From humble beginnings - an importation just 29 years ago - the Dorper is having an ever-increasing impact on the Australian sheep industry. Currently, approximately 14% of the Australian sheep flock has some content of Dorper genetics and this percentage is increasing annually. The Dorper was developed by crossing a Dorset Horn with a black-headed Persian, so by extension 14% or more of sheep in Australia now carry Persian genes 

SAABCO (South Africa and Australia Breeding Company) first introduced the Dorper breed into Australia in April 1996 when they imported a large number of frozen embryos into Australia from South Africa. In this importation, there were 2,360 black-headed Dorper embryos among the total importation of more than 10,000 embryos of various breeds. An initial auction of 650 embryos of 5 breeds – Damara, South African Merino, South African Mutton Merino , Dorper and Boar Goats - was advertised in the Weekly Times for Friday July 26th 1996. Westcorp, the importer, was based in Perth and most of the embryos sold went into Western Australia, although some were bought by sheep breeders in the other states.  White Dorper embryos were imported soon after, going mainly onto farms in South Australia and NSW.

Initially, Australian farmers displayed lukewarm interest in the Dorper sheep. Their introduction was fairly low-key, unlike the Damaras (introduced at the same time), which received full entrepreneurial promotion. Prices for early stock were very high as their numbers were few and it was a costly exercise getting animals on the ground. At this time, a lot of traditional farmers had difficulty getting their heads around the concept of NOT shearing a sheep. It is not a breed that slots in where the Merino or traditional prime lamb breeds fitted. There is no necessity for annual shearing, mulesing, flystrike treatment, lice treatment and tail docking. Because of their polyestrus breeding, there is also no mating season: they can be mated at whatever time of the year suits their owner.

The wool industry was quite derisive of the 'exotic sheep breeds', arguing that the breed would contaminate wool clips. If the experience in South Africa was to be repeated, the risk was not to the clip but to the dominant position held by the Merino. A long running and bitter campaign against the introduced breeds was well supported by the rural press, livestock agents and other members of the rural establishment. The bitterness of the contamination argument coupled with peer pressure was successful in deterring many farmers from trying Dorpers and White Dorpers.

Against all these odds, the Dorper and the White Dorper began to gain a foothold in the Australian sheep Industry. The speed at which numbers of and interest in the animals have built over the past few years has been phenomenal and, with it, the Dorper and White Dorper are beginning to change the Australian sheep industry.

A number of factors played a role in prompting Australian farmers to view Dorpers and White Dorpers in a more favourable light. The fall in wool prices, the continual rise in the costs of producing wool and the difficulty in finding professional shearers, coupled with sustained high prices for lamb resulted in more and more farmers taking a serious look at Dorpers and White Dorpers. Sustained drought conditions in many areas of Australia have also prompted a great deal of interest in the breed, as the ewes are able to turn off good lambs even in harsh conditions. In Australia, the growth of a sheep breed is best measured, not by numbers of sheep, but by who is making the change to Dorpers. Some of Australia's most dedicated Merino farmers have included a small Dorper or White Dorper flock in their enterprise, whilst traditional prime-lamb sire breeders can see the advantage of a composite ram with the Dorper clean belly, crutch, legs and face. Dorpers are the less-work breed that is enticing sheep farmers who have 'gone cropping', back into prime lambs.

At present, there is a very high level of interest in Dorper sheep all around Australia. Being such an adaptable breed of sheep, interest in them covers the whole spectrum, from people who want to run thousands of sheep to turn off cost-effective lambs, to hobby farmers who just want a couple of easy-care lawn mowers to keep the grass down on their rural block.

Much of this information has been reproduced with thanks from The Australian Dorper and White Dorper Association Inc (ADWDA) site at  www.australiandorper.com.au