Our Sheep
Spring time at the farm
lots of lambs and a few still to come
Here at Kanyaka Farms I keep a small flock of Gulf Coast Native/Native Cross sheep that help me teach all breeds of dogs to herd and work around livestock.  Some dogs are trained for work they will be doing at home and other dogs are trained for showing and competing in herding trials

What are Gulf Coast Native Sheep?

Gulf Coast sheep are a small bodied sheep with a refined bone structure.  They have wool free faces, bellies and legs and are white to dark brown in color.  The trait that is of most importantance to me is that they have also developed a degree of resistance to internal parasites.  Experimentation with this breed has shown the presence of a factor or factors which acts against parasite infections, in particular the stomach worm, Haemonchus contortus, which is one of the most problematic parasites here in the gulfsouth region.
Most breeders and owners of native sheep have been able to severely limit or even eliminate the use of dewormers in their flock management due to this genetic factor.

Gulf Coast sheep have adapted to the hot and humid conditions here in the gulfcoast region and routinely produce and raise at least one lamb per year without intensive management
May 2008
Brent Daigle our shearer hard at work
The girls sporting their fresh
summer hair cuts
Typical 2 week old ewe lamb taking in her surroundings
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