Description of Dorper sheep
The Dorper sheep breed quickly won the hearts of farmers. The unusually cute appearance of the representatives of this species was to the liking of many. These lambs have a curly white coat.
Dorper Sheep
Even in spite of the fact that the price of sheep of this breed is quite high, they are extremely demanded. The numerous advantages include the fact that one Dorper weighs an average of 140 kg. In addition, these animals do not require additional care and close attention.
History of the origin of the breed
Around 1930, in South Africa, the government seriously thought about creating and breeding a breed of sheep that would quickly adapt to the climate of this continent, since until that time, sheep farmers suffered from hot weather. In such conditions, even the strongest and healthiest sheep could not stand it. As a result, its productivity dropped sharply.
To breed the Dorper breed, it was decided to cross 2 types of sheep. The first species was called the Dorsent Horn, and the second breed was the Persian rams. The peculiarity of the Persians was that they had black heads. After a successful crossing and the appearance of a new breed, they did not think about the name for a long time. To do this, they simply took the first 3 letters from the names of the species of rams that participated in the creation of the Dorpers.
Thanks to perseverance and long-term work, the breeders have achieved what they wanted. Dorper sheep can not only do without a balanced and healthy diet, but also without water for 2-3 days. At the same time, the breed does not lose its productivity.
Dorper Characteristic Indicators
Sheep of the pure breed Dorper belong to the hairless subspecies of animals. In the spring, this breed undergoes spring molt. Sheep shed their old wool, giving the young undercoat an opportunity to germinate. As a result, the sheep do not need to be sheared. But still there are areas of the talus, on which you can find coarse small areas of wool.
Hairiness is mainly seen on the neck and sides of the body. The coat often appears in shades of gray. In rare cases, there are abrupt transitions to black tones. In the lower part of the body, rams have no wool at all. The limbs of the sheep are short and also fluff-free.
The head, neck and ears are black. The ears are of standard medium size. In the neck area, the skin gathers in folds. There is another subspecies of this breed. Its coat is white and its ears are pinkish. Curls curl behind the ears and on the forehead. But at the same time, the muzzle remains bald (you can see in more detail in the video).
Dorper Sheep Productivity
Basically, the weight of rams is associated with proper and balanced nutrition. If the animal receives few nutrients, it begins to lose weight immediately. It's simple with the Dorpers. This breed, despite the hot climate, easily gains the necessary weight. Sheep gain on average from 50 to 90 kg, rams - 90 kg; with a healthy diet, their weight can reach 140 kg.
Dorper babies are born with a weight of 3-5 kg. Every day, feeding on mother's milk, the lamb gains about 700 g. A month later, the baby's weight is 12 kg, and with good nutrition - 25 kg. If we compare the baby Dorpers and lambs of other breeds, you can see that Dorper animals are 2, and sometimes 3 times ahead in development. After 9 months, the weight of the strong man reaches 70 kg.
Baby Dorper
After slaughter, at least 90% of the total mass falls on the container. The meat envelops the bone evenly. An integral advantage of the product is that it does not have a natural smell. There is a thin layer of fat in the carcass of a lamb, but, despite this, nutritionists consider the meat to be dietary.
The fertility of Dorper sheep exceeds 100%. A young female is capable of bearing one baby. Over time, when she grows up and gets stronger, she will be able to bear up to 4, in rare cases - up to 5 lambs.
Dorper rams are also valued by farmers for their exquisite hides. It is great for making wallets and bags. Due to its strength and smooth surface, Dorper skins are often used to cover furniture.
Nowadays, advertisements "I sell sheep skins" can be found on popular sites for sales and purchases. There you can also view photos and appreciate the appearance of the wool and skins of rams. Due to the quality and strength of the products, the price of Dorper skins is somewhat more expensive than sheep skins of other breeds.
Breeding rules
Nowadays, it is already rare to find Dorper sheep on the lands of Africa. Gradually, year after year, they were all imported into the lands of North America. Dorpers can also be found in Australia.
In their homeland of Africa, the Dorpers had the freedom to choose a mate, so breeding was not a problem. The younger generation reached puberty at the age of 5 months. As mentioned earlier, a young female at the age of 7 months was already able to carry a lamb. Labor activity in an animal is painless.
As a mother, Dorper females are very attentive and caring. A healthy lamb, about 10 minutes after birth, stands on its not completely stable limbs, behaves briskly and actively, and is constantly near its mother.
The content of the Dorpers is simple. This is due to the fact that this type of sheep is able to live in the fresh air all year round. Sheep quickly adapt to their environment. They find a way out of any difficult situation. In the summer they are able to survive up to 2 days without water, and in the winter, even under the snow, they will find something to eat. For good digestion, Dorper's animal body requires much less grass than the body of other sheep.
Positive traits
The Dorper breed is quite an expensive purchase, since imports from overseas cost a fortune. But if you set a goal, you can build a good business on it. The main thing is to spare no time and effort. In order to make the most of the productive abilities of animals, you can watch special videos.
You also need to remember about the advantages of this breed:
- Dorper sheep are unpretentious. They quickly adapt to the climate, easily endure extreme heat and incredible cold. Sheep are able to do without water and proper food for a long time. In this case, the animal will gain weight.
- If there is no grass, sheep do not disdain and eat fallen leaves and leaves from bushes.
- Even despite the lack of vitamins in the body, animals are able to breed healthy offspring: up to 5 lambs at a time.
- Dorpers have strong immunity. Thanks to this, they are not afraid of either poisoning or any other diseases of the stomach, which cannot be said about other breeds of sheep.
There are still quite a few pluses. It is worth noting that parasites do not cling to the skin of this animal. Thanks to the spring shedding, these sheep do not need to be sheared.
It should also be noted that Dorper sheep are considered excellent mothers.They raise their offspring with care and caution. They admit both their own and other people's cubs.
Conclusion
Dorper breeding is a very lucrative business. Having acquired several pairs of these animals, you can safely start your own business. Since breeding is not problematic and the animals themselves are picky.
A huge plus is that these rams are considered meat. They provide a significant amount of milk, although they are not considered dairy. Females give birth to offspring up to 4-5 lambs every 8 months. Animals quickly adapt to any climatic conditions and do not lose body weight in the absence of sufficient food.