Katahdin Sheep Kentucky And Genetic Manipulation

Sheep form one of the largest sectors of the meat industry in America. Animal protein is a staple in the American diet and mutton is a significant part of that. The sheep is therefore an important agricultural animal. Sheep farming is mass produced, like other livestock husbandry, and so sheep farmers are required to concentrate on specific breeds, such as the Katahdin Sheep Kentucky.

Sheep farmers are faced with the same choice as farmers of other animals - what breeds to focus on. This is extremely important because different breeds are used for different purposes. Not all sheep are bred for the same reason - some are used for their fleeces or wool, and others for their meat. Farmers therefore need to choose the breed or breeds that are most suited to what they are trying to achieve on their farms.

Cattle farmers have the same issue. Some cattle are raised specifically as dairy cattle, supplying milk. Other breeds are used exclusively for meat. The farmer needs to decide what their priority is and then select only those breeds which match their purpose.

In order to maximize the desirable traits in a breed, however, the herd or flock has to be manipulated. This is traditionally done using a process known as natural selection, whereby the individual animals who exhibit the most desirable characteristic(s) are selected and bred exclusively. These traits are important to the agricultural sector because they can maximize profit or productivity.

Farmer will target these individual animals exclusively. An example of an attractive characteristic would be higher-than-average body mass, faster growth (i. E. Faster weight gain - this is very important where meat is being mass produced because the market is enormous) or higher milk production. Only those animals which have these characteristics are considered for breeding. In the end, the entire herd or flock matches them.

A gene which is transferred from one generation to the next is known as dominant. If it isn't, it is known as recessive. A recessive gene is only expressed in the next generation if it is present in both parents. So, where there is a mix, only the dominant gene will be expressed in the filial (next) generation.

In modern times the laboratory has been used in an attempt to genetically manipulate animals to possess the desired characteristics. This is known as GM (genetic modification). GM is still a fledgling method and it involves the physical genetic modification of the animal embryo in the laboratory. This is theorized to decrease the lifespan of the animal or affect its health negatively.

The public has not universally accepted this practice, and there is debate about it. It remains new and untested and it still requires more research.

Speaking of Katahdin sheep in particular, they are known for their high meat production, as well as the fact that they lose their fleeces when summer starts. These two characteristics make them very popular with sheep farmers.

To find a reputable breeder of Katahdin sheep Kentucky farm at http://www.stablerockkatahdins.com is the right source of contact. Here is a selection of registered lambs and rams at http://www.stablerockkatahdins.com.