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At Misty Oaks Farm we strive to produce high quality, productive and parasite resistant Katahdins that will thrive in a forage-based system.
Production
We keep accurate production records on our flock and carefully select replacement animals to improve production and consistency each year. We recently joined a growing group of dedicated Katahdin breeders participating in the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) and now have four years of production data in this program. NSIP provides expected progeny differences (EPDs) that allow the breeder to identify and select for specific production traits. We select for balanced, positive EPDs with special emphasis on the Total Pounds of Lamb Weaned and Maternal Milk traits.
Parasite Resistance
We began selectively deworming our flock using FAMACHA in 2004. At the same time, with the aid of a Warner grant from Ohio State University, we began performing fecal egg counts (FECs) on all our ewes and lambs. We found that lambs from some sires had significantly lower FECs, and decided to add documented parasite resistance to our selection criteria.
We perform FECs on all lambs and ewes at least four times during the season and keep detailed records. In 2006, we became part of the small group of progressive Katahdin breeders submitting data for the new FEC analysis by NSIP. Using both these tools allows us to more accurately identify lambs and sires with increased parasite resistance and the ability to pass that resistance on to their offspring.
Results
We have rigorously selected our breeding rams, retained ewes and replacement ewe lambs based on both EPDs and FECs for 3 years in a row. We are seeing significant improvement each year. By 2006, 78% of our ewe flock ranked in the top 25% of the breed in at least one EPD trait. At the same time, documented parasite resistance has increased; over 90% of our ewes and ewe lambs have never required deworming since we began monitoring the flock in 2004.
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Photo Captions:
Above: The ewe above (pictured with one of her 4 month old 2006 triplets) is an example of our breeding goals. She ranked in the top 5% of the breed for several traits, including a lbs-of-lamb-weaned EPD of +5.2. She has never required deworming and is showing outstanding documented parasite resistance. She is passing these traits to her offspring.
Below Left: Ewes at hay feeders on pasture in winter.
Below Center: The ewe below has consistently produced lambs with some of the lowest FECs in the flock.
Below Right: Ewe lambs grazing in August.
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Management
We were first drawn to the Katahdin breed for its outstanding maternal traits, easy care, hardiness, medium size, natural shedding and ability to excel on grass. We are committed to maintaining these traits in our flock. Our Katahdins work for us. We give them the tools they need (appropriate nutrition and shelter) then expect them to do their job of raising quality twin and triplet lambs unassisted. They are maintained solely on grass from May through November, grass hay through the winter and alfalfa/grass mix hay at lambing in mid to late March. The ewes also receive some whole kernel corn through the first 4-6 weeks of lactation, depending on grass quality. Lambs are raised and finished on grass.
Health
We have had a closed ewe flock for five years. We became a certified scrapie free flock through the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (VSFCP) in 2005. Our ewes have tested negative for OPP each year and we have never had a case of foot rot or CL (abscesses). All breeding animals are tested for scrapie susceptibility at codon 171 and all our breeding animals are QR or RR.
Support
We have been fortunate to have the support and mentoring of many excellent Katahdin breeders and others in the sheep industry, for which we are very grateful. We have also been fortunate to receive two SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) grants to support our parasite work.
Rams
In 2006 we added two new rams with outstanding EPDs, one from Wade Jean farm in Pennsylvania and one, a Roberto son, from CMG Katahdins in Iowa. These rams were used along with two rams of our own breeding with outstanding parasite resistance to sire our 2007 lambs.
Goals
Our goals for the future are to:
Maintain documented parasite resistance in breeding stock
Identify ewes with little or no periparturient rise (in FEC at lambing)
Maintain balanced EPDs while improving Maternal Milk EPD
Improve muscling
Maintain hardiness, exceptional mothering and ability to thrive on forage
Breeding Stock
Breeding quality ram and ewe lambs, and occasionally older ewes are available starting in mid July.
Location
Our farm is located in Holmes County, Ohio the heart of Ohios Amish country. Visitors are always welcome.
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Katahdin