With a passion for hosting a diverse range of animals on Synchronicity Farm based on the objective of raising our own meat, we purchased a ram and two ewes from a local farmer in Karangi in 2013. Having started with three we now have fourteen so there is certainly no question
of their fertility.
Essentially, we wanted to get experience with larger animals and we are seeking advice and guidance to learn how to butcher them for food in a humane and sanitary way. Its a big learning curve but one that we are very interested in as it fits with our belief that to eat meat, we should be involved in the complete food cycle from birth, food provision, animal health, breeding and ultimately dispatching them in a fast, zero stress environment.
Our sheep are the Dorper breed which was developed in South Africa in the 1930s with the cross breeding of the Blackhead Persian ewes with a Dorset Horn ram. The breed was introduced into Australia in 1996 and has the potential to be developed for domestic and export meat markets.
White Dorpers and Dorpers are quickly becoming the fastest growing sheep breed in Australia, due to their potential to adapt to the many varying climates and grazing conditions that Australia has to offer and the greater profitability that can be gained when using such a superior breed as the Dorper breed. Dorpers were bred to produce a high quality carcass under extensive conditions, thus have the reputation of rapid weight gain, excellent carcass conformation and fantastic fat distribution.
In late 2015 we began looking for a new Ram so that we can diversify the gene pool within our animals. Since caring for these tame animals, we have learned about dealing with their horns and toenails and we built them a little sheep house to provide some shelter from the rain.
With a real need to expand their paddock we have been feeding them supplementary lucerne bales and mineral licks.