Productive performance of Dorper sheep

Cloete, S.W.P.; Snyman, MA; Herselman, M.J.

doi:10.1016/s0921-4488(99)00156-x

Cited by 119 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…These fatter carcasses result in the higher dressing percentages seen in Dorper lambs of 45.5% and 46.8% reported by Snyman & Herselman (2005). Therefore, Dorper lambs are slaughtered at lower live to avoid carcasses being classified as over-fat (Cloete, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs

et al. 2017

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This study investigated the effect of feedlot production on lamb growth characteristics of three common South African breeds: Merino, South African Mutton Merino (SAMM) and Dorper. Lambs were supplied with a balanced diet (16% crude protein, 9.41 MJ ME/kg feed) ad libitum and had free access to water. Lambs from each breed were divided into six groups. One group of each breed was slaughtered every three weeks until 105 days under feedlot production were reached. The weights of the lambs were recorded weekly, along with feed intake, to obtain the individual daily intake, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio ( The results confirm that the Merino is a late maturing breed that is recognised for its wool rather than meat production, and therefore exhibits weaker growth characteristics. The SAMM is a dual-purpose breed that has also been selected for growth and meat production, and therefore exhibits desirable production characteristics, while the Dorper is an early maturing breed that deposits localized fat at an earlier age as it grows, thereby producing fatter carcasses than SAMM and Merino lambs. Therefore, Dorper lambs should be slaughtered at lower live weights so that carcasses are not graded as over-fat. ______________________________________________________________________________________

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs

et al. 2017

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“…The Dorper is a composite breed developed in South Africa from a cross between the Blackhead Persian and the Dorset Horn (Cloete et al, 2000). The breed was introduced in Australia from South Africa 1996 (Almeida, 2011) in order to increase meat production from the more arid regions as the Dorper is a hair breed that is able to survive in a harsh environment and under poor nutrition (Cloete et al, 2000). The Australian Merino is a highly productive wool breed that is considered well adapted to extensive production systems, and has been the basis of sheep production in Australia over the last 200 years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gene expression of regulatory enzymes involved in the intermediate metabolism of sheep subjected to feed restriction

Harten

Brito

Almeida

et al. 2013

Animal

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The effect of feed restriction on gene expression of regulatory enzymes of intermediary metabolism was studied in two sheep breeds (Australian Merino and Dorper) subjected to two nutritional treatments: feed restriction (85% of daily maintenance requirements) and control (ad libitum feeding), during 42 days. The experimental animals (ram lambs) were divided into four groups, n 5 5 (Australian Merino control (MC), Australian Merino Restriction (MR), Dorper control (DC) and Dorper Restriction (DR)). After the trial, animals were sacrificed and samples were taken from liver tissue to quantify glucose levels and gene expression of relevant intermediary metabolism enzymes (phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase, glycogen synthase (GS), fatty acid synthase (FAS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and carbamoyl phosphate synthase (CPS)) through real-time PCR. During the experimental period, the MR animals lost 12.6% in BW compared with 5.3% lost by the Dorper lambs. MC and DC rams gained, respectively, 8.8% and 14% during the same period. Within the Dorper breed, restricted feed animals revealed a significant decrease over controls in the transcription of PFK (1.95-fold) and PK (2.26-fold), both glycolytic enzymes. The gluconeogenesis showed no change in the feed restricted animals of both breeds. DR feed group presented a significant decrease over the homologous Merino sheep group on GS. In both experimental breeds, FAS mRNA expression was decreased in restricted feed groups. GDH expression was decreased only in the DR animals (1.84-fold) indicating a reduced catabolism of amino acids in these animals. Finally, CPS was significantly (P , 0.05) higher in the Dorper sheep, indicating a facilitated urea synthesis in this breed. These results indicate a better adaptation of metabolic intermediate regulatory enzymes and hepatic glucose production of Dorper sheep to feed restriction concurring with the BW results in the experimental groups. ImplicationsThe relevant negative impact in livestock production due to seasonal dry periods within tropical and arid climate regions highlights the need to understand genetic and metabolic adaptation mechanisms to periodical feed restriction. Our results concerning changes in BW and genomic expressions of intermediary metabolism regulatory enzymes of ram lambs of Dorper and Australian Merino breeds subjected to ad libitum and to 85% maintenance energy requirements show that Dorper have a better adaptation to feed restriction than the Merino sheep. Our findings can contribute to future research guidelines leading to improved genetic selection toward livestock adaptation to harsh environments.

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“…Lambs are low selective and gain on an average 0.24Á0.28 kg/day and have a dressing percentage of 50% (Cloete et al 2000). Dorper sheep are less selective grazers, utilise shrubs and bushes to a greater extent and also consume a larger number of different plant species, consuming less herbage per metabolic size compared with other breeds (Brand 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving performance of Zackel sheep through cross-breeding with prolific Bluefaced Leicester under semi-intensive and extensive production systems

Gavojdian

Cziszter

Sossidou

et al. 2013

Journal of Applied Animal Research

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The aim of the current research was to evaluate the effects of cross-breeding Romanian indigenous Turcana (TA) ewes belonging to the Zackel breed group with prolific Bluefaced Leicester (BL) rams on the performance and reproduction rates of F 1 cross-bred descendants under semi-intensive and extensive production systems. The UK stratified sheep production system was applied for the development of the cross-breeding scheme. F 1 Bluefaced Leicester )Turcana (F 1 BL )TA) cross-bred ewes proved to be highly precocious and registered an average fertility rate of 94.7% when mated as ewe lambs, compared with 9.52% (p 50.001) of the pure-bred TA. F 1 BL) TA cross females registered an average prolificacy of 159 and 202% when mated at the ages of 8 and 18 months, respectively, while the TA ewes produced on average 112 and 127% (p 5 0.01 and p 5 0.001, respectively). 3 W: Dorper )(F 1 BL )TA) cross-breds had different (p 5 0.001) weaning weights at the age of 90 days when reared semi-intensively (31.0 kg) and extensively (27.6 kg). Introducing the stratified sheep production system into Central, Eastern and Southern Europe could prove valuable for improving meat performance on farms that keep Zackel sheep under semi-intensive and extensive production systems.

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Productive performance of Dorper sheep

Cited by 119 publications

References 11 publications

Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs

Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Merino, South African Mutton Merino and Dorper lambs

Gene expression of regulatory enzymes involved in the intermediate metabolism of sheep subjected to feed restriction

Improving performance of Zackel sheep through cross-breeding with prolific Bluefaced Leicester under semi-intensive and extensive production systems

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