Dorper is a breed of sheep. Description, characteristics and features of the content

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Sheep is one of the most popular varieties of farm animals among foreign and domestic farmers. Breeds of sheep for centuries and millennia have been bred very different. Abroad, dorpers have recently gained immense popularity - highly productive, unpretentious to feed and at the same time very hardy animals.

A bit of history

Dorper - a breed of sheep, bred in 1930 in the deserts of South Africa. Breeders selected Dorsets and Persian sheep as parent for her. Both of these varieties are characterized by high performance and unpretentiousness. From the Dorsets, the Dorpers inherited the ability to frequent lambing, and from the Persian sheep - "baldness" and an unusual color. Australian farmers were the first to appreciate the benefits of this South African breed. Later, dorpers began to be exported to the UK and the USA. Some time ago, these lambs also appeared here in Russia, however, so far in small quantities.

General Description

Dorper - a breed of sheep is very beautiful. One of the distinguishing features of these lambsis an unusual contrasting color. The head of the Dorper is black and the body is white. Therefore, these sheep look much more spectacular than most other varieties. Another main feature of the breed is the absence of wool. Some individuals have it, but it is very sparse and short. You can recognize this breed, among other things, by polledness. Dorper lambs have no horns.

The main advantages of the breed

The absence of wool is both an advantage and a disadvantage of dorpers. On the one hand, the farmer has the opportunity to save on such a procedure as shearing sheep. On the other hand, these animals can only be bred for meat. But in any case, Dorper sheep are very profitable in keeping and breeding. Indeed, due to the emergence of a large number of synthetic materials, wool today is not in such great demand as it once was. At the same time, meat is an invariably popular product on the market. In dorpers, it is very tasty and does not have a characteristic smell.

The pluses of this breed also include:

• Precocity. Dorper queens reach puberty as early as 6-7 months of age. Rams can be used as producers from 5 months

• Rapid increase in herd size. Lambing of sheep of this breed, subject to good feeding, occurs twice a year. At the same time, one calf of the uterus is almost never brought. Most often, there are two or three lambs in a litter. Sometimes queens give birth and 4-5 cubs.
• Stamina. Since thisbreed for areas with very difficult climatic conditions, it can be bred in almost any region of the globe. For Russia, this breed is just perfect, as it is not afraid of summer heat and winter frosts.
• Unpretentious about food. The absence of rich pastures in the vicinity of the farm has absolutely no effect on the development and weight gain of these sheep. If there is no pasture, dorpers calmly switch to fallen leaves or simply begin to eat bushes and trees in much the same way as goats do.

Productivity Metrics

Dorper - a breed of sheep is very precocious and quickly gaining weight. This, of course, can also be attributed to its advantages. Dorpers are born very small. After all, as already mentioned, there is usually not one, but two or more babies in the litter. The weight of a newborn lamb averages only 3-3.5 kg. However, subsequently, babies begin to gain body weight at a record speed - almost half a kilogram per day. In adulthood, the weight of dorper sheep can reach about 50, rams - 90 kg. These are actually very good numbers. The best sheep of this breed sometimes reach a weight of 75 kg. For record-breaking rams, this figure often reaches 140-150 kg.

Features of breeding

Shearing sheep of this breed is an unnecessary procedure. In addition, dorpers are very unpretentious. However, the farmer, of course, will have to spend money and create comfortable living conditions for these sheep. In summer, dorpers spend most of the day onpasture. For wintering, animals are equipped with a spacious, bright, well-ventilated room. Inside it is divided into group stalls. One individual in the room should account for 1.5-3 m² area. Separate stalls are fenced for queens with lambs (2.5 m^{2 for a sheep and 0.7 for a cub). Among other things, it is recommended to equip the sheepfold with heating and ventilation. All cracks in walls, windows and doors should be sealed. Like all meat sheep, Dorpers are sensitive to drafts.}

Feeders and drinkers, knocked down in the form of long troughs, are placed in the stalls. Their sizes should be such that the sheep do not push while eating.

Feeding

Dorpers can be grazing on any pasture, both natural and artificially sown. To the quality of feed, unlike representatives of most other breeds, these meat sheep are undemanding. But to get the best result, it is best, of course, to graze these sheep on forbs and additionally give them concentrates and root crops. This will ensure rapid weight gain and maximum fertility.

Dorper sheep are fed 3-4 times a day in winter. The basis of the diet during this period should be roughage - hay and straw. In addition, animals can be given silage, root crops, bran, grain.

It is advisable to put water in the stalls for sheep slightly s alted or with mineral additives dissolved in it. One individual per day should account for 6-7 liters. In winter, it is advisable to heat the water.

For replenishment in the body of animalsminerals in the stalls laid out lumpy s alt. Also, it is worth adding various kinds of vitamin mixtures to the feed. Of course, you can not give the sheep moldy grain or rotten root crops. The water intended for drinking should also be fresh.

Reproduction

Because Dorper babies are born very small, lambing of this breed of sheep usually goes smoothly and quickly. Of course, in the stall where the uterus will be lambing, it should be clean and dry. Sheep with offspring should be fed as best as possible. If the uterine milk does not have enough vitamins, the lambs can get sick. In addition to ensuring quality feeding, no other actions need to be taken by the farmer during this period. The maternal instinct of Dorper sheep is excellent, and they take care of the lambs very well.

The young growth of this breed develops quickly. Within a few hours after birth, the lamb is able to jump and run around the stall. Therefore, separate queens with offspring are kept for no more than 2 weeks. Lambs can be finally weaned from their mothers at the age of three months.

Sheep diseases and their prevention

Dorper - a breed of sheep, among other things, is also very resistant to all sorts of infections. However, the rules of hygiene in the sheepfold should still be observed, of course. The room for dorpers should be equipped in such a way that it is convenient for the staff to carry out periodic cleaning. Of course, these sheep, like any other, should be given the necessary preventive vaccinations. All newly acquiredindividuals are pre-quarantined.

Like other breeds, Dorpers can develop diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, infectious mastitis, smallpox, etc. due to violations of keeping technology. Due to the bites of wild animals during grazing, Dorpers can become infected with rabies. If symptoms of any infectious disease are detected, the animal is isolated from the herd, and then contacted by a veterinarian.

If the manure in the stalls is not removed on time, sheep can develop foot rot. Dorpers are very active and mobile animals. In addition, they, like goats, like to climb "on top". As a result, sometimes they have broken limbs and sprains. In all these cases, of course, you will also need the help of a veterinarian.

Dorpers in Russia

A variety of sheep breeds are bred in our country. Dorpers appeared in Russia quite recently. And unfortunately, this breed is not yet very popular with farmers. These animals tolerate the Russian not very favorable climate well, but they gain weight quickly on domestic feeds. However, they are very expensive in our country.

Besides, it is rather difficult to acquire such a breed as Dorper sheep in Russia. On specialized farming forums on the Internet, there is even information about cases of fraud related to the purchase of sheep of this breed.

Apparently, in this regard, domestic livestock breeders still prefer to buy not young dorpers and not adult sheep, but write out becauseboundaries of frozen sperm of sires. It is introduced in Russia most often to landraces. They are also very precocious and rather unpretentious meat sheep.

Price for young animals

Although Dorpers are almost never bred in Russia, with a strong desire to buy such young animals, farmers still have the opportunity. For example, these sheep are sometimes sold by middlemen from South Africa. Dorper ram costs about 70-80 thousand rubles. For a sheep, they can ask for 50-60 thousand. Surely, many farmers would like to know how much a lamb of this breed costs. Young growth of such sheep is sold today, including some domestic breeding farms. Lambs of this breed are sold mainly by live weight (approximately 800-1000 rubles / kg).