5 Southcentral Katahdin Hair Sheep Association
Howdy all ! Greetings from Trinity River Katahdins – more specifically from Drs . Nathan and Wimberley Kay Krueger and Levi-Monroe Krueger !
Wimberley and I have been married for 11 years and welcomed our son in June 2012 . We met while we were working on our undergraduate degrees at Texas A & M University in College Station , TX . Levi-Monroe was a late edition to our family as we made the executive decision to complete our education before we started our family . I received my doctorate in Animal Sciences and Agronomy from the University of Florida in Gainesville , FL in 2006 and Wimberley received her doctorate in Nutritional Sciences and Agronomy from Texas A & M University in 2009 . We are typical Aggies so we have high hopes that Levi-Monroe will find his way to Aggieland but we will be happy wherever he chooses to go ! We ’ ve got to get him raised first !
While we resided in Florida we were bitten by the herding bug . We started training Border Collies and Cardigan Welsh Corgis ( the ones with the tail ; cousin to the one the Queen raises ). Commercial Katahdins were our sheep of choice to train our herding dogs while in Florida . We went for commercials as we were poor graduate students and really could not afford to feed our herding addiction with registered stock . We focused on light colored ewes that could be worked at any time of day in the hot and humid Florida climate . Upon returning to Texas to complete my wife ’ s doctorate , we decided to transfer to registered stock and focus on white breeding stock ( easier to work light colored sheep during the heat ). Katahdins were the hands-down choice for us as they were able to gain on pasture , raise multiple lambs , result in great carcasses , and are just all around nice livestock to be around !
We currently reside on our family 1100 acre ranch with almost every type of hoof stock calling it home . Trinity River Livestock currently runs 20 head registered Brahman cattle , 28 head registered Hereford cattle , 130 head commercial crossbred cattle , numerous guard donkeys ( quite possibly the best at protecting all classes of livestock in residence here ), 15 head registered Quarter Horses , 60 head registered Katahdin sheep , and all sorts of classroom pets from my wife ’ s classroom .
Levi-Monroe ’ s
KHSI Director Candidate primary occupation is to be his charming one-year old self – I know – don ’ t you wish that was your only occupation ! I currently am a professor for the Division of Agricultural Sciences at Blinn College in Bryan Texas ; I teach agronomy , horticulture , animal science , food science , and ag economics . Wimberley is a science teacher at the local high school where she teaches chemistry , physics , and Advanced Placement Biology .
We are always looking for a reason to talk sheep so if you are ever passing through and want to come by let us know , we would be glad to have ya !
Additionally , I am running for a board of director ’ s position at the upcoming KHSI Expo and would appreciate your support . I truly believe that this is the best sheep breed for any and all to be involved with . One of my main foci is to recruit and educate new members , especially youth , and provide collaborative opportunities to Katahdin breeders to learn from each other . We can improve upon this already great breed by working with each other , being responsive to industry wants , and seek-
Wimberley , Nathan and Levi-Monroe Krueger
ing research opportunities with the higher education / research centers . Katahdins are just as good , if not better , than the traditional sheep breeds but we must do our part as caretakers of the breed to educate non-Katahdin people and advocate the superior traits that we know and love in our sheep !
I look forward to seeing you at the Expo ; I wish everyone safe travels and good health ! If you have any questions for me or would like to talk with me about important issues to you and the Katahdin breed , I would love to chat with you . I ’ m easiest to reach by email – nakrueger @ gmail . com or feel free to give me a call . You can find my number in the directory .