Montadale Sheep raised primarily for wool and meat. A dual-purpose breed was developed by E.H.Mattingle in the 1930s. The breed has a good wool clip, growth rate, lambing percentage, and carcass quality.
Montadale Sheep breed information
The Montadale Sheep a dual-purpose breed noted for producing both high-quality carcasses as well as excellent wool.
The Montadale Sheep hooves and noses are black.
The Montadale adult ram weighs 110 kg (250 lb) and ewe weighs 70 kg (160 lb).
The wool is white in color and produces very little lanolin.
The Montadale produces 3.5 to 5.5 kg of wool with a staple length of 3.5 to 3.5 inches and grades of 48’s to 58’s.
Ewes are typically bred to give birth once a year. Seasonal lambing usually in the late winter and spring. Montadale productivity tends to decrease after about 7 years.
Five months of gestation period.
Twins and single are common.
The Montadale Sheep live up to 10 to 12 years.
Things to know
E.H.Mattingly developed Montadale sheep in 1930 out of his interest to develop an ideal sheep of Midwestern mutton-type sheep and the big Western range sheep.
The Cheviot and Columbia breeds were selected by Mattingly for the Montadale sheep development, which gave good results.
Later for nine years, the Cheviot ram and Columbia ewe were crossed selectively and the breed was standardized.
The early results of Montadale gained a lot of attention in lambing contests, ram testing experiments and fat stock shows. This popularity made the breed to grow rapidly in numbers among sheep produces.
Montadale sheep used for meat and wool.
The Montadale Sheep Breeders Association was founded in 1945.
Brief characteristics of Montadale Sheep
| Breed Name | Montadale Sheep |
| Other Name | |
| Country/Place of Origin | United States of America |
| Breed Purposeamerica | meat and wool |
| Breed Size | large |
| Weight Ram(Male) | 110 kg (250 lb) |
| Ewe(Female) | 70 kg (160 lb) |
| Kidding | single |
| Good for Stall Fed | open grazing |
| Climate Tolerance | local conditions |
According to Montadles breed info :
The standard had eight points:
- Small head – to reduce or eliminate lambing trouble
- Open face – to prevent wool blindness
- Clean legs – prevents foreign objects from damaging fleece and carcass
- Choice mutton quality – desired by both packer and consumer
- Heavy fleece – premium quality (medium blood)-wool free of black fibers
- Prolific – a breed that would produce a high percentage of lambs
- Good mothers – a sheep that would claim its young
- Strong, healthy, and vigorous – a sheep with style and alertness
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