KrisK Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I've used the search and found a good bit of information about hair sheep and I'm thinking Katahdins will be the way for me to go. So, more research is required. Can someone just clear this up for me - It was mentioned that sometimes they require clipping. So my question is this - Do they normally just 'shed' the hair which can then be picked up for use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Kris, Yes, they normally just shed, but sometimes, especially with crossbreds, they don't shed everything and you're left with a mat of wooly hair, most often on the back or haunches. I know of no use for the shed hair. For an example(s) of what I'm talking about, look at the pictures Mark posted in the gallery of dorper sheep at the trial last weekend: dorper sheep. Look at the second set of (the set that includes the merle dog), and you will see several examples of sheep that have not shed out fully. Often you can pull the unshed stuff off--but it's not as easy as it looks (done that!) and the sheep don't always like the pulling. And shearers don't really like shearing the unshed stuff off hair sheep either. You can do it yourself with electric or hand shears though. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Kris - not a dumb question at all. I'd been wondering the same thing. So thanks for asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted February 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hi Julie, Thanks, that's very helpful. I thought that Icelandic sheep were also hair sheep and I know their fleece is used. So I assumed Katahdins were the same. That's why I need to do more research However, since my intention is to have just a small flock of 5-6 making use of their fleece/wool, would be just a hobby for me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hi Kris, Icelandic sheep are wool sheep. If you haven't found it already, an excellent source for basic breed information (there are lots of breeds out there, but not all are available in North America) is Oklahoma State's Breeds of Livestock page. On the main page it has a list of hair and merino (fine wool) types and lists breeds of each type. Of the hair breeds, you'd be most likely to find dorper, katahdin, St. Criox, and barbadoes. Anyway, it's a great site for reading about all the types of sheep in the world.... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted February 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Thanks! I'll bookmark that site for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Kris, Your confusion about icelandic sheep probably stems from the fact that they are dual coated -- they have a wool coat with guard hairs. Romanov sheep have a similar coat and perhaps Shetlands? Commercially, these dual coated breeds are a disaster. However, some handspinners don't mind separating out the two kinds of fiber manually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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