Attributes
Dorpers and White Dorpers are Australia’s preeminent low maintenance meat sheep, adapted to vast range of conditions across the country. The success of the Dorper breeds in expanding the prime lamb production in Australia in barely two decades is well recognised…
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Achievement
In a relatively short time the dorper breed has set a benchmark for achievement across a range of areas, including:
Rate of expansion within the industry – the rate of growth of the national dorper flock from humble beginnings based on the introduction of embryos in 1996 numbers have grown to an estimated 2 million…
Australian History
Dorpers introduced into Australia in 1996 with the release of genetics from South Africa’s leading studs sold as embryo’s in Australia. Dorpers and other African breeds introduced at the same time received opposition from the mainstream industry, however once the Australian industry understood the benefits the Dorper and White Dorper could contribute to their lamb enterprise…
Origin
In the 1930s the need arose for a sheep breed which could produce fast growing lambs with a high quality carcass under extensive conditions. Originally bred for the arid regions of South Africa, Dorpers originate from the cross breeding of Blackhead Persian ewes with a Dorset Horn ram…
Breed Standards
The purpose of the Breed Standard is to indicate the degree of excellence of the animal by means of a description and a score by points according to visual appearance and performance to aid stud-breeding selection and for the benefit of new breeders…
Lambplan
The DSSA encourages members to become involved with lambplan. The lambplan system involves subjective measurements of traits such as growth, muscle depth, fat distribution, worm resistance and fertility, allowing breeders…
