FEATURED BREED
From page 17
sheep. The body is long, oval
and fairly deep.
tail.
Colour varies from white,
The Damara sheep is a fairly
brown, black and white roan,
large, symmetrically built
spotted,
red,
doberman
and even
black. There
are no
restrictions
about
colour,
except that
some dark
What happens when you dock a fat-tailed sheep’s tail ... pigmenta-
tion is
fat deposits on the hindquarters
essential.
The hair is mostly short, more
like that of a buck or goat
than what we expect from a
sheep. Young sheep have
longish hair with more
woolliness, which they shed
as they age. Glossy hair is the
desired type.
The low fat content of the
skin and the superb fineness
of the grain of the skin is the
reason why Damara sheep-
skins produce leather that is
highly regarded. Damara
leather is superior as far as
tensile and tear strength are
concerned.
The males and some females
have horns.
The tail is wedge-shaped,
narrow and long, stretching
to below the hock. The
Damara's fat tail is a distin-
guishing feature. It's also a
key to its robust nature and
their ability to thrive in these
harsh conditions. Damara
sheep can raise a lamb on
the fat reserves stored in the
ewe's tail. The tail acts like a
camel's hump storing fat.
The breed is known for its
high fertility, rapid growing
ability and strong mothering
instincts. Ewes often have two
lambs for each year. Twins do
occur and their mothers are
capable of rearing them. The
breed is sexually mature at an
early age and by selection
this can be improved upon.
Ewes can give birth at any
time of the year.
Damara ewes have very
strong maternal characteris-
tics. Damaras always gather
in a group with the lambs on
the inside, making it difficult
for predators to get to them.
A Damara ewe will always
protect her lamb. The lambs
are born with ease and grow
rapidly. Tails are not docked
as this leads to abnormal fat
deposits over the hindquar-
ters. Lambs can be weaned
from ten weeks, most
producers achieving average
target live weight of 35-36 kg
within four to seven months.
It is easy to gather Damaras,
because they always stay
grouped together, requiring
less fencing than other breeds
of sheep. They often graze
and move within sight of
each other and rest as a
group.
Both males and females can grow
horns.
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