Amarula is a family owned and run business, passionate about every ram that is bred and sold.
Amarula Dorper rams are robust, hardy rams, bred under commercial conditions for commercial and stud enterprises.
Progeny have profit driving qualities of fast growth and early finishing with exceptional carcase, which leads clients to successful and thriving prime lamb enterprises.
The stud started with just six ewes in 2000, with a dedication to drive the industry forward. Amarula is breeding extremely productive Dorpers, that are fertile, high yielding with great eating quality traits and a moderate adult weight.
A moderate weight is important, as the next dry time is always around the corner. A ewe will eat two to three per cent percentage of her body weight a day, so the larger the ewe the more she eats. A smaller ewe will eat less and turn off the same amount of kilograms in lambs, as a big ewe.
A focus on regenerating land and concentrating on soil health has enabled the Kirkby family to increase carrying capacity, while decreasing the cost of production and increasing profitability.
The stud’s philosophy is to breed the right article the first time and reduce the number of progeny wastage. It is about running less ewes to produce more high-quality lambs and for milking mothers to go back in lamb while the lambs are at foot.
Amarula believes the hardiness and adaptability, combined with high survivability and low maintenance, makes Dorpers the most viable, self-replacing shedding meat sheep breed in the world.
2023 DSSA Journal, Page 42
