Year of the Dorper: why ram sale strength is about more than the lamb market
- tullingawhitedorpe
- Oct 29
- 3 min read
Sentiment has been positive across most sheep breeds during the spring studstock season, but the top Dorper studs have consistently recorded some of the strongest averages. While record lamb prices have played a part, those in the industry say saleyard premiums, low input costs, and better education has also helped to boost the breed's status.
Notable results this season include Dell Dorpers, Moama, which averaged $5796 for 123 rams. Tullinga Dorper Studs, Condobolin, sold 126 rams to average $5406, while Deepdale Dorpers, which is based in Merrinee, Victoria, but has a large client case in western NSW, averaged $5239 for 147 rams.
Gravesend's Amarula Dorpers averaged $4476 for 149 rams, Dust'n Rain, Pooncarie, averaged $4183 for 109 rams, and Burrawang Dorpers, Ootha, averaged $3769 for 116 rams at its March sale, while its spring result included 147 rams averaging $3833.
Tullinga's Alex Wald and studmaster Barend Cronje, Condobolin, said low production costs, saleyard premiums, and accelerated joinings were helping driving the breed's popularity.
Ms Wald said many of their clients sold through the Forbes saleyards and were being rewarded with substantial premiums. She said a Tamworth operator paid $3.50 a head to transport lambs to Forbes but consistently made and extra $75 for each lamb.
Some other yards still listed Dorpers as an exotic breed, but Forbes saleyards took care with their yarding and had a strong run of cleanskins. "It just allows the buyers to get their eye back in, because the Dorpers are a different type to the first-cross," she said.
"It's 10 to 20 per cent of their yarding every week, the shedding sheep."
Mr Cronje, who is also a certified inspector with the Dorper Sheep Society of Australia, said the formal qualification process helped ensure quality within the breed was maintained.
The DSSA also held compulsory events for inspectors to meet, view sheep, and discuss what they were noticing within the breed.
"Dorper rams have to last so much longer than other sheep because you use them so many times," he said.
"You don't just use them once a year, you use them about three times."
Accelerated joinings, which comprised of three lambings in two years, meant producers could run fewer rams as they would only join half their ewes at a time.
It also ensured operations always had lambs coming through to sell. "That's what's made a big difference to our business, just always being able to take the price that's there, and it doesn't hit you too hard because you're ready for the next price," Ms Wald said.
The pair agreed there was better understanding about how best to manage Dorpers now, and there was plenty of information and help for those getting started with the breed.
John Settree, Nutrien studstock, said while he expected Dell to be very strong, the result still exceeded expectations. The strength of the lamb market injected industry confidence, he said, but studs were also being rewarded for their investment in genetics.
He noted there were still producers making the move out of Merinos, due to the higher input costs associated with wool, and some had tried other shedding breeds but found Dorpers better suited to their operation. He noted the breed had been established in South Africa for about 80 years, and had been in Australia for about 30.
.... Continue full article here - Dorper studs thrive during 2025 studstock selling season | The Land | NSW
Courtesy of Rebecca Nadge, The Land
