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The Coxes The old Robert Cox home place is south of Lake City, Florida about half way to Providence on County Road 245. It is now home to eight descendants and their families. Lewis, Janice, and their son Michael maintain a flock of about 100 ewes. Florida Native Florida Natives were our first sheep. We started with five ewes and a Florida Native/St. Croix cross ram in the fall of 1998. Florida Natives descended from early Spanish settlers' sheep. They survived in the Gulf Coast heat and humidity. They survived parasites. Today's Florida Native sheep have been studied by the University of Florida and found to be highly parasite resistant. In fact, the UF flock under the care of Dr. Jack Stokes was not wormed at all for many, many years. These sheep typically have wool, but with clean faces, throats, legs and underbellies. They are usually cream colored, but can have brown faces or freckles on faces and legs. A golden color often accents their faces and legs. They twin easily, are good mothers, and flock tightly.  According to Oklahoma State University, they are also called Gulf Coast Natives. However, the Florida Native sheep are larger than the Gulf Coast sheep, mature ewes averaging 20# heavier. Florida Natives are generally polled, whereas the Gulf Coast Natives are generally horned. These sheep are easy keepers and their only handicap is that they must be sheared. Oak Lane Sheep Farm maintains a preservation flock of these exceptional animals in addition to utilizing them in a crossbreeding program. The picture to the right is one of our first ewes. She has a light wool coat after being sheared two months previous. Notice her clean head, belly, and legs, which are typical of the breed.
St. Croix Sheep 
We liked our Florida Native/St.Criox ram, so we looked for two years for someone nearby who had St. Croix sheep for sale. Finally we met Ron and Ruth Taber and purchased several St. Croix ewes and a nice ram, Logan (pictured). As a side note, it was Ron Taber who gave Janice the idea for the farm's name. When he delivered our St. Croix ram he looked down our road and said, "What a nice oak lane." Hence, Oak Lane Sheep Farm. We found the St. Croix / Florida Native lambs grow out nicely. The ewes do well on grass or hay, and a reasonable amount of feed.
Where did they come from? In 1975 Dr. W.C. Foote of Utah State University in Logan selected and imported 25 Virgin Island White sheep from St. Croix. Although these sheep are of different colors in the Caribbean, Dr. Foote selected for white color, lack of wool, and average to better body size and confirmation. These imported sheep were the basis for the St. Croix breed in the United States. They are well adapted to heat and humidity, and are exceptionally parasite resistant. They are docile breed with good flocking instincts. Their coats are totally hair, saving the shepherd the cost of shearing. Ewes have a high twinning rate. The rams are stately, with a ruff around their necks. The last of our registered St.Croix sheep were sold in 2006. DorpCroix Sheep
KATAHDIN Hair Sheep Katahdin hair sheep are an American breed developed from St.Croix, Wiltshire Horned, and are quickly become the standard for meat sheep. They are more parasite resistant than the Dorper sheep, somewhat taller, and more animated. The grow well on grass, and even better with a little extra feed. They are heavier than the St.Croix and the Florida Natives. Easy keepers and good mothers, Katahdin often have multiple lambs: twins, triplets and quads. This picture is of one of our Katahdin rams.
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These are White Dorper/St. Croix cross, with the parasite resistance of the St. Croix hair sheep, and the meatiness of the Dorper hair sheep. These animals combine the best traits of the two breeds and could be the future of the meat sheep in America. No wool to shear makes these beautiful white, meaty sheep very enticing to producers. Oak Lane Sheep Farm. All Rights Reserved. 2008©