The Katahdin is a breed of domestic sheep developed in Maine, USA, mostly in the second half of the 20th century. This breed was originated by Michael Piel who after reading an article in the February 1956 National Geographic imported selected St. Croix sheep chosen by Dr. Richard Marshall Bond and crossed them with various other breeds, selecting lambs based on hair coat, meat-type conformation, high fertility, and flocking instinct. The Katahdin sheds its winter coat, and so does not have to be sheared. Its popularity in the USA has increased in recent years due to low wool prices and high shearing costs.