Small stock can supply in your daily needs and also assist to supply in the growing demand for animal protein in developing countries.
TT Sheep can use vegetation which is unsuitable for human consumption. TT Sheep have a higher reproduction rate and shorter pregnancy period than cattle. This means that animal numbers can be increased more quickly. TT Production systems for sheep need a smaller capital investment than those for cattle. The reaction to feeding, genetics and management can be seen relatively soon.
Sheep farming plays an important role in South African agriculture and makes a major contribution in respect of animal fibre, meat and dairy products. There are about 20 sheep breeds in South Africa. The Merino, Dorper, Mutton Merino, Dohne Merino, Dormer and the Black-headed Persian are all found here. The distribution of these breeds is shown on the maps (screened areas).
Merino Merinos come from Spain and the first specimens of the breed arrived in South Africa in 1789.
Description The Merino is a white-woolled sheep which produces good-quality fine wool. The breed has a reasonable meat conformation.
Uses Northern Province The Merino is used mainly Pretoria Mpumalanga for wool North West Gauteng production, Ermelo but also Free State contributes Bloemfontein KwaZulu-Natal to the meat Northern Cape industry. Wool yields a substantial Eastern income. Cape Merinos occur Western Cape throughout the Cape Town country.
2 Dorper During the thirties a need arose for a breed that would be well adapted to the drier parts of the country and that could produce a good carcass. The Dorper was bred from a cross between a Dorset Horn ram and a Black- headed Persian ewe.
Description The Dorper is a big, sturdily built mutton sheep with a black head and a white body. The body is covered with a mixture of wool and hair; the other bare areas are covered with white hair. Shearing is, however, not necessary. The breed is fertile and extremely hardy. The ewes have good mothering qualities and produce large quantities of milk. The lambs grow very fast and are ready for slaughtering at 4 months of age.
Uses The Dorper is mainly used for slaughter lamb production under extensive veld conditions. The rams fare well in cross-breeding programmes. The adapt Northern ability of the Province Polokwane breed means that this breed
Pretoria Mpumalanga adapts easily Lichtenburg Gauteng to various North West climates and feeding Upington Free State conditions. Bloemfontein KwaZulu-Natal There is a Northern Cape great demand Durban for the skins because Eastern these are Cape used for Western making good- Cape Cape Town quality leather products.
3 South African Mutton Merino (German Merino) The SA Mutton Merino is a descendant of the German Mutton Merino.
Description It is a large dual-purpose sheep with a good conformation, meat properties and high-quality white wool. The wool provides an extra income. The breed is very mobile and well adapted to different climates and veld conditions. Multiple births occur frequently. The lambs have a good growth ability.
Uses The SA Mutton Merino is used for wool and meat production. This breed played a prominent role in the development of other breeds such as the Dormer and Dohne Merino. The rams are suitable for cross-breeding. Because of its adaptability, the SA Mutton Merino occurs countrywide.
Northern Province Polokwane
Pretoria Mpumalanga Lichtenburg Gauteng North West Ermelo
Free State Bloemfontein KwaZulu-Natal Northern Cape
Eastern Cape Western Cape Town Cape Port Elizabeth
4 Dohne Merino A need arose in the Eastern Cape for a sheep breed that would be well adapted to the pastures and climate of the sour grassveld areas. Good reproduction characteristics and the ability to produce both wool and meat were further requirements. The Dohne Merino originated from crossing SA Mutton Merino rams (German Merino) with Merino ewes.
Description The Dohne Merino is a hornless sheep with a good meat conformation and high- quality fine to medium Merino wool which is a source of additional income.
Uses The Dohne Merino is a dual-purpose breed which produces wool and mutton Northern and is fairly Province well distributed throughout the country. There Mpumalanga are, however, Gauteng areas such North West Ermelo as the South- Free State western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal Highveld and Northern Cape sour grassveld areas of the Eastern Cape Eastern and the Free Cape State that are Western Cape Port Elizabeth particularly Cape Town suitable for this breed.
5 Dormer A need arose for a breed which would be adapted to the climate and grazing conditions of the winter rainfall area which would still produce slaughter lambs of good quality at an early age. The Dormer was bred from the Dorset Horn and the SA Mutton Merino (German Merino).
Description The Dormer is a hornless, white- woolled sheep with a smooth body and good meat conformation. The breed is very fertile and multiple births occur frequently. Lambs are small at birth, but grow very rapidly. The breed has an inbred resistance to the Muellerius lungworm.
Uses The breed is used exclusively for meat Northern production. Province Lambs have a good feed Mpumalanga conversion Pretoria rate. The Gauteng North West Ermelo rams can be used in cross- Free State KwaZulu-Natal breeding Bloemfontein programmes Northern Cape to improve meat production. Eastern The Dormer Cape occurs mainly Western Cape in the winter Cape Town rainfall areas.
6 Black-headed Persian The Black-headed Persian is one of the oldest sheep breeds known to man and is indigenous in Somalia and Arabia.
Description It is a fat-tailed slaughter sheep with a black head and white body. It has a striking crescent-shaped dewlap. The body is covered with hair. There is no wool, which means that shearing is not necessary. The breed is highly fertile, adapts easily and is relatively better Northern Province resistant to certain Mpumalanga diseases than Gauteng other sheep North West breeds.
Upington Free State KwaZulu-Natal Uses Northern Cape A Black- headed Eastern Persian ewe Cape was used to Western breed the Cape Cape Town Dorper. The fat tail is very popular among some consumers. The breed does well under dry, extensive conditions. High-grade, thin leather gloves (Cape glover) are made from the skin.
7 For further information contact the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria
Tel: 012 420 3267 • Fax: 012 420 3290
2008 Revised 1998 First print
Compiled by Directorate Agricultural Information Services, Department of Agriculture Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria
Published by Department of Agriculture
Obtainable from Resource Centre, Directorate Agricultural Information Services Private Bag X144, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Tel: 012 319 7141/7085
and on the web at: www.nda.agric.za/publications
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