The Dorper sheep breed is famous for its many advantages, including unpretentiousness in care and maintenance, rapid growth, good productivity, high quality meat and leather. It is impossible to get wool from these sheep, since the breed does not have it at all. But even despite their high cost, Dorper sheep are widely used among farmers.
Origin
This breed was bred in the thirties of the 20th century, and the Dorper’s homeland is South Africa.The variety was obtained by crossing Dorset and Persian sheep, each of which is characterized by unpretentiousness in maintenance and good productivity. Representatives of Dorpers adopted fertility from Dorsets. The breed owes its lack of hair and non-standard color to its Persian ancestors. At first, the breed became widespread in Australia, and then was brought to the USA and Great Britain. And only after a while the dorper appeared in Russia.
The breed was officially registered in 1930. The name “Dorper” was not obtained by chance: the word is formed from parts of two names – Dorset and Persian (the ancestors of the Dorpers).
Exterior and characteristics
Representatives of the meat breed differ:
- Strong physique. The animals have a downed, elongated body. The hips and back are particularly well developed.
- Almost complete absence of hair. The existing hair is very sparse, coarse, short, there is an undercoat. The fur is distributed unevenly - most of it covers the chest, neck, and back. The belly is practically bare. The fur on the forehead may become curly.
- White or light gray color. Skin color is white (on the legs, neck, torso). Black areas cover the neck and head.
- Short, bare limbs.
- Lack of horns in females. Males have very small horns (2-3 centimeters high), and in most cases they do not grow at all.
Lambs have similar appearance characteristics to adults, except for body size.
The Dorper breed has two varieties:
- white (no dark areas on the body);
- black-headed (the head and neck are black).
Dorper crosses with other breeds are popular. The Romanov breed most often takes part in selection, and as a result of crossing, a hybrid with good qualities is obtained.
Pros and cons of dorpers
The high cost of Dorper sheep is justified by a number of positive qualities.
The nakedness of the breed can also be perceived as an advantage - there is no need to waste resources on shearing sheep. In addition, Dorpers are less susceptible to attack by external parasites.
Content requirements
The breed is unpretentious, so there is no need to comply with special conditions and maintenance requirements.Animals feel good both in hot climates and in cooler regions. Dorpers can withstand even very low temperatures. The animals are also unpretentious in their diet - the most common grass is a sufficient source of food for them. However, this fact does not mean that sheep are kept exclusively on pasture. By improving the quality of food, the resulting product will be much better.
The ease of caring for animals applies not only to adults, but also to young ones. Lambs, including newborns, do not require extensive care.
Dorper representatives have the ability to adapt to any conditions in which they live. This is one of the reasons why farmers dream of breeding just such sheep.
Feeding and care
These animals do not require special nutrition - Dorpers can be kept on pasture. Even under such conditions, animals quickly gain weight. And yet, to improve the quality of the product, it is recommended to diversify food and include in the diet:
- clover;
- alfalfa;
- nettle;
- burdock;
- thistle;
- grain (due to its calorie content, such food is given only to pregnant and lactating females, as well as young animals during intensive growth);
- hay (used as a replacement for fresh grass);
- compound feed (used to feed sheep during pregnancy and lactation, and also given to animals a few days before being sent for slaughter);
- salt and minerals (special fertilizers);
- root vegetables (in summer they are used as top dressing, in winter they are part of the diet);
- water (must be publicly available; normally, one adult needs 6 to 8 liters of water per day).
Dorpers spend most of their time on pasture or in spacious enclosures. It is advisable that the fence be dismantled, which would allow it to be moved to another area when the grass runs out on the previous one.
During the cold season, sheep are kept in sheepfolds. Premises requirements:
- normal lighting;
- absence of drafts;
- free space (the area per animal in a group stall is 1.5 square meters, in an individual stall - at least 2.5, for a female with one lamb - 3.2, and for each subsequent one the space is increased by 0.7);
- availability of ventilation and heating.
Food and water are in long troughs.
Features of reproduction
Representatives of the breed reach sexual maturity early. Readiness for reproduction in females occurs at 8 months, in males - at 5. However, it is recommended to start breeding sheep when they reach 1.5 years. Males are very fertile and can inseminate up to 100 sheep at a time. To improve the quality of seed material, it is advisable to maintain the same ratio - one male for 15-20 females.
Childbirth can be repeated every 8 months, and is in no way tied to a specific season. Gestation lasts 4-5 months.
Common diseases and prevention from them
Representatives of the Dorper breed are resistant to diseases, however, if general conditions of detention are not observed, the risk of the following problems increases:
- brucellosis;
- smallpox;
- foot and mouth disease;
- infectious mastitis;
- footrot;
- fractures and dislocations of limbs.
In order to prevent diseases, the following measures are resorted to:
- regular cleaning of the stall;
- routine vaccination;
- compliance with quarantine for which new animals are sent (lasts 2 weeks);
- deworming in autumn and spring.
Dorpers in Russia
In Russia, this breed is almost never found in its pure form.And the reason is not at all the climate - dorpers would do well in the middle zone. The determining factor is that keeping sheep of this breed is unprofitable. For this reason, Dorper seed material is imported into the country and, with its help, females of local breeds (most often Romanov) are fertilized.
The resulting hybrids are inferior in quality to the original, but, in general, the result is satisfactory. Dorper is a popular meat breed that is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, fertility, and good productivity. Despite the high cost and lack of wool, these sheep are able to bring good income to farmers.
