The Dorper: a home-grown meat sheep

The Dorper breed is valued for its adaptability, fertility, and meat quality. Eastern Cape farmer Shane Scorgie spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about why this South African success story is thriving worldwide.

- Octavia Avesca Spandiel

When it comes to sheep breeds in South Africa, few stand out quite like the Dorper. Known for its adaptability, fertility, and exceptional meat quality, the Dorper has become one of the most successful and recognisable breeds both locally and internationally. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Shane Scorgie, a Dorper farmer based in Middelburg in the Eastern Cape, explains what makes this breed so remarkable and why it continues to capture the interest of farmers worldwide.

A SOUTH AFRICAN SUCCESS STORY

The Dorper was developed in the 1930s at the Grootfontein Agricultural College in the Eastern Cape. “They used a Dorset Horn ram and crossed it with a Blackhead Persian ewe. The main goal was to produce a sheep with a high-quality carcass that could thrive in South African conditions. What they achieved was a breed that not only produces excellent meat but is also highly fertile and adaptable,” says Scorgie. One of the Dorper's standout traits is its ability to lamb frequently. Unlike some breeds that have defined breeding seasons, Dorpers can lamb three times in two years. “They are good mothers, fertile, and their lambs grow fast. At a young age, the lambs reach slaughter weight quickly, thanks to their strong feed conversion efficiency,” he adds.

ADAPTABILITY ACROSS ENVIRONMENTS