Sheep are a very useful animal to have on a farm. They really help with brush control and fertilization of pasture, plus they rotate in pastures well with other animals to keep everything properly grazed. In addition to this they provide about the best tasting meat known to man! The problem with sheep is that they have to be sheared, and with wool prices so low you loose money on the fleece unless you shear them yourself (not a fun job). Sheep also tend to get hoof rot easily and are eaten by predators.  It was these obstacles that made me choose a hair sheep. Hair sheep shed out their coats every spring and grow a thicker wool in the winter for protection. They tend to be a bit hardier when it comes to hoof rot and the Dorpers are known for their good mothering qualities so you have less lamb losses. Katahdin sheep are another hair sheep, but I have tasted both Dorper an Katahdin and the Dorper has a far superior flavor and wonderfully delicate grain of meat. Because they are a short statured sheep all of their growth goes into muscle, they have an earlier butcher time then the average lamb and provide better, more tender cuts of meat.

My little flock of Dorper sheep is very small as I just purchased them. They are a production herd only (not registered) but were specifically selected for milk quality and shedding ability. The woman who developed this herd did a wonderful job of selecting fine sheep and you can tell in the body type and hair quality of these lambs. Dorpers come in two varieties: Dorper (white with a black head and neck) and White Dorpers (pure white). With registered, show stock you select for color and markings and cull out spotted sheep. The herd my sheep came from were not culled based on color - so some of them have quite lovely spots and splashes all over their body. I really like the extra color, especially since the type is so excellent and meat production will be just as good.

NEW SPRING BABIES!!!

This is our Guard llama - Angel (she is just like a guardian Angel). She is a joy to watch with her little herd of sheep. She is always watching them and gathers them up if she thinks there is danger. It is fun to see her talk to the sheep and 'hug' them with her long neck. Angel is tolerant toward me and the kids - and any animals that she knows belong on the property. She does not tolerate strange animals around her sheep and will gather up the sheep, then run the intruder off. We are so grateful to Becky Rosenfelder for letting us have Angel with the Dorpers.