Researcher Puts The Call Out for Dorper Donations

Writer: Steve Byrns, Communications Specialist, (915) 653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu

SAN ANGELO, TX – “Calling all Dorpers” is the plea going out from Dr. Dan Waldron, research geneticist
with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. He needs help from Dorper sheep breeders to conduct a study
comparing Dorpers to Rambouillet sheep.

He must have 120 high percentage (7/8 or higher) ewe lambs from 20-25 different breeders in order to conduct
the proposed six-to-eight year study on the Texas Range Station located south of Barnhart in northern Crockett
County.
 
“Most U.S. research trials evaluating the productivity of Dorpers have used them as a sire breed,” said Waldron.
“However, the Dorper can help the U.S. sheep industry most as a ewe breed. There is a real need now for an
objective evaluation of the performance of Dorper ewes under arid range conditions.”

“Breeders interested in supporting an unbiased evaluation of this newcomer to the U.S. sheep industry against
the time-tested standard of the West Texas range sheep industry, the Rambouillet, are asked to donate two-to-six
Dorper ewe lambs each to the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.”

Waldron said the study will evaluate lifetime lamb production in a range sheep operation. Both breeds, Dorper
and Rambouillet, will be bred to rams of a third breed to produce crossbred lambs that will be evaluated for
growth and carcass traits. After the first few crossbred lamb crops, the Dorper ewes will be bred to Dorper rams
to raise purebred or high percentage replacement ewes to sustain the project.

“We’re not interested in becoming purebred Dorper breeding stock producers,” said Waldron. “We are
interested in providing sheep producers with the information they need to make a valid breed comparison for
lamb production. No offspring from donated ewes will be sold as breeding stock.”

The researcher said he must have commitments from breeders by March 31 in order to assemble the research
flock this summer. Plans are to obtain the ewe lambs in June and July.

Donations are tax deductible. Donors will be furnished with an acknowledgment of the gifts reflecting the
donors’ estimated value of the ewe lambs.

The Experiment Station will arrange for transportation of animals accepted into the project.
 
To donate ewe lambs or for further information contact Dr. Dan Waldron, Texas Agricultural Experiment
Station at (915) 653-4576 or e-mail him at:  d-waldron@tamu.edu.