Breed Origin and History
Development of the Katahdin Hair Sheep breed began in the late 1950’s by Michael Piel of Abbott, Maine when he imported a small number of African haired sheep from the Caribbean Island of St. Croix. His vision was to create a breed of sheep that lacked a wool fleece, yet offered a superior carcass. Over roughly twenty years of crossbreeding and careful selection, he achieved his vision of a single-purpose meat breed with a shedding hair coat. Mr. Piel’s untimely death in the mid 1970’s prevented him from seeing the tremendous burst in popularity (and utility) that the breed has experienced and that we enjoy today. Even so, the growth and improvement of the breed has progressed by leaps and bounds allowing his vision to live on.
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