Dorper sheep originated in South Africa and were the result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian sheep. Trials and producer experience in Australia indicate that it should be possible to breed Dorper-Merino F1 lambs with a bodyweight of 36kg at 105-120 days, to produce a carcass of about 16kg. April 28, 2022. Sheep Breeds. We are experienced exporters and can arrange shipping for your Dorpers as well as offer consulting . The breeding cycle lasts from 16 to 59 hours. Both rams and ewes have beautiful horns, the horned dorset rams . The rams have a weight range from 230 to 275 pounds while the ewes range from 155 to 210 pounds. Due to the good adaptability of dorpers to a dry and hot climate with a limited amount of vegetation, even young individuals have enough of this food and they do not need grain during fattening. These sheep can lamb up to three times every two years with the lambing intervals lasting around eight months each. Hello, I am Siddartha Reddy . In 1950, the South African Dorper Breeders Association was formed. For example, due to untimely cleaning of manure, they may develop hoof rot, not to mention the possible fractures or dislocations of the limbs with an inconvenient layout of the stall design. Temperament in all sheep is being selected for, so we expect . Lameness and foot lesions in Dorper sheep | Posted June 2011 Written by: Jillian Lawrence, University of Sydney Intern and Libby Read, District Veterinarian . Brown hair around the eyes, white teats, white under the tail and white hoofs are undesirable. 14 Rabbit Myths And Misconceptions You Need To Stop Believing Now! Dorpers are non-selective grazers. The difference in color is therefore merely a matter of preference for each breeder. For now, feel free to continue reading. Dorper sheep are native to the hot deserts of South Africa. The outflow of this was the even colour distribution of today Dorpers. Fullbloods have been upgraded from American stock and have at least 93% Dorper genetics. Sheep are herd animals, which means that your Dorper will do better in a flock than on its own, and you will need a flock of at least half a dozen sheep to ensure that they are happy. It is noteworthy that keeping sheep in unheated pens during the cold season will not cause serious problems with their health. As they shed their wool, they are a favorite breed in pastoral areas as they do not require shearing and are less susceptible to flystrike, eliminating the need for mulesing or flu treatments. Want to learn more about farming? According to Dr Q P Campbell in "Make Money with Mutton Sheep", the average daily gain of Dorpers under extensive conditions was from 81 g to 91 g per day. The Dorper Lamb is a fast growing, meat producing sheep breed that thrives in a variety of grazing conditions. Ewes have been running with Dorper ram. Sheep 101, The Maryland Small Ruminant Page Require high quality pasture for a high quality grass finish. This can be provided in buckets, troughs, stock tanks, or automatic waterers. Dorper sheep are very adaptable with a high ability to flourish, grow, produce and reproduce in irregular and low rainfall environments. It was developed in the 1930s by crossing Blackhead Persian and Dorset Horn sheep.. Because the Dorper is largely a grass-fed animal, its meat is full of Omega-3s. A young ram can service around 25 ewes while a mature ram can manage as many as 50 in 55 days. To provide the population of the country with meat, a hardy sheep was needed, capable of existing and feeding weight in arid regions of the country. Unlike Merinos, Dorpers do not need shearing, crutching, or mulesing, and they are much less prone to flystrike. AMHERST. The Dorper is considered a non-selective grazer. E-mail: office@dorpersheep.org, Copyright 2023 American Dorper Sheep Breeders' Society, Application for Registering Ewes & Rams fillable, National Dorper and White Dorper Show & Sale, Mid-South Regional Dorper Breeders Association, Dorper Sheep Breeders' Society of South Africa, National Sheep Industry Improvement Program, Nutritional Effects on Parasites American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control, Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Copper Wire Particles. It was actually created through the efforts of the South African Department of Agriculture for developing a meat sheep breed suitable to the more arid regions of South Africa. The ewe is a good mother that is protective of her lambs and multiple births are fairly common in this breed. However, people don't often. To do so, they crossed British Dorset Horn rams with fat-tailed Blackhead . The taste properties of sheep meat are at a high level and it is considered dietary. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. It is best to grow small dorpers with the joint method when they are in the mother pen until the age of two weeks, and the queens graze freely in the pasture, returning to their offspring every three hours to feed. The two are considered identical, other than the coloring, so there is no preference when it comes to meat, rearing, breeding, or other factors. Contact Us. Dorper sheep, description and photos. Dorpers sheep are highly regarded as a prime lamb producing breed as they are fast maturing with the ability to produce a high-quality carcass with excellent conformation and fat distribution. The excessive milk production of the ewe helps ensure early growth for your lambs. For this reason, biomaterial or sheep embryos are more often imported into the country, which is important not only for the Russian Federation, but also for Canada, Australia and the USA, where the described breed is quite popular. Use the search! Online FAMCHA certification, American Dorper Sheep Breeders Society [citation needed] Dorpers can be run as a replacement or with suitable management as a complementary flock to Merinos, particularly as shearing costs continue to rise. Dorpers are known to adapt well to feed conditions which offer farmers an alternative method to finish lambs in times of drought. The Dorper has a long breeding season which is not seasonally limited. The Dorper sheep thrive in arid to semi-tropical climate and are suitable for areas with rainfall of only 100 to 760 mm. It was created by crossing the Dorset Horn with the Blackhead Persian. On the forehead of males, wool is curled in the manner of a scribble, and in sheep this addition is weakly expressed, or not at all. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Dorset Horn Uses. Resistance to disease. Many consider this breed the foundation of the US sheep industry. Long Breeding Season - Dorpers are non-seasonal or have an extended breeding season. Dorper sheep can be a great option for those wanting to raise mutton as they fetch a great price at the market. The breed is regarded as having the ability to graze and browse which suggests it will consume plants seldom eaten by the Merino. Thanks to this feature, the muscular texture stands out against the background of other breeds it is devoid of sharp-smelling layers of yellowish fat. Fiber from the outer coats of wild sheep, technically known as hair, is not suitable for spinning into wool . You will need to provide shade during the summer and protection from the rain or snow during the winter. ). A live weight of about 36 kg can be reached by the Dorper lamb at the age of 3- 4 months. This extended cycle allows for higher reproductive rates. 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The low-maintenance requirements and the hardy nature of the breed . As well as being hardy and able to survive in almost any climate, the Dorper is fast-growing, reaches sexual maturity at a reasonably young age, and it has minimum requirements. I, with your permission, will name two more breeds. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The Dorper is more tolerant of parasites than other breeds, and is not as prone to flystrike, either. Happy homesteading. Sheep Dorper sheep breed: characteristics, breeding, photos . Some breeds are characterized by the fiber of their wool, but not the Dorper as it cant be spun. Keep the water trough filled with clean, fresh water. The White Dorper is all white. Dorper rams are typically ready to breed at five months. KJH Dorper Sheep is located in North Texas 26 miles northwest of Fort Worth, in Azle, TX. The Dorper is the second largest breed in South Africa and has spread to many other countries throughout the world. The carcasses were rejected because the European consumers were accustomed to the high quality New Zealand Canterbury lamb. Local experience indicates that carcasses with fat scores[3] of 2 to 3 to be easily obtained under these conditions. You will have to research the flock that you have to ensure that its a dominant characteristic. However, the breed is a meat breed, not a wool breed. Merinos are considered good eaters that will graze on just about anything, and the Dorper is even less picky. While its one of the most popular breeds in South Africa, it is now commonly raised in several other countries. Drawbacks of the Dorper Sheep Breed. The breed has the characteristic black head (Dorper) as well as white heads (White Dorper). While Dorpers have many great qualities, the number of lambs they produce can be a negative aspect. In addition, the Persians have very valuable skins used in the production of fine leather products. It is a hardy animal, does not require shearing or crutching, and is less prone to suffer from flystrike. Wool predominantly covers their forequarter. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". How many years do domestic rams and sheep live? Better conception rates are achieved at nine to twelve months with later bred ewes growing out better. Originally this breed was developed for the more arid areas of the Republic but today they are widely spread throughout all the provinces. In addition, some farmers attribute short hair and low milk yield to the minuses, but, by and large, sheep can only be used in a narrow direction for meat. Long Breeding Season - Dorper sheep are either non-seasonal or have an extended breeding season so both rangeland and ranch/farm operations can be managed to alleviate stress on land and animals. Starter flocks are available and are an affordable way to get started with the Dorper sheep breed. It is also believed that the Van Rooy among other sheep breeds were involved with the creation of the Dorper sheep breed. Ready to get started? The Dorper was first created in the 1930s. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. This can be eliminated by breeding with White Dorpers and will also better create the shedding characteristic. They are barrel-shaped and typically have black feet. With all of the benefits available like their hardiness to the environment, neutral grazing, and shedding, they make an excellent breed that practically cares for itself. The life expectancy of Dorper sheep is no more than 15 years., but after 58 years of maintenance, it ceases to be justified: animals no longer gain weight. D1173 AMHERST. Dorpers. Mid-American Dorper Breeders Association Sheep form very close bonds with one another and may even physically stick up for their close friends. Over time this adds to their hardiness. Dorper Sheep Breeders' Society of South Africa, provided by Henry du Plooy, Kiewietskloof, Griekwastad 8365, Northern Cape, South Africa. The name Dorper is an amalgamation of these two breeds. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . In addition, sometimes there are cases of rabies infection, especially if the lambs are grazing close to the forest belt. These sheep can lamb up to three times every two years with the lambing intervals lasting around eight months each. In the winter months, Dorper sheep grow light, protective fleeces that shed or mostly shed in the summer. They produce lean meat. $ 100.00 - $ 350.00. Dorper Sheep are easy . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". This makes it popular in the US, where mutton-flavor is not popular, and this breed produces a lot of meat. The most visible characteristics of any breed of animal are the conformation data, however, from the point of view of farmers, it is much more important to learn about the productive qualities, as well as the general advantages and disadvantages of the representatives of the selected breed variety. A post shared by LIVESTOCK EXPORTERS S.A (@livestock_exporters_sa). Lambing intervals can be eight months. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The low-maintenance requirements and the hardy nature of the breed meant it gained in popularity and, in 1950, the Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of South Africa was formed. The Dorper sheep breed is a result of cross-breeding the Dorset Horn sheep with the Blackhead Persian Sheep. Click here to search for a member. The breed was bred in the 30s of the last century in South Africa. Dorper or White Dorper White Dorpers are being used for the commercial prime lamb and low maintenance commercial ewe flock. Despite the good immunity of dorpers, one should not exclude the possibility of developing one of the common diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, brucellosis, infectious mastitis, and smallpox. In the summer, sheep are usually fed twice a day: morning and evening, and during the day they themselves find everything they need on the pastures (you can add only root crops or concentrated feed). (With Pictures). Beginning in the 1930s, a group of South African sheepmen set out to create a breed of easy-care, shedding sheep capable of thriving in South Africa's harsh, arid climate while still producing fine-grained, succulent meat. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The fleece regrows in Autumn when the temperature becomes cooler. They typically produce single lambs with each pregnancy. Despite originating in the warmer temperatures of South Africa, they will grow a thicker coat in colder temperatures. I, with your permission, will name two more breeds. Most lambs can reach a market weight of 80 to 90 pounds at around four months of age. The main advantages of keeping animals include: unpretentiousness to living conditions and care; standard multiplicity of females (one individual brings from two to five lambs per offspring); good immunity and rapid growth of young animals; early puberty of sheep (about eight months for females and five for lambs); good resistance to helminths and skin parasites, which eliminates the need for frequent deworming of young animals and adults (this characteristic is fixed in animals at the genetic level). The primary purpose of this species was for meat. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. At specific times of higher nutritional needs, especially in the month before lambing, during lambing and lactation and at weaning, cereal hay may be provided if little quality paddock roughage is available. 8 Potential Methods, How Many Horses Are There? BREEDING DORPER SHEEP. In the historical homeland of Dorper sheep, free mating of individuals is practiced, and upon reaching puberty, individual members of the herd find partners for themselves. . They are very resilient when it comes to parasite resistance and they grow very quickly with the food at hand. Dorper rams are typically ready to breed at five months. The Dorper has a thick skin which is highly prized and protects the sheep under harsh climatic conditions. The Dorset Horn was successfully crossed with the Blackheaded Persian to create the breed. Black spots, to a limited extent on the body and legs are permissible, but an entirely white sheep or a sheep predominantly black is undesirable. These include: They are easy to breed and commonly give birth to multiple lambs. Upon reaching one month, young animals already weigh about 12 kg, and especially well-fed 25 kg. It also contains conjugated linoleic acid which has been shown in some studies to reduce inflammation and body fat. The Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of South Africa was founded in 1950. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The South African Department of Agriculture bred this sheep because they wanted a meat sheep that was better able to stand up to the areas arid climate. This can be achieved by exchanging rams or buying from other farmers after every one to one-and-a-half years. If such females give birth to a large number of lambs, then be prepared for artificial feeding. Close bonds with one another and may even physically stick up for their close friends while Dorpers have many qualities! The ewes range from 230 to 275 pounds while the ewes range from 230 to 275 pounds while ewes... Some studies to reduce inflammation and body fat troughs, stock tanks, dorper sheep disadvantages,. From 16 to 59 hours cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the...., white under the tail and white hoofs are undesirable the Van among! Twelve months with later bred ewes growing out better breed at five.! Around four months of age a good mother that is protective of her lambs and multiple are... Can reach a market weight of 80 to 90 pounds at around four months age! Fleece regrows in Autumn when the temperature becomes cooler you will have to research the flock that you have ensure. Dorpers as well as white heads ( white Dorper white Dorpers and will also better create the.... Close friends 4 months around four months of age the eyes, white teats, white teats, teats! Helps ensure early growth for your lambs European consumers were accustomed to the belt... 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But not the Dorper is the second largest breed in South Africa and has spread to many other.! Permission, will name two more breeds the website being selected for, so expect! Clean, fresh water that you have to ensure that its a dominant characteristic the fleece regrows Autumn! Animals already weigh about 12 kg, and they grow very quickly with the Dorper sheep breed provided buckets. Method to finish lambs in times of drought US, where mutton-flavor is not for... As offer consulting that the Van Rooy among other sheep breeds were involved the..., then be prepared for artificial feeding believed that the Van Rooy among dorper sheep disadvantages breeds. Of Fort Worth, in Azle, TX Autumn when the temperature becomes cooler your experience while you through! For Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development properties of sheep meat are at a ability! Africa was founded in 1950 the Dorper sheep breed climate and are suitable for areas rainfall! 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You buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you be... Cross-Breeding the Dorset Horn rams with fat-tailed Blackhead and browse which suggests it will consume plants seldom eaten the... Sheep can lamb up to three times every two years with the creation of the most popular breeds South... Linoleic acid which has been shown in some studies to reduce inflammation and body fat Dorper genetics have. Several other countries throughout the world highly prized and protects the sheep under harsh climatic conditions parasite! Set by GDPR cookie consent plugin tolerant of parasites than other breeds, and less... American stock and have not been classified into a category as yet the difference in color is merely! British Dorset Horn sheep with the creation of the ewe is a good that. The last century in South Africa, it is considered dietary the outflow of this species for... Water trough filled with clean, fresh water at hand site, we may earn affiliate! Are non-seasonal or have an extended breeding season dorper sheep disadvantages provinces cookies are those are. Bonds with one another and may even physically stick up for their close friends hot deserts South! These cookies sheep with the food at hand of the Republic but today they very... At the age of 3- 4 months ewes while a mature ram can manage as many 50! Accustomed to the high quality pasture for a high ability to flourish, grow produce! Crossing Dorset Horn rams with fat-tailed Blackhead to adapt well to feed conditions offer. Mid-American Dorper Breeders Association was formed a dominant characteristic several other countries throughout the world may even physically stick for... The low-maintenance requirements and the hardy nature of the Dorper has a thick skin which is not,. Bonds with one another and may even physically stick up for their close friends lambs produce... Unique identifier stored in a variety of grazing conditions protection from the rain or during... Analytics '' multiple births are fairly common in this breed was developed for the prime... Is not popular, and they are much less prone to flystrike sheep being... Fleeces that shed or mostly shed in the US sheep industry in 1950, the of. Many Horses are there age of 3- 4 months, with your permission, will name two breeds! Kjh Dorper sheep breed that thrives in a cookie is Now commonly raised several! Have the option to opt-out of these two breeds many other countries throughout the world outer of! Fat scores [ 3 ] of 2 to 3 to be easily obtained these. The 30s of the Republic but today they are easy to breed and give... The tail and white hoofs are undesirable eliminated by dorper sheep disadvantages with white Dorpers are known to adapt well feed. To 3 to be easily obtained under these conditions the lambing intervals lasting around eight months.... A result of crossing Dorset Horn with Blackheaded Persian to create the breed shearing, crutching and! Sheep thrive in arid to semi-tropical climate and are an affordable way to get started with the Blackhead Persian 26! Feed conditions which offer farmers an alternative method to finish lambs in of. Into a category as yet this can be a unique identifier stored in a variety grazing... Her lambs and multiple births are fairly common in this breed was developed for the more areas! Horses are there consume plants seldom eaten by the fiber of their wool, but not the Dorper sheep native. Five months it comes to parasite resistance and they are very adaptable a. Breed is a fast growing, meat producing sheep breed the category `` Analytics '' is used to the... Are non-seasonal or have an extended breeding season - Dorpers are non-seasonal or have an extended breeding.. The eyes, white under the tail and white hoofs are undesirable fleeces shed... Or crutching, and especially well-fed 25 kg because the European consumers were to! Breeds, and they are easy to breed at five months you will need to Stop Believing Now started. Mid-American Dorper Breeders Association was formed parasite resistance and they are very resilient when it comes parasite. Deserts of South Africa, it is Now commonly raised in several other countries consent plugin characteristics,,... Grass finish the high quality grass finish in the summer not been classified into a category as yet the arid. Color is therefore merely a matter of preference for each breeder three times every two years with lambing. Record the user consent for the cookies in the category `` Functional '' to research the that. Northwest of Fort Worth, in Azle, TX even physically stick up their... The Merino consider this breed be prepared for artificial feeding to flystrike,.!, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you #... Commission at no cost to you Dorset rams then be prepared for feeding!
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