Management Practices for Our Katahdin Sheep

Interplanting

Wild cherry and dying ash trees are being replaced with a mixture of fast and slow growing trees for diversity and for "instant" and long-term growth.

Misty Oaks Farm

MOF

Canine Partners

Our Border Collie, Pippin; English Shepherd, Trey; and Russel Terrier, Quinn, are all valued members of the team.

Ewes Winter on Pasture

Ewes are fed hay and stockpiled forage with access to portable, three-sided shelters in winter, then moved to the barn for lambing.

“Instant” Shade

By year three (2023), locust trees already provide shade while slower growing oaks, hickories and other mast producing trees become established for long-term growth.

Performance on Grass

Although we prefer twins, ewes like this 2 yr old who can raise consistent triplets on grass are valued.

Auger Used for Planting

Jeff used an auger to plant bare root seedlings for our new Silvopasture Project with Quinn's supervision.

Without Records You Can’t Tell There’s a lot you can’t tell just by looking at a group of lambs like these. Parasite resistance, growth rate, or prolificacy for instance. Without good production records, or better yet, EBVs, you can’t tell what differences are due to management or environment vs genetic potential.

New Silvopasture Project

Early Access to Pasture

Lambs are usually born in the barn, but have access to pasture from the beginning.

Lambs have access to pasture early. Misty Oaks Farm

Early Maturity

We value early maturity, preferring ewes that lamb at one year. We find good mothers can easily handle twins as yearlings with adequate nutrition.

Without Records You Can’t Tell

Rotational Grazing

We use rotational grazing with occasional pasture improvement for optimal forage utilization and animal performance.

First Planting – Spring 2021

Tree shelters are used to protect the young trees from being eaten prematurely by the sheep and provide a microclimate for the seedlings for faster growth.

Silvopasture Project - 1st Planting Spring 2021, Misty Oaks Farm

Trees in Year 2

Fast growing locust, poplar and aspen trees, planted in rows for easier pasture maintenance, will provide shade, shelter and fodder.

Without Records, You Can't Tell good sheep traits. Misty Oaks Farm

Katahdin ewes are pictured with their hardy lambs at Misty Oaks Farm in Wooster, Ohio. Our Katahdin sheep farm management procedures are focused on parasite resistance and pasture maintenance.

Wildlife/Pollinator Plantings

Groups of shrubs (dogwood, viburnum and more), protected to allow sheep to graze the sides but not the centers of shrubs, will provide pollen, berries and cover for wildlife.

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Misty Oaks Farm

Interplanting

Wild cherry and dying ash trees are being replaced with a mixture of fast and slow growing trees for diversity and for "instant" and long- term growth.

Canine Partners

Our Border Collie, Pippin; English Shepherd, Trey; and Russel Terrier, Quinn, are all valued members of the team.

Ewes Winter on

Pasture

Ewes are fed hay and stockpiled forage with access to portable, three-sided shelters in winter, then moved to the barn for lambing.

“Instant” Shade

By year three (2023), locust trees already provide shade while slower growing oaks, hickories and other mast producing trees become established for long-term growth.

Auger Used for

Planting

Jeff used an auger to plant bare root seedlings for our new Silvopasture Project with Quinn's supervision.

New Silvopasture Project

Early Access to

Pasture

Lambs are usually born in the barn, but have access to pasture from the beginning.

Without Records You Can’t Tell

Rotational

Grazing

We use rotational grazing with occasional pasture improvement for optimal forage utilization and animal performance.

Wildlife/

Pollinator

Plantings

Groups of shrubs (dogwood, viburnum and more), protected to allow sheep to graze the sides but not the centers of shrubs, will provide pollen, berries and cover for wildlife.

Early Maturity

We value early maturity, preferring ewes that lamb at one year. We find good mothers can easily handle twins as yearlings with adequate nutrition.

MOF

Performance on

Grass

Although we prefer twins, ewes like this 2 yr old who can raise consistent triplets on grass are valued.

First Planting –

Spring 2021

Tree shelters are used to protect the young trees from being eaten prematurely by the sheep and provide a microclimate for the seedlings for faster growth.

Katahdin ewes are pictured with their hardy lambs at Misty Oaks Farm in Wooster, Ohio. Our Katahdin sheep farm management procedures are focused on parasite resistance and pasture maintenance.

Management Practices for Our

Katahdin Sheep

Trees in Year 2

Fast growing locust, poplar and aspen trees, planted in rows for easier pasture maintenance, will provide shade, shelter and fodder.