“I actually lucked into my flock of Katahdin sheep,” explained Rhubein Belcher on his farm in Howell County, near Moody, Mo. “My wife, Carla, and I moved back to the area and wanted to raise livestock, but at my age I knew cattle farming was going to be too much. She did some searching on the Internet, and found a gentleman near Gainesville, Mo., who was looking to sell his entire flock.
“He was getting older and for health reasons he needed to sell,” he explained. That’s when he purchased his first 32 head of Katahdin sheep, about three years ago.
“I raised cattle here when I was younger and while I spent 28 years working for the Missouri Department of Transportation,” he explained. “I retired, we moved to Colorado and I ran a ranch there for nine years.”
After some back trouble, Rhubein and Carla wanted to come back to the Ozarks but he wasn’t ready to give up agriculture. “I did some research and knew that sheep were much easier to handle than cattle and that’s when we discovered Kathadins.
“Kathadins were first developed in the United States in the 1950s when a rancher in Maine began combining the hair coat and hardiness of hair sheep from the Caribbean with the various traditional British breeds,” explained Rhubein.
“We raise the sheep for meat and breeding stock,” explained Rhubein. “The sheep shed in the spring and have no hair benefit, except you don’t have to worry about shearing them or dealing with the wool,” he added.
Forage and Food
In the landscape of the Ozarks the sheep do well not only because of the vegetation but because the brush and briars help them shed. “It gets caught in the brush and helps them shed completely.
“Of course the brush and briars are also what the sheep eat and that helps keep them going even during times like the drought now,” Rhubein stated. “We also have sericea lespedeza on our 40 acres and that is something the sheep really like.”
Rhubein explained that sericea lespedeza is a legume that has actually been added to the Federal List of Noxious weeds. “You can’t buy it and seed it anymore, but it is already found in many parts of the Midwest and stays green even during drought times. That along with the bushes have carried my sheep through the drought that is hitting many farmers hard in this area,” he reasoned.
When the grass and legumes are not available, the sheep can be picky eaters. “I do feed hay in the winter and last year they did really well on Bermuda grass hay,” he explained. “I have purchased that locally, but with the drought I was too worried to wait, so I already bought it this year out of New Port, Ark., about 120 miles southeast of here,” he added.
Reproduction
Ewes on Belcher’s farm are bred to lamb around the first of January and be complete by the end of February. “We have our ewes lambing once a year and this timing allows the lambs to really start to grow in the spring out on the green grass,” he reasoned. “When I’ve had ewes lamb later in the spring, they don’t seem to do as well as hot weather comes around.
“Most of our ewes have twins and of course there are several triplets and a few singles. This past season, out of 35 ewes we finished with 70 lambs. So 200 percent isn’t bad,” he chuckled. “That was after some loss.”
It is breeding season on the Belchers farm, so he’s giving the ewes extra hay and some additional grain during this time. “They have an 18 day cycle, so the ram is with them using a colored crayon in a harness. After 20 days we change the color of the crayon,” Rhubein added. All the sheep Belchers own and breed are registered.
Protection
“When a ewe has twins or triplets we leave them together in a small pen, allowing them time to bond,” explained Rhubein. “This way our young ewes get the chance to realize their mothering skills and bond with all the lambs. When we get ready to let them out, the little ones stick to momma like glue,” he smiled.
The Belchers understand that predators can be a problem, but so far they haven’t had any issues. “We have two Akbash dogs, much like Anatolians, that stay out with sheep 24/7. If anything comes in the pasture, they check it out,” stated Rhubein.
Advice
“It’s best to buy from an individual or farm that has a reputation of quality livestock.
“I learned a lot of things I didn’t know about raising sheep, just by doing it,” he said, “but it never hurts to find someone with knowledge and learn from them. Ask them to go with you and help you pick your foundation animals. Looks for good legs, body structure and look at their teeth for age and longevity. Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Rhubein added.
