Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

History

The Dohne is a dual-purpose breed developed by the South African Department of Agriculture using Peppin-type Merino ewes and German Mutton Merino sires. The progeny were interbred and selected for high fertility, rapid lamb growth rate and fine wool under commercial pastoral conditions. The breeding program was initiated in 1939 and the Breed society was formed in 1966. Selection since 1970 has been done with the aid of performance and progeny testing and comprehensive production records in respect of all recorded animals are maintained in a computerised flock-recording scheme.

The Dohne Today

The Dohne today is a well balanced dual-purpose breed that allows the commercial producer to market both a quality heavy weight lamb and fine/medium white wool. In general appearance the Dohne is naturally polled, plain-bodied to a light frontal developed type, with or without small visible wrinkles in full fleece. The Dohne is one of the leading woolled breeds in South Africa and its percentage of the national flock is still climbing.

Production

• High fertility (110-130%) is combined with rapid lamb growth rate (350 gm/day) up to weaning, making the Dohne a highly efficient meat producer.
• Slaughter lambs achieve a marketing weight of up to 50 kg at 6 months of age.
• Mature body weight of ewes varies from 55 to 65 kg, depending on environment.
• Ewes produce from 5 to 6 kg of high quality fine/medium white wool of 18 to 22 micron.

Adaptability

• Being plain bodied, the easy care features of the Dohne include fleece rot and fly strike resistance.
• The Dohne is adapted to a wide range of environmental and climatic conditions from intensive production to extensive arid rangeland, and is a non-selective grazer.

Dohnes in Australia

• Recent importations of frozen embryos from selected South African ewes into Western and Eastern Australia has enabled the Australian sheep producer to access the best production benefits offered by the Dohne breed.
• Early F1 (over the hook) sales have produced export weight lambs attracting favourable comments from processors, for excellent carcass composition and optimal (2-4) fat scores. Carcass prices up to $3.50/kg and sales reaching 720c/kg for 18 to 19 micron wool. 

Quality Assurance

• Ram breeding flocks must be registered by the ADBA and use the Dohne breed evaluation system, which is owned and managed by the ADBA.
• The Dohne is the only breed of livestock in Australia that requires its ram breeders to maintain and use full pedigree performance records to ensure their product is accurately described and quickly identifies superior animals thus accelerating genetic improvement of the breed. This same system allows ram buyers to confidently purchase a high quality genetic package that will maximise commercial profitability.