With anthelmintic resistance building and producers growing tired of deworming their flocks, hair sheep continue to gain more attention as an "easy care" sheep. New shepherds are attracted to hair sheep for the same reasons. Meat goat producers are giving them a look. In fact, many hair sheep producers sell their ewe lambs even before they are born. There is even a large export market for improved hair sheep genetics.
At the time when I was getting into the Dorper Sheep business, there was little data to document the advantages of hair sheep, especially with regards to the improved breeds (Katahdin and Dorper). Today, numerous universities and experiment stations have incorporated hair sheep into their research programs, and we now have data that supports the claims that hair sheep producers and their respective breed associations had been making all along. Of course, this same data confirms some of the short-comings of hair sheep breeds, once again, reminding us that there is no perfect breed(s) of sheep.
A few years ago, the Dorper was a little known commodity. Today, while fullblood Dorpers still command top price, Dorper genetics are much more affordable, and this meaty South African breed is commanding the attention of even the most skeptical shepherds. Thats one of the main reasons that I chose to start Kalos Farms here in Whitewright Tx . The Dorper Sheep is very easy to take care of as opposed to raising goats. I started out wanting to raise good quality meat goats. But after looking over the economics of the meat goat vs meat sheep, I decided for myself that the meat sheep was for me. Then after a little research, I determined that the Dorper was a great way to start this little adventure!
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