2019 Composite shedding lambs, Clear Creek. Andrew Freshwater
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The Dorper at the cross roads? By Andrew Freshwater, Clear Creek Pastoral Co
The Dorper at the cross roads? February 2, 2021 Contributor: Andrew Freshwater, Clear Creek Pastoral There’s a few rumblings as to Dorper based composite sheep in Australia – whether they be Ultra Whites, Aussie Whites, Kojaks, and the list goes on. I’ve heard a few say: ‘How dare people ruin the breed purity of Dorpers!’ – and have heard claims of inferior production from these composite breeding businesses and systems which are proliferating in Australia. It makes me wonder what people thought back in the late 1920’s and through the 1930’s when the South African Department of Agriculture had the audacity to combine two breeds and come up with the name ‘Dorper’. How dare they, and how fortunate are we they did! Crossbreeding and composite breeding are a natural progression for sheep breeders with an eye on production and flock efficiency, and a desire to utilise hybrid vigour and heterosis - in what Dr Keith Gregory at the Meat Animal Research Centre in the US notably called ‘ The cat...