“The Dorper sheep was develop in the 1930’s by the department of Agriculture of South Africa when they did a crossing with a Dorset Horn Ram and Blackhead Persian ewes. After the First World War, increased interest developed in South Africa in crossing indigenous sheep, like the Persian and Merino with the British mutton breed rams. The precise reason for this phenomenon is not clear. As a result of circumstances such as the depression, surplus mutton and the slump in wool prices, in the early 30’s the exporting of mutton and lamb received more attention. To the English market the fat-tail type sheep were both strange and new and according to their system of grading not desirable.

A need originates for a fairly good mutton sheep which could produce fast growing lambs on veld conditions with quality carcass. In the Western Cape, a prerequisite was that the ewes must be rutting in November-December in order to lamb from April. In the Karoo areas, the aim was to replace the fat-tail types with a breed with a more acceptable carcass. The initial need was to produce a sheep breed suitable to the demanding low rainfall areas of the Northern Province. A relatively easily care sheep with an acceptable meat carcass had to be found for these difficult circumstances”. For more info about the Dorper sheet visit www.dorpersa.co.za