CENTRAL DORPERS NEWSLETTER

November 2001

• Presidents Report
• Scribes Scribbles
• AWEX rules open to interpretation
• Around the traps
• Steps to take after selling stud animals
• Royal Adelaide Show Results
• Web Sites

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

It has been a busy year for breeders in the Region with several people representing the Breed at a number of events.

Karoonda Sheep Fair saw representation from two breeders and presentation of their pens was a credit to them and the breed.  A major mix up in the identification of the carcasses was the only thing that prevented the Dorper crosses taking top honors. The breeder received an apology from the organizers but it was too late to reverse the problem.

Dorpers and White Dorpers were displayed at The Seymour Show.

Hamilton SheepVention saw two breeders exhibit and attract a lot of interest from other breed exhibitors.

Two breeders displayed at the Adelaide Royal show.

White Dorpers displayed at the  Speed Field Days and Paskeville Field Days

Several hundred of the colour fliers have been handed out in the region.

It is proposed to try and organize classes for the Dorper at the Bendigo sheep show in 2002 – The sheep shows are ideal for promotion and showing is the most economical method of display using empty pens for posters and info distribution.

There is more feedback now coming in at the displays relating to eating quality of Dorper crosses, the ability to fire up when in feedlots and dressing percentages.

A line of F1 wethers was followed through Tatiara meat and it was interesting to see that the ViaScan reading was 52-56%

Remembering that the breed has been visually selected for 50 years it is interesting to note that the Dorper performs very well in LambPlan with some of the highest ranking animals in the country both pure and cross.

Reports from clients with other British breeds also relate that the Dorper crosses keep going when it gets drier in summer where the other breeds run to wool. Indications are that the Dorper crosses then pick up when feed comes available without needing to be shorn.

While there has been no Society expenditure on promotion in the region this is mainly because all the promotional events have been sponsored by the breeders involved. This still leaves accumulated funds in the kitty for some future event.

Lou Mawson has had a White Dorper skin tanned for leather and it is very soft and strong.  Keep a look out for it at her field day displays.

Some growers have been reporting some processors interstate have given no value to the skin on Dorper crosses.  This is not true as they return reasonable money in SA. 

The contamination issue keeps raising it's head and we must be ever vigilant that wool segregation practices in line with AWEX specifications are adhered too.

The issue has been garnished with innuendo and fear mongering directly related to courses for renewal of owner classer stencil. Some growers in all honesty believe that they will not be able to sell their wool if contaminated by "exotic" breeds when the truth is that at worst some discount will apply.

This must all be handled with some sensitivity and mentioning only the facts. 

 The performance of the breed is slowly being recognized both in the arid zones and the high rainfall areas but it is a slow process displacing existing breeds. I would encourage members to show stock, display at field days and exhibit at the lamb competitions in the region to keep Dorpers in the mind of commercial producers.

Denis Russell

SCRIBE’S SCRIBBLE

The Central Region AGM was held on 19th October 2001. We all had a lot to discuss and debate which made for a very productive meeting. The Minutes will probably have been circulated before this newsletter goes to print so I won’t cover the details here.

Our Central Region covers a very large area with members spread from one end to the other. If a member is unable to make it to the next meeting scheduled for February  8th   2002 and would like an issue aired at the meeting please send or Email this to the Scribe and it will be tabled for discussion.

I would also be pleased to hear from anyone who wishes to submit any sort of article, advertising or even trivia for inclusion into our newsletters. We want members to look forward to this publication !

It was mentioned in the last National Newsletter of August 2001 that ideas for a new logo design be forwarded for inclusion in the next National newsletter due out in November 2001. Please make an effort to submit your ideas. Remember that the name will probably be changed to the Dorper Sheep Society of Australia Inc. and both the White Dorper and the Dorper need to be represented.

Well, ram selling season is well and truly upon us. I wish you all a very successful season and look forward to hearing  of  favorable reports.

Remember to submit anything of interest for inclusion in future regional newsletter - much of this newsletter will also be included in the National Newsletter.
Advertising and advertorials for inclusion in the National Newsletter to be sent directly to Rob Martin with payment.
Advertising rates - ring the Head Office  08 8210 5230.

AWEX RULES OPEN TO INTERPRETATION

Article reprinted with permission from Helen Schultz
( Snakebite Column the  STOCK JOURNAL )
September 27th 2001

I believe every sheep meat and wool producer who has had the opportunity to read a copy of the Australian Wool Exchange’s code of practice for the preparation of wool clips must have serious questions for whoever advised AWEX on the content of this review.

I personally found many parts of it discriminatory, ambiguous, inaccurate, lacking in credibility, biased, non-scientific and having the potential to seriously undermine the sheep meat industry in this country.

From my comments, you would obviously gather that I was not impressed. In fact, I would question why members of the Quality Advisory Committee, who developed this code, did not consult with one representative from all the sheep meat breeds they discriminated against in their review - even just purely out of courtesy ?

This review document for 2001-2003 has been drawn up to instruct the 23,000 woolclassers and owner- woolclassers throughout Australia on the correct shed and labeling procedures to avoid contamination of wool clips. With serious considerations directed by AWEX where it believes there is a danger of medulated, pigmented or even ‘white’ fibre contamination, they forgot to include one thing when they produced this piece of literary genius, and that was an interpretation booklet.

You see, the reports from the handful of classers I spoke to indicated not one has interpreted this booklet in the same way as another.

Ultimately, this means not only as a wool grower do you run the risk of being severely penalized financially if this book is misinterpreted by the classer, but also based on interpretation, if you are also a sheep meat producer, there is not one Australasian, British or imported sheep breed you can use that does not fall under the new risk categories classifications from 3 to 5.

Again, depending on interpretation, just their mere existence on the property was enough, according to one classer, to think he should downgrade that producer’s wool clip.

So what are some of these risk categories ? The Merino and the Australian Superfine have categories of only 1. How predictable.

Border Leicesters, Poll Dorsets and Corriedales, for instance, are all 3. Suffolks, White Suffolks and Southdowns are 4 and Dorpers and Damaras are 5. Don’t worry, just because I didn’t mention the breed, doesn’t mean it’s not there. They’re all there - Texels, Dorset Horns, East Friesians, Wiltshire’s, Drysdales and so on.

To avoid any possible contamination from pigmented or medulated fibres, there is an obvious shearing order in the shed. I mean that’s just commonsense. However, this overriding statement in the document always goes back to the same thing, “it’s the woolclasser’s responsibility to mark all the bales with a Y suffix derived from :

·       Sheep that have been in contact with exotic breeds which carry pigmented fibres within the 2 months prior to shearing.

·       Ewes that have reared exotic cross bred lambs within the wool growth period. Also, if the woolclasser has reason to believe there is a risk of contamination from pigmented fibres relevant bales must be marked with the suffix Y.

My God, everything from that interpretation could be a potential risk.

This in it’s self, along with the term ‘exotic’, is a terribly ambiguous statement, and I can’t see any woolclassers prepared to risk his or her stamp or stencil trying to follow that sort of inept guidance. For that reason, the poor woolclassers might just as well put a Y on every bloody pack, regardless !

One breed organization in WA is so concerned by the discriminatory nature of this document they have already written to the Sheep Meat Research and Development Group asking these pertinent questions :

• What creditable, scientific and measurable studies have been undertaken to identify breeds ‘white’ or other that have been used to formulate the risk category for potential contamination labels ?
• Does the application of contamination warnings apply to all clips if a danger of medulated fibre exists from ‘white’ breeds or shed pollutants ?
• What safeguards are there for the producer against selective discounting by the broker / processor based on discretionary use of the contaminations/warnings label ?
• What guarantees are in place for the producer that complies with the code of practice so that downstream blending or processing does not pollute his clip and hence his returns may be discounted even though his clip was ‘clean’ when it left the shed ?

None of us wishes to see the issue of wool contamination taken lightly. However, there are a few facts that need addressing. One is, sheep breeds such as the Suffolk, for instance, do not shed fibre. Also, whether we want to admit it or not, the Merino can carry a black gene. To risk categorize the Border Leicester, for instance, as 3 and the Merino as 1, I find unjustifiable.

If there is such concern for ‘white’ fibre contamination from other breeds, then where in this code of practice does it state that without pre-shearing the legs, wig and face of the Merino their risk category would be increased to 3, due to potential contamination?

Finally, these last two points in this new AWEX Code of Practice might leave you with a bit of a smile : “ Black bristled brooms are NOT to be used” in the shearing shed. But I was pleased to see you can use a “blackboard or a white board” for your wool bin identification signs.

AROUND THE TRAPS

TOP $$$
Congratulations must go to Shane Greenslade of Maitland. He presented White Dorper cross lambs at the Dublin market in late October and received top dollar. The price of $95/head was equal top of the day with a skin value of $14.00. Buyers were advised that they were White Doprer cross lambs and were obviously keen to purchase at any cost. The Dublin saleyards sell on average days 25,000 sheep & lambs.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Some people are reporting disappointing results from mating their 7 month old WDxMerino F1 ewes. When you think about it, these ewes are expected to gestate and deliver a lamb or two while they are only still lambs themselves and should be putting this energy into growing and maturing into robust maternal ewes. They manage to lamb OK but then the disappointment begins when this ewe is trying to raise her young from a hampered beginning and at the same time cope with the loosening, loss and growth of her new two teeth. It’s a big ask on a maiden ewe under commercial conditions. I think that we are so confident in these sheep that we are probably expecting a little too much in the rush.

FATTY UDDER
I heard a comment from an animal nutritionist that indicated that no ewe lambs should be allowed to get too fat in case they develop a fatty udder. When questioned further about the problem of fatty udder she explained that the development of a fatty udder is said to reduce milk producing tissue and therefore lead to milking problems. Since then I had heard cattle breeders say the same thing so I questioned the local vet who instantly ‘pooh hooed’ the idea. All I can say is that the animal nutritionist is a stud sheep breeder, the cattle breeders that I spoke to have had cattle for three generations and the vet has a pet dog. Our stud White Doprer maiden ewes got too fat as lambs and we have seen a few cases of diminished milk supply others milking well. I am of the opinion that fatty udder formation in ewe lambs can be a problem for some and not effect others. It is just easier to avoid the problem all together by not letting ewe lambs get over fat.

NEW FEEDLOT
By the time that you receive this newsletter the US will have removed the tariffs it imposed just over two years ago on lambs exported to the US. Coinciding with the removal of the tariffs and quotas, the Sheepmeat Council of Australia and Meat & Livestock Australia are planning a major marketing offensive into the US. All good news for the lamb producer. This may or may not have influenced Castricum Brothers ( one of the biggest southern lamb processors and exporters ) to turn to feedlotting. Apparently a 20,000 sheep capacity feedlot at Kerang in Victoria that they hope will plug supply gaps for it’s export markets. Within five years they expect this feedlot to turn out 80,000 per year.

CARCASS COMPETITION
The Ouyen Prime Mallee Challenge  is one of Victoria’s largest carcass competitions and is run on Melbourne Cup Day every year. This year 198 lambs were presented from all over Victoria and SA. For the first time this year the pens of three were judged both ‘on the hoof’ and then scanned for eye muscle, fat and weight. It took a bit of time but I am assured that next year things will run along more smoothly. The exciting thing about this year’s challenge was that there were about 10 pens of White Dorper cross lambs up for judging and 7 of these pens got a 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the five classes. Results as follows -:

Crossbred lambs out of Merino ewes.
38kg & under :             1st       E & H Yates, Werrimull ( White Dorper x Merino )
38.1kg - 46kg :            -
46.1kg & above :         2nd      B & L Mawson, Strathalbyn ( White Dorper x Merino )

Crossbred lambs out of ewes other that Merino.
46kg & under : 1st       K & J Lambert, Edenhope ( White Dorper x Corriedale )
                       2nd      D O’Callaghan, Kulwin (White Dorper/Suffolk x White Suffolk/Merino )
                       3rd      K & J Lambert, Edenhope ( White Dorper x Corriedale )

46.1kg & above :         2nd      E & H Yates, Werrimul ( White Dorper x BL/ Merino )
                                 3rd      E & H Yates, Werrimul ( White Dorper x BL/ Merino )

Grand Champion pen for the crossbred lamb out of ewe other than Merino went to K & J Lambert, Edenhope with the White Dorper X Corriedale lambs and B & L Mawson of Strathalbyn missed out on the Grand Champion sash for the crossbred lamb out of Merino ewe by 1 point !  Neil Corbett of Walpeup won the Encouragement Award for his pen of White Dorper x Merino lambs. All in all a very successful day !

The next major Carcass Competition in SA is at the Karoonda Farm Fair April 6th please get your entry forms from :
The Secretary,  Karoonda Farm Fair Inc. PO Box 6. Murray Bridge SA 5253.
 Ph  08 8538 2860    Mbl0408 813 452   Fax : 08 8538 2864
Email : farmfair@lm.net.au
There........ no excuses. Contact Lou Mawson if you have any questions.

STEPS TO TAKE AFTER SELLING STUD ANIMALS

Head Office provides all the paperwork that you will require after selling your stud animals. Firstly the animal must be registered. This can be done prior to your sale or a registration and transfer can be accomplished on the same form at the time of sale. If a previously registered animal is sold the vendor must supply a completed transfer form to Head Office within 60 days. Head Office will then duplicate the registration certificate with the change of ownership details and pass it onto the purchaser along with an invitation to join the Doprer Society ( if the purchaser is not already a member).

Semen and embryo transfer forms are still on the drawing board and should be finished soon.

ADELAIDE ROYAL SHOW  RESULTS

The Royal seems like it was eons ago but actually it’s only a matter of a couple of months. There were about 25 animals exhibited in 9 classes. Results as follows -:

WEB SITES

www.adelaideshowground.com.au
www.dorper.com.au

There are a lot of Dorper web sites starting up now. Just remember that a very cheap and effective way of getting your own web page is to attach it to the our Dorper Society page i.e; www.dorper.com.au/axis.  If you already have your own domain you can have a stud advert on the Society page which only costs around $25.00 per year ! For more information contact Rob Martin at Head Office or drop in on the Dorper web page.

Rob Martin
RA & HS, PO Box 108, Goodwood Road , Wayville SA  5034
Ph : 08 8210 5230, FX : 08 8231 4173
Email : robmartin@rahssa.org.au

That’s about it for now !

Have a happy and safe Christmas and a very prosperous New Year.

For the next edition please send any info, pictures, adverts or just trivia to :
Lou Mawson
PO Box 556
Strathalbyn
SA  5255
Ph : 0885 370 615
Fx: 0885 370 677
Email : bmawson@olis.net.au