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When we started Tavalin Tails Farm in 2011, we were looking for sheep to graze
our apple orchard to help prune the trees and fertilize the organic land. We researched
what kind of sheep would be easy to raise with minimal inputs, would be able to lamb
without our help and would do well on pasture without having a big barn. We started
with very little- we had two Pyrenees puppies to serve as livestock guardian dogs, a
large dog kennel, 10 acres of apple trees and some electric netting. We bought 12 bred
ewes from a local farmer and every day that they survived was a miracle in our eyes!
That first year was a huge learning experience, but the puppies grew up to be amazing
guard dogs, and the ewes gave us a beautiful crop of lambs that became our
foundation.
Since that first year we have expanded to over 700 sheep and have exported
breed stock all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
What makes Katahdin sheep so special? What we love is that they are low
maintenance, efficient grazers who lamb well on pasture and their superb mothering
abilities. We also love that we do not have to shear them, and they produce meaty
carcasses with a mild flavor. The Katahdin breed began in the United States in the
Katahdin mountains of Maine. According to the Katahdin Sheep International website:
Katahdin sheep are a breed of hair sheep developed in the United States, a
small but growing element of the sheep industry in North America. There are 100 million
hair sheep around the world—10% of the world’s sheep population—of which 90% are
in Africa and 10% are in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Katahdin breed
originated at the Piel Farm in north central Maine where Michael Piel was an innovator
and “amateur geneticist” who enjoyed raising livestock. His first intentions related to
establishing a sheep enterprise were to use sheep to graze power lines instead of
spraying or mowing the vegetation. He then developed other ideas on how to employ
sheep for land management.
We love that Katahdin sheep are not only easy to raise, but they are family
friendly! Our children love the sheep and can easily take care of an entire flock on their
own. You can have 5-8 sheep per acre of land. If you are looking for a low maintenance
option for livestock, look no further than Katahdin sheep, and give us a call for a starter
flock!