Dr. Charles Parker (1935-2024) was a sheep specialist, researcher, industry leader and experienced advisor to many of us in the Katahdin breed. As an early supporter of the breed, Charles felt that Katahdins could and should be the Complete Meat Sheep, genetically balanced for reproductive and growth efficiency and easily adapted to diverse production systems. Following his death in July 2024 we decided to compile some of his advice and guidance over the years to share with others.
In collaboration with the Piel Farm, Heifer Project and some of the early Katahdin breeders, Charles was instrumental in the development of the breed, the Katahdin Association and the Katahdin registry. He felt strongly that the biggest threat to the sheep industry wasn’t parasites or predators, but tradition. Especially resistance to adopting research-based farming practices and a changing lamb market. After retirement from a long and wide-ranging professional career, he continued to educate, mentor and advocate for breeders interested in genetic improvement, especially with regard to parasite resistance and reproductive efficiency.
Charles had a real respect for ewes, especially the hard-working ones he called the “Madams” of the flock. He often spoke of the “Holy Grail” of sheep production – pounds of quality lamb weaned and marketed per ewe per year. This, he said is the commercial PROFITABILITY TRAIT for meat sheep production.
“Madams are the ewes in your flock that yearly produce the most pounds of quality lamb. They are genetically superior, and well adapted to their environment and flock management. They are fertile, prolific, easy lambers, good mothers and milkers and rear a high percentage of lambs born. They may look like any other ewe in your flock and often are only identified through records. It’s interesting how few madams there are in a flock. In unselected flocks they make up less than 15% of your ewe flock. The real madams have better EBVs than most of the trait leader rams. That’s something to think about relative to flock improvement. Your madams are the only source of making your best rams better! Flock improvement is dependent on madams for better offspring. The breeding choices you make for these madams will determine where your flock is headed.”
As much as he valued the madams in a flock, Charles was quick to remind producers of the importance of a good ram. While many believe the ram is half the flock, Charles thought otherwise. Genetically speaking, rams can be responsible for more than 70-90% of flock improvement from selection since they produce more offspring in a single season than most individual ewes produce in a lifetime. He stressed that buying rams without accurate performance records is always a risk, one that most breeders can’t afford. He also encouraged breeders to look within their own flocks for replacement rams.
“As you likely know, I am a believer of using some of your best ram lamb offspring. Why? If the ram lamb is from a top sire and a madam ewe, the lamb should be genetically superior to the sire; “if” the dam is better than the sire. This is breeding the “best to the best” to achieve something better. As long as your madams are better than the sires you use, the sons should on average be better than their sires. Bring in a new ram when you find one better than the one you have and/or to prevent inbreeding. With records, ram lambs from your madam ewes should provide your best ram genetics.”
Charles often said that animal selection, whether a new ram or replacement ewes, should start at the kitchen table. Select animals based on their EBVs and performance records before moving to the barn for final selection on physical appearance. He was careful to stress that numbers aren’t the whole picture but, he also warned to “beware of duds in stud’s clothing.” These are rams that look good but have little, genetically, to offer.
While Charles often spoke of breeding the “best to the best,” he was also a firm proponent of the need for balance. He believed there was a unique balance for every individual farm that differs, especially with respect to nutritional and environmental assets. He recommended selecting animals with EBVs that are balanced for the traits of interest, realizing there may/will be optimal levels of expression for every trait in a given environment. For instance, he cautioned that while milk and early growth are important, genetics for post-weaning growth is also important. With high milk, some lambs seem to “quit” growing after weaning. The extra energy needed for milk production may interfere with parasite resistance immunity needs, thus the need for genetic balance.
Charles discouraged selection for extremes in any trait. He respected ewes with a high rearing ability while staying in good body condition (natural fleshing ability). He often reflected that we are missing the boat by not valuing “easy keepers,” and suggested scoring ewes on the vigor of lambs at birth and the intensity of the ewe’s bonding to her lambs.
He was concerned about the trend of increasing frame size. Frame is an expression of skeletal development for growth potential.
“Big yearling weights are getting lots of attention, but we don’t sell yearlings for meat. What’s important is how fast they grow to the desired market weight and condition. There are lots of problems associated with big mature weights –and big mature animals are not efficient!! While skeletal (frame) dimensions don’t predict thickness or muscling, it takes at least an average frame size to get enough post-weaning growth for heavier market weights. Thickness and conformation are a different dimension. The best indicator of muscling is thickness through the legs or ultrasound of the loin. If selling lambs at light weights (less than 85 lbs), then a smaller frame size would work.”
Charles always felt that parasite resistance was the key economic factor for growing the sheep industry in the east and the south. He encouraged breeders to identify lambs that possessed both innate and acquired resistance to gastrointestinal parasites.
“I think the heritability of parasite resistance is such that one could select directly on the individual’s performance. Reproduction and growth traits have lower heritability and thus EBVs can be useful – especially where one is doing across flock selection. The challenge is when you introduce new rams without a record of parasite resistance or FEC EBV. Another consideration is that parasite resistance may come with some nutritional cost (early growth). Down the road there may be an optimal level of parasite resistance for a given nutritional environment – again the need for balance!”
Although Charles held many prominent positions within the sheep Industry during his professional career, he never lost the practical foundation that being raised as a third-generation shepherd gave him. One of his many gifts was helping new shepherds. After first considering their personal goals and areas of interest as well as their potential market, Charles often suggested focusing on one or more “lines.” Some possible “lines” include:
- Growth Efficiency/carcass LINE – emphasis on phenotype including conformation, body thickness/muscling and frame for optimal growth to desired marketable weight.
- MATERNAL LINE – emphasis on strong mothering: early bonding and rearing behavior. Ewes possess the traits needed for “easy-care” sheep management requiring less labor input at lambing.
- HOLY GRAIL LINE — emphasis on pounds of quality lamb weaned and marketed per ewe per year. This is the commercial PROFITABILITY TRAIT for meat sheep production. Demand for this line depends on effective marketing because “looks” and “ewe performance” aren’t closely related.
- PARASITE RESISTANT LINE – emphasis on documented resistance to gastrointestinal parasites. This trait will be important to most flocks, especially those in the south and east.
- COMPLETE MEAT SHEEP LINE – This ULTIMATE LINE emphasizes reproductive efficiency, growth and muscling plus parasite resistance. Katahdins should be genetically developed and trait balanced for a “COMPLETE MEAT BREED” with no crossbreeding necessary!
- ASEASONAL BREEDING LINE – Anytime lambing! This would fit the 3 lamb crops in 2 years schedule. Aseasonal breeding is needed to best meet the various marketing dates.
Charles was fond of quoting an old Scottish sonnet: “Ewes yearly by twinning, rich masters do make. The lambs of such twinners, for breeders go take” (Youatt, 1837). Good advice!
We will miss Charles and will always appreciate the fraction of his 60+ years of experience and knowledge that he so generously shared. If you want to learn more about Charles and his thoughts on the sheep industry, research and Katahdins, you can access the “Sheep Things” podcast where Robert Walker and Caleb Pirc interviewed him in 2020 at the age of 85. Click to listen to this 4-part podcast: Podcast – SheepThings, S1E20-S1E23
By: Kathy Bielek and Roxanne Newton, EAPK Communications Committee
Additional Resources:
The Madams, KHSI A Guide to Katahdin Hair Sheep, 2020 Edition, pg 33
Role of Environment & Genetics in Selecting for Multiple Births, The Katahdin Hairald, www.katahdins.org, Summer 2002, pg 2
