Dorper Sheep originated in South Africa (and came into the U.S. at the same time as Boer Goats.)  However, many do not know how easy they are to care for, or how much money they can make for breeders - both large and small.

The Dorper breed was developed in South Africa over 60 years ago (as a mutton breed) and its popularity is constantly growing.  It is currently the second most popular sheep breed in South Africa.  Their origin is from the Dorset Horn and the Persian Blackhead. 

There are two types:

the “Dorper” - having a black head & white body ➡

⬅ and the “White Dorper” - which are solid white.

Attributes

» Low maintenance: They are aggressive grazers with rapid growth and weight gain (can gain up to 1 pound a day on grass alone.)

» Will breed year ‘round (are not seasonal breeders); they are one of the most fertile of sheep breeds.

» Shed their fleeces naturally (do not need shearing.)

» Have unique eating habits: Preferring to graze on grass, they will browse (much like goats) depending on the forage available.

» A hardy breed, thriving under conditions where other breeds barely exist, even while raising a lamb. *Known to do well outdoors during winter with temperatures down to 0°.

» Calm disposition and naturally gentle - making them easy to work with. A hornless breed (small horns, called “scurs,” may sometimes appear.)

Dorper ewes are excellent mothers.  They can give birth to singles, twins, and triplets; some will even have quads!  The majority will lamb all by themselves with absolutely no assistance - ewes just show up with little ones at their sides.

Dorper Rams are used on many sheep breeds other than Dorper (including both hair and wool breeds.) This “½-blood” offspring, also called “F1,” demonstrate how well these crosses work with their outstanding growth and weight gains.  They tend to grow to be much better than their dams - exhibiting hybrid vigor.

Types/Categories

A Fullblood is of full South African ancestry and has always been a “fullblood” (has not been upgraded from domestic stock.)  “Upgrading” Dorper Sheep is like that of Boer Goats:  Purebred/Percentage stock are “bred-up,” examples:

» When breeding a fullblood Dorper ram to a ewe breed other than Dorper, the offspring will be 50% ~ ½-blood

» When breeding a fullblood Dorper ram to a 50% ~ ½-blood ewe, the offspring will be 75% ~ ¾-blood

» And so on…

Marketing

In the past, the majority of Dorper Sheep raised in North America have gone to (Old) Mexico (as well as some to other countries.)  However, the interest here in the U.S. is growing by leaps-and-bounds, as more and more people discover Dorpers. In addition, with wool having little or no value + the cost of shearing, many wool sheep breeders and ranchers are converting to hair sheep breeds.

General pricing

Dorper values are stable with prices continuing to be good as the demand far outweighs the supply.

» Fullblood Rams and Ewes from $400.00 to $1000.00

» 94% - 15/16 Dorper ewes, $350.00 to $500.00 (*Purebreds)

» 88% - 7/8 Dorper ewes, $200.00 to $400.00 (*Purebreds)

» 75% - 3/4 Dorper ewes, $200.00 to $300.00

» 50% - 1/2 Dorper ewes, $100.00 to $200.00

        Anyone can get into the Dorper Sheep business very easily with one Dorper Ram and a few ewes of any breed. They are successfully bred all across the country.  *Plus, with the numbers so few and the interest so high, a breeder’s market should be here for a long, long time.