In 1964, the controversy was settled when the blackhead and white Dorper breeders united into one association calling the black head sheep Dorpers and the unmarked sheep White Dorpers. The coats of wild sheep, like that of most animals, does not grow continuously. The breed was bred in the 30s of the last century in South Africa. These hair sheep breeds are self-shedding and require minimal effort to maintain. Mature rams range in weight from 240 pounds to 275 pounds (90-120 kg). Because they are bred for meat, not wool, they do not produce lanolin, which ensures that they do not have a gamey flavor like many other breeds. 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. It is also believed that the Van Rooy among other sheep breeds were involved with the creation of the Dorper sheep breed. Each owner is interested in the rapid weight gain of his sheep, so a properly balanced diet is considered one of the most important aspects of animal care. This capability of sheep is helpful for shepherds looking to avoid shearing for meat production. Essentially, this means that they will eat whatever grass, hay, plants, and shrubs are in their field. When buying your sheep, you will have to decide whether you want a purebred or a fullblood. Log in or register to post comments; 6 posts Sat, 01/07/2017 - 16:24 #1. The Dorper is a South African mutton breed developed in the 1930s from the Dorset Horn and Blackhead Persian. Last seen: 01/07/2017 - 16:28 Joined: 01/07/2017 - 15:01 Please Help! The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Try to ensure some shade for the sheep during summer months, and protection from the rain during winter. Lambing percentages in South Africa of 150% are not uncommon, as well as an average fecundity of 160%. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain products, and if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small percentage of the sale. Considered one of the most fertile of all sheep breeds, the Dorper can lamb at intervals of just 8 months, which means that you can achieve three litters every two years because the Dorper can breed at any time of year. I, with your permission, will name two more breeds. During the early 1930s, South African farmers exported a surplus of mutton and lamb, from the fat tailed indigenous breeds, to Londons prestigious Smithfield Market. The Dorper was developed in South Africa during the 1930's by crossing Horned Dorsets with Black Headed Persians. Their meat is exquisite without the gamey taste one usually finds with mutton. Each of them had a good set of positive qualities that should have been beneficially combined in a new animal, which eventually happened. 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). Inherent characteristics of the breed such as, The average daily gain of Dorpers under extensive conditions is around. Due to its hardiness, the Dorper can feed on almost any pasture, making it extremely versatile. Although they are hardy and can survive difficult conditions, they also do well in green pastures. A white sheep with black confined to the head and neck is the ideal. Until the age of three months, feeding with mothers milk is mandatory for them, after which the young can be taken away from the uterus and transferred to a separate pen. A few years later, farmers in America and Australia appreciated their qualities, and already in the XNUMXst century, the Dorper breed began to be actively bred in Canada, Russia and other similar climatic regions of the globe. They are non-selective grazers and can benefit you by grazing where other livestock will not. To do so, they crossed British Dorset Horn rams with fat-tailed Blackhead . A fulltime farmer and blogger who love to share all his farming experiences. Other breeds, including the Van Rooy, also played a part in developing the current breed.