the southeast. Since they put on wool once the weather gets cold, farmers don't worry about the sometimes below-freezing temperatures of our winters. And when spring comes, they naturally shed their coats, eliminating the cost of shearing. |
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Katahdins are also well known for their natural strong mothering instinct. They rarely abandon lambs and provide ample amounts of milk to promote their growth. Our flock of Katahdin ewes are expected to consistently bear twins and raise them through weaning until they leave for market or other farms. Mature Katahdins consistently produce twins or triplets, but we do not penalize our yearlings if they birth only one lamb in their first pregnancy. This natural tendency helps to reduce issues related to overworked first-time mothers. |
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Many of the early adopters of the Katahdin breed specifically focused on reducing the impact of parasites on their flocks. This selection criteria is the primary difference between "show sheep" and production-focused sheep that thrive in low input, challenging environments. We don't know "show sheep" at Yellowbird Farms! All of our foundation ewes were sourced from flocks participating in the NSIP, and we continue to select rams from these same flocks today.
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