The Katahdin is a breed of

domestic sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sh ...

developed by breeder Michael Piel in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

, United States. He named this new breed after

Mount Katahdin Mount Katahdin ( ) is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at . Named Katahdin, which means "Great Mountain", by the Penobscot Native Americans, it is within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of Baxte ...

- the state’s highest peak. 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 Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

. Lambs were selected based on hair coat,

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

-type conformation, high

fertility Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertili ...

, 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, so does not have to be sheared. The Katahdin's hair comes in a variety of colors, as the emphasis of the breed is on production rather than appearance. When Katahdins are crossed with wool sheep, their offspring usually have a predominantly

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. As ...

coat with some hair mixed in. 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.

References

External links

Katahdin
at Oklahoma State University

at Sheep 101.info {{Sheep breeds of Canada and the United States Sheep breeds Sheep breeds originating in the United States