How to Successfully Breed Pure South African Dorper Sheep@CapriDorper.

Welcome to Capri Dopper where my husband James and I have been working since the latter part of November 2022. My name is Beth Kahiga and my husband James researches on a regular basis to learn more about running a sheep farm in Kenya. We raise pure South African Dopper sheep from our breeding sheep that we imported from South Africa. We sell their pure South African Dopper sheep offspring providing farmers with the opportunity to purchase pure South African Dopper sheep without having to import them from South Africa. Capri Dopper sheep is dedicated to elevating the standard of sheep farming in Kenya by offering superior quality sheep and comprehensive educational programs. Our mission is to be a successful business and empower Kenyan farmers with the knowledge and resources needed to breed high quality sheep tapping into markets for farm sales, meat production and export. If you have a topic you would like us to cover please put it in the comments. Today we'll be discussing breeding pure South African Dopper sheep. James has learned many of the techniques that we implement at Capri Dopper through research on the internet, education at universities and volunteering on farms in the United States, visiting and being educated by some of the top breeders in South Africa and through the daily running of our farm in Kenya. He educates me and I am now entrusted with sharing this information with you. Please join us on our journey where we educate ourselves and share this information with you so we all can become better farmers in Kenya. Consider subscribing to our channel it's free or visit often for new information. As of May 2025 this video is an overview of how Capri Dopper breeds pure South African Dopper sheep to keep them in good health so rams and ewes will be productive for many years. We are not veterinarians and therefore encourage you to hire your own vet consultant. Please make sure to check back for updates as we are always researching and learning more information about practices that can make us all better farmers in Kenya. When breeding both rams and ewes need to be in top physical condition. This is achieved through good farm management, adequate food, water and minerals and ensuring good health by providing necessary vaccinations. If you haven't already watched our YouTube videos on feeding our pure South African Dopper sheep, cost-effectiveness of vaccines, controlling disease and a comfortable living space for pure South African Dopper sheep, shearing South African Dopper sheep and deworming South African Dopper sheep, we highly recommend watching these videos as I will briefly discuss this information in this video but you will find there is more specific information that is pertinent to implementing these practices on these videos. When you want the best chances of having high quality offspring, never breed animals when they are in poor physical condition. Animals that may not be in the best condition for various reasons through proper management can be ready for your next mating season. Both ewes and rams should not be too thin or too fat. You can determine this by feeling the animal's ribs. If the animal's ribs can be seen and touched easily, it is too thin. If it is difficult to feel and locate the animal's ribs, it is too fat. They should be recently dewormed, had their hooves trimmed and wool sheared. This provides your animals with the optimum conditions for successful breeding. At Capri Dopper, we begin breeding our ewes at seven months and make sure they are separated from rams until we are satisfied they are in proper health to be bred. Scientific studies have shown that the optimal time to begin breeding ewes is seven months. Waiting until they are 12 months can reduce their overall productivity and decrease the number of years they are fertile. You can begin breeding rams from 8 to 10 months. A mature ram can service approximately 150 ewes annually. Capri Dopper limits a ram servicing to 30 ewes about four to five times per year. The ram is placed with the ewes he will be servicing for 34 days to provide ample time for successful insemination as ewes cycle every 17 days. Rams should be allowed to Prior to breeding, both ewes and rams should be provided multivitamin injections and a special diet called fleshing. This refers to increasing nutritional intake and body condition before and during breeding season. Fleshing can assist with boosting ewes ovulation, conception and rates. For rams, fleshing can improve sperm production, testes size and overall reproductive performance. In addition to feed, provide 250 grams each, maize germ 90% plus sunflower 10% to both rams and ewes a minimum of three weeks before breeding. At Capri Dopper, we do not practice inbreeding. It's crucial for farmers to understand that inbreeding can diminish both the breed's quality and the meat yield. Inbreeding happens when accurate records or proper separation of ewes and rams are not maintained, leading to unintended breeding among close relatives. This practice negatively impacts the genetic health and productivity of the flock. At Capri Dopper, we prioritize the meticulous record-keeping and separation practices to maintain the genetic integrity of our lambs and their parents. By adhering to these standards and implementing good farming practices, Kenyan farmers can produce offspring of exceptional quality and size, enhancing their livestock's overall value and marketability. To contact James, please note that he is often occupied with farm duties. We appreciate your patience if there is a delay in his response. Attending an educational farm visit is a valuable opportunity to gain insights in the Dopper farming practices, obtain comprehensive information and address your specific business-related inquiries. Farm visits are available on Saturdays or by appointment and a per-person charge applies.