Southcentral Katahdin Hair Sheep Association 4
My name is Roxanne Newton and I am running for re-election to the Board of Directors for KHSI . My husband Milledge and I have a flock of approximately 80 Katahdin ewes on 250 acres in Hahira , Georgia . We also rescue hound dogs , which is how we came up with the name Hound River Farm . Although I was born and raised in the south , I have strong ties to the Midwest since both my parents grew up on farms in eastern South Dakota . As a child , I spent summers there helping my cousins with their 4H calves and farm chores .
Our sheep are mostly grass fed using native Bahia and Bermuda pastures . Since we lamb in January and February , we do creep feed the lambs until spring grass arrives . We also grow and harvest our own Bermuda hay for winter feeding and purchase perennial peanut hay to feed during late pregnancy and lactation . Our philosophy is to raise our sheep in a natural environment that promotes the health and well being of the animals .
Our flock goal is to raise Katahdin ’ s that perform well , are highly productive , and are parasite resistant . We are members of the Katahdin NSIP and use EBV ’ s as tools to select the best performing and most productive sheep possible . We also have been involved in parasite resistance research since 2007 , collecting and analyzing fecal egg counts to determine which sheep show genetic potential for resistance . We firmly believe that for any breed of sheep to be successful , it has to be able to withstand parasites without reliance on chemical dewormers .
We are active members of the KHSI and SCKA and I am currently a member of the KHSI Board of Directors , elected in 2010 . I have served as Secretary for the past 3 years and am also the chair of the Promotions committee where we have doubled the size and number of advertisements used to promote Katahdin ’ s in various Ag related publications . The committee also was successful in getting a web
store added to the KHSI website so members could buy T-shirts , hats , etc online . A lot of work has been done , but still there is more to do to continue to promote this unique and adaptable breed of sheep throughout North America and beyond .
What I have enjoyed most about raising Katahdin ’ s is meeting so many shepherds that share not only a passion for the breed , but also a passion for educating new shepherds so that they too will become successful breeders and continue to promote the breed . What I have found over the years is that the vast majority of Katahdin breeders eagerly serve as mentors for new shepherds , spending endless hours educating and supporting them in this new endeavor . This is , I believe , the reason that Katahdin ’ s have become so popular . The Katahdin fraternity has embraced new members and has made learning about our breed a priority .
KHSI Director Candidate
My reason for seeking reelection is to continue to work on promoting Katahdin ’ s through advertising , education , and promotion . There are so many promotional venues that are untapped and it is my goal to find and utilize ways to continue to promote Katahdin ’ s and the sheep industry . I am a hard working , practical and independent thinker who will use all available resources to increase membership , improve communication , and support all members of KHSI , both commercial and seed stock producers . I would like to see all KHSI members come together for one purpose : to help Katahdin breeders reach their goal of making this breed the best that it can be . I hope you ’ ll join us at the Expo in Cookeville , TN in August .
Roxanne Newton