Dorper
Rams Thriving in -28o
F Weather
Scrapie
continues to be at the forefront of our Industry. The national surveillance
survey of 12,500 sheep, which is reprinted in the Newsletter, revealed 36
positive cases. Over half of the positive animals were in the eastern US.
Overall, 75% were black face sheep (only two were white face). The article by
Dr. Kennedy, also printed here, elucidates the problem all sheep breeders face.
As a quick
review, codon 171 has the possibility of QQ, QR or RR genes (there are H and K
genes as well, but don’t worry about them). Sheep with one R gene are
resistant to Scrapie, and a RR animal is almost always resistant.
I recently
decided to check my best Fullblood animals for codon 171. I drew blood in
vacutaner tubes that Gene Check sent me from Ft Collins, CO ( Pipestone has them
as well). Gene Check (800 822 6740) is one of two USDA approved labs for these
studies in the US. The test for codon 171 costs $14.
I had trouble
using the special needles they sent, so I just used a 5CC syringe and then
squirted the blood into the vacutaner tube. Of the 15 samples I sent, two of my
best breeding ewes had an R gene. One was a White Dorper and the other Dorper It
is unusual to find R genes in Dorpers. This ewe’s sire was R18 of Riverwood so
I checked with Ron Guenther, and he concurred that R18 had indeed produced other
progeny with similar genetics. With the results on these ewes, I checked 30
offspring of the ewes, and more foundation sheep, (one gets better at hitting
that big neck vein the more you do) and came up with 15 other sheep having an R.
I will now follow the leads from these animals on another 26 animals.
Fortunately 90% of the positive sheep were either Type 4s or 5s.
This will be of great help in choosing my matings in the future. I think
that all serious breeders of Dorper and White Dorper stud animals should
consider doing the same thing. The assessment of Scrapie is a tidal wave we all
must overcome and get beyond as soon as possible. Top quality RR rams will be
invaluable for our Society’s breeders.
I recently
spoke to Gene Check. About the first of February they will have a card available
that only needs a drop of blood for the test. One could put a drop on the card
while docking and be off and running. The cards will cost 50 cents each.
On a
different note, the article on Dorper color genetics that is reprinted in the
Newsletter may make your eyes glaze over, but one point is very interesting. To
most of us a Dorper is a white sheep with a black head. We have all wondered how
all those lambs that look like Gateway Computer boxes could have come out of a
white ewe, and a white ram with a black head. Actually, as noted in the article,
a Dorper is a black sheep with a big white spot over the body and lower neck.
Strange! No wonder we get those lambs on the first cross.
One more
digression…. we have always been told that Dorper leather is quite special.
About six months ago I decided to put it to the test and sent a Fullblood and a
7/8 hide to Yost Tanning in Wisconsin. I just got my skins back and they are
remarkable. The leather is as smooth as butter, with a tight grain and no flaws.
I salivate to think about a pair of gloves or a jacket from this product. I will
bring the hides with me to all of our shows and to Oregon in October for members
and the public to see.
The Society
continues to prosper. In 2003 we had 5,478 registrations, as opposed to 4,697 in
2002. This year should be even better.
Best wishes to all.
When Deb and
I purchased our first Dorper sheep in 2000, we also purchased some Dorsets to
use in our upgrading program. Unfortunately,
Scrapie was traced to one of the Dorset flocks.
All eight animals we had purchased from this producer were tested.
All eight animals were clinically healthy; though testing resulted in one
of these animals being positive for scrapie in 2003.
We then genetically tested 458 animals and approximately 180 were removed
from our flock.
Our flock is
no longer under quarantine for Scrapie. In
the next issue I intend to report on the whole procedure because I think that
everyone in the sheep business ought to have an insight into the realities of
this program.
My
preliminary thoughts are that the State and Federal Veterinarians and staff
people we worked with did their job well. They
were informative, accurate, courteous, and always willing to answer questions
and coordinate the procedure. The
biggest glitch was the Minnesota Diagnostic Lamb.
For decades they haven’t figured out how to give prompt and practical
service.
We sheared
the other day and that is a good reminder that the lambing season is just around
the corner. We were anticipating
completion of a new lambing barn in September, but after numerous delays it
still doesn’t have a roof on it. It
is time to think about adding Rumensin and possibly some AS700 to the grain
supplement for ewes. Both products
help prevent abortion and suppress Coccidia exposure in the new born lambs.
Depending on
the origin of your hay and length you have been in dry lot, you may want to
think about supplementing Vitamin E. That
can be done through feed or water.
If you are in
a selenium deficient area, you need to think about selenium.
It makes a lot of sense to provide it in feed or salt that injects it.
Heading into
the lambing season you need a source of colostrums for the lambs whose ewes fail
to provide adequate amounts. I
always have frozen colostrums from the previous year.
You can take cows colostrums and add some dry milk replacer and make a
good product. There are a lot of
counterfeit colostrums products out there.
I’ve tried a lot of ways to process lambs, but I have finally settled on using elastrator bands on tails and testicles. I also inject 1 cc of penicillin and 1 cc of CDT at processing time. Works for me!
February
24 - 26, 2004
The San
Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is being held the last week in February.
The Dorpers will check in on Tuesday the 24th
and show on Thursday the 26th.
We had a good turn out last year and hope for a better one this year.
April
5, 2004
The Lometa
Commission Company has been holding semi-annual Dorper Sales for several
years. Past consignments from ADSBS
members include: Half-Circle Six Ranch, Jerry Pulley, Keith Kugler, Kahlden
Farms and Powell Ranch.
The next sale
will be April 5, 2004. Further
information can be obtained by contacting Tim Medford at 512-752-5800.
June
22 - 26, 2004
The National
Dorper and White Dorper Show and Sale is scheduled in Sedalia, Missouri the
22nd
through 26th
of June. Dorpers will show on
Tuesday afternoon the 22nd and sell late morning the 24th.
August
20 - 22, 2004
The North
American Dorper and White Dorper Sale is scheduled for the 20th
through 22nd
of August in the air-conditioned Kerrville, Texas Convention Center. Kerrville
is located on Interstate 10 and is easily accessible for buyers from the
Southwestern US and Mexico.
October
21 - 24, 2004
The Annual
General Meeting of the ADSBS will be held in Amity, Oregon at Broadmead
Farms from October 21-24. Courses on judging Dorpers and White Dorpers
will be held in conjunction with the Meeting. We hope to have Ernest Connan, the
President of the Dorper Breeders’ Society of South Africa, and another
prominent South African judge come for the event. This is the best learning
experience possible for Dorper and White Dorper breeders.
June
and October, 2004
Inspection
of your Dorper and White Dorper
flocks can be scheduled in June and October, and possibly other
months when a certified Inspector from South Africa is in the US. Inspection is
valuable to identify your top animals as well as to help plan overall flock
management. Please notify Mike as soon as possible to schedule a visit.
The cost is $1 per head to evaluate animals; another $1 per head if you wish to
tag your sheep with official color and number designated ADSBS Type tags.
Type 5- Blue
Type 4- Red
Type 3- White
With the color differences you can immediately identify your best animals. There is a $200 per day charge for the inspector’s time. The member will be responsible for the Inspectors lodging and travel expenses.