Dorpers originated from a crossing of the Blackheaded Persian and the Dorset Horn.  The Dorper (blackhead) is a direct descendent of that original cross while the White Dorper was stabilized with the infusion of the African Van Rooy breed.

Shedding makes Dorpers less susceptible to fly strike. Photos: Dennis Stokes.

Possibly the most sought after trait of Dorpers is the shedding of their fleeces. While some will completely shed – 100% shedders – others only shed about 50% (the fleece shedding half way up their sides) and others may only shed on their shoulders and flanks but all should have clean bellies, breeches and down the underside of the neck and chest.

Cross bred Dorpers will shed depending on their percentage of Dorper genetics, the breed of ewe used to grade up from (Romney descendants in general are poorer shedders) and the shedding ability of the Dorper rams used during the upgrading process.

Peter and Sheila Hewitt started out with unregistered Dorpers around three years ago and are steadily breeding up to 100% shedders.  “We knew we wanted a lifestyle and we knew we wanted sheep,” Peter told Rural Living. “We also knew we wanted to avoid the shearer.”

Dorper fleece usually falls off in small pieces and has no commercial value. The ground on the Hewitt’s 10 acre block just north of Helensville is speckled with bits of fluff and the lower wires of all the fences show where the animals have rubbed themselves.

The remaining hair resembles more a goat’s coat than a sheep’s fleece. “We do shear them but just with a pair of scissors and just along the top.”

A positive of having a shedding sheep is the lower risk of fly strike. “They have naturally clean bums and no dags,” Peter said.

“We do have to watch for the Ozzie green fly and fly strike between the shoulders.”

Dorpers do have a bit of a bad reputation for foot problems and Peter and Sheila pay particular attention and are trying to breed for less problems. Being desert sheep – the breed came to New Zealand from South Africa around eight years ago – their feet do tend to grow faster than other traditional  breeds and it can prove necessary to trim their feet occasionally to keep them tidy. 

The Dorper can also be susceptible to scald and footrot with the moist conditions in New Zealand so treatment may be required.  “We are tidying that up but we’ve not found it to be a big problem and when we need to deal with it, we have found you don’t need to be rough and they’ll stand for treatment like goats.”

In fact the similarity to goats doesn’t stop there. “They are more like a goat – inquisitive and they respond to handling.  They graze more like goats too and will eat almost anything.”

One Dorper trait the Hewitts have had to “adapt” to and watch for is early fertility. “Rams are fertile as early as 12 weeks and they’re interested too.  They’re very quick developing,” Sheila said. “And a ewe can have three lambs in two years.”

In order to be registered as a stud sheep under the NZ Dorper Breed standards the Dorper should be white with black confined to the head and neck. In general a small black spot or patch (under 10x20cm) on the body is allowable. A white blaze on the head should not extend forward of the horn base on the head.  Crossbred sheep will be black or black and white in colour. Generally the more Dorper genes the cross bred sheep has the more closely they will resemble a pure bred Dorper. All crossbred and purebred White Dorper sheep should be completely white.

According to Peter as a general rule the Dorpers lamb easily and are good mothers.

“We’ve only had one problem and that was early on when I was still learning and I disturbed one girl while she was lambing.  We had to help her.  But otherwise we’ve had no problems.  And we’ve had no orphan lambs.”

Breeding up from unregistered animals the Hewitts had an interesting surprise a year ago when a white dorper ewe who had run with a pedigree White Dorper ram dropped twins – one pure white and the other black with white patches.

“Initially she wouldn’t accept the coloured one and we phoned Sheep World to see if they would take it to raise.” Sheila said. “They suggested we try rubbing some of the white lamb’s poo on it first and offering it back to mum before taking it.  We tried it and she accepted it.”

And Mojo as she has come to be known, is there to stay.

If you are looking to buy your first Dorpers, Peter suggests you:

1    Check their feet – try to get animals with good feet
2    Where you can, look at the parent stock.  There are not many 100% shedders.
3     Look for an alert, inquisitive animal.  If it’s dull and disinterested – pass it by.