It is an easy-care sheep: it grows a hair coat with little wool which moults naturally in the spring, and so does not need to be shorn.

From about 1957 he cross-bred a small number of African Hair Sheep from the Virgin Islands with various meat breeds, principally the Suffolk.

[6]: 153 A breed society, Katahdin Hair Sheep International, was formed in 1985, and a flock-book was started.

In 2024 its conservation status was listed in DAD-IS as "not at risk";[2] the world-wide population was estimated at 13957, of which approximately 85% was in the United States.

[6]: 153 [3] The Katahdin has the typical characteristics common to hair sheep: it has an outer coat of fine hair, and in winter may grow a wool undercoat which moults naturally in the spring, so that it does not need to be shorn; it is tolerant of hot and humid climatic conditions, and has good resistance to parasites including some gastrointestinal nematodes resistant to anthelmintic drugs; ewes are to some extent aseasonal and capable of breeding in the spring.