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Fiftieth anniversary of the Dohne Merino Breed Society – 14 September 2016

The Dohne Merino Breed Society ended its 50th anniversary on a high note near Bredasdorp on the 14th of September 2016.  The occasion of the celebration took place at a wonderful venue – the RUENS PRIMARY – school.  The gala event took the format of a formal dinner with guest speaker Prof Mohammed Karaan of Stellenbosch University.  The festive ambience of the event was enhanced by ……….

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How the Dohne stack up financially

Since its inception the aim of the Dohne Merino has been well defined with the breeding objective to improve meat, wool and reproductive traits. In comparison, Fine Wool enterprises have focused on just wool in the past, and similarly, prime lamb enterprises have tended to focus just on meat and reproduction. This analysis modelled the Dohne, Fine wool Merinos and a crossbred Prime Lamb enterprise run in three different environments and found the Dohne Merino is more profitable based on the last 10 year prices whether it is being run in high, medium or low rainfall environments. It would appear that the adoption of objective measurement and modern breeding tools has meant that the breed’s objective has been well implemented over the last 50 years.

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Gariep Superior Genetic’s first sale!

Jannie  Krüger and his son Niël bought in only the best genetics they could lay their hands on when they established their Dohne Merino stud, a few years back.  This father and son combination must be congratulated on the excellent stud they managed to buid up in such a short period in time.  Their strategy paid off when they staged their first official sale this year on the 23rd of August.  For starters they sold …………

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Kouga Dohnes, Karreedouw – Production sale

Mr Henri Du Plessis and his son Stephan, who recently received his certificate for passing the Dohne Merino course for Breeders, held their annual production sale of Kouga Dohnes on the 13th of September at Humansdorp.  GWK auctioneers’ Mr. Renier Zietsman and his staff conducted this very successful production sale at which 67 excellent Dohne Merino rams were sold at an average price ……….

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Bessiesfontein Dohnes, Ladismith, KZN – Production Sale

Julius Beukes, Bessiesfontein, Ladismith, KZN, held his very successful production sale on the 7th of September. Despite doubts about selling a little younger animals that were prepared for a touch shorter than usual, buyers of this studs excellent genetic material, confirmed their confidence in Julius’s Rams by buying the 55 available rams at an average price of ……….

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Mullersvlei Dohnes, Calvinia – Production Sale

 The Mullersvlei Dohne Merino stud, regularly acquire top genetic material on the National sale and also production sales right across the entire country.  Marcellene van Rooyen also follow the basic principle of rearing sheep under natural commercial farming  conditions.  This policy got some recognition in 2016 when the Mullersvlei Dohne stud sold 43 excellent Dohne Merino rams at an average price of ………

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Dohne Merino course – Grootfontein College of Agriculture

The course for Grootfontein College of agriculture is conducted every year by making use of the College’s stud Dohne Merinos that are managed by Mr. Marius van Heerden.  Our gratitude to Marius as well as Mr. Willie van Heerden (Lecturer) and Anton Lombard (BKB) who assist with the practical sessions on a regular basis.   This year’s course ……….

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Dohne Merino course – Weston College of Agriculture

The Dohne Merino course for learners of the Weston College of Agriculture, Mooirivier, KZN, took place on the 1st and 2nd of September 2016.  This course for secondary school students was attended by 22 grade 11 learners.  Congratulations to G. Montile who was the top student for the course. Since study material for the Secondary school course is ……….

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Sale Result – FC Jeandre Bester Moorreesburg

The Annual production sale of the Besters of Moorreesburg took place on the 11th August 2016.   The Besters are known for being extremely meticulous farmers.  Their management practices are of  the highest degree of precision and extremely high production values are achieved.  All rams offered for sale (48) were sold at an excellent average price of  ………

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Sale Result – Suid Kaap Promotion Sale

The Southern Cape Promotion sale is one of the very few meaningful promotion sales supported dy Dohne Merino stud breeders. At this season’s sale on the 28th of July 2016, 84 Dohne Merino rams were sold at an average price of R7928-00. This average price serves as an indication of the high quality standard maintained. It is however of some significance to note that buyers are ………

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Obituary – Pienkie Watermeyer

Pinkey Watermeyer (1925-2016) was elected to the first Council  of the Dohne Merino Breed Society on 16 May 1966, died in Graaff Reinet on 4 August 2016 at the age of 91. He is remembered as a passionate supporter and breeder of Dohnes, especially in the early days,  at the time the  Dohne Merino Breed Society was formed.  He was very much involved in  the arrangements for the inaugural meeting to form a ……….

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Sale Result – Nello Dohnes, Brandfort

Mr Louis Nel and Mr. Carel Nel held an unexpectedly highly successful production sale of Dohne Merinos out of their Nello stud on the farm Ofra, in the Brandfort district. The sale taking place on the 28th of July 2016, was a fitting farewell to their stud advisor Mr. Wouter Vorster who departed form the area to continue his duties in and around Humansdorp. The success of the sale ……

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Sale Result – Suidplaas Dohnes, Bredasdorp

Suidplaas Dohnes, Protem, Southern Cape became famous for staging one of the biggest small stock production sales in South Africa. What is not always recognized, is that Wynand du Toit also sell large numbers of ewes on his production sale. This year, on account of adverse conditions experienced only 544 Dohne Merino ewes were sold at an average price of ……

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Dohne Merino course – Glen Agricultural College

The Dohne Merino course for students of the Glen College of Agriculture, Bloemfontein, were conducted on the 16th and 19th of August 2016.  The theoretical part on which the practical tuition is based was completed on the 16th of August. Mr. Louis and Karel Nel once again hosted practical sessions on the 19th of August for the Glen students.  Mr. Rudolph Smit (BKB) for his first time ……….

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ELSENBURG DOHNE COURSE

The Main Dohne Merino course took place at the Elsenburg College of Agriculture from the 8th to the 10th of June 2016. The course was very attended by 55 students including breeders, prospective Dohne Merino Inspectors and students from Stellenbosch University and Elsenburg Agricultural College. Mr. John Morris who made the Facilities at Mariendahl experimental farm ……..

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Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein – Dohne Merino Course

The  Dohne Merino course for students of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Bloemfontein took place on the 4th and 5th of  May.  After completing the Theoretical part of the course on the premises of CUT, the practical sessions were hosted by Mr. Wicus Jacobs (Tweekoppen Dohnes, Reddersburg) for the first time.   The course was attended by 45 very enthusiastic and well behaved students.  Congratulations to ……….

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Dohne Merino Snippets 2016 Number 1

The must have book “Birth of a Breed – The Dohne Merino Story” proves to be very popular. The book sponsored by BKB, was recently presented to Prof Piet de Wet, Former Head of the Stellenbosch University’s Department of Sheep and Wool Science. Prof de Wet is still in good shape and commented very positively on various aspects of the Wooled Sheep Industry. The Dohne Merino Breed Society ………………

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Dohne Merinos prove to be reliable under natural grazing conditions

According to a recent analysis by the Dohne Merino Breed Society, at least half of the Dohne Merino breeders in South Africa do not use any resources to accerate reproduction. This portion of the stud industry can arguably be regarded as the “organic” portion of the industry. As can be expected, the reproduction in this portion of the industry is lower. Lambing percentages vary between……………

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Dohne Merinos show their metal during droughts

South Africa is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts ever. It is during times like this that farmers become newly aware of the value of hardy stock that can withstand these difficult conditions with the minimum of input at their disposal.
Dohne Merinos are known as easy care animals which can get by on relatively low quality fodder. The breed’s origin in the sourveld regions with severe winters, gives away the reason

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The South African Dohne Merino Breed Society – 50 years young this year

The name “Dohne Merino” has been a household name in the sheep breeding community, especially in the Eastern Cape, long before the official establishment of the breed society on the 16th May 1966. The official recognition by the Department of Agriculture’s Dr Wim Verbeek, at the Dohne Research Institute, Stutterheim, was the small beginning of the breed society with only approximately 2800 Dohne Merino ewes, divided up between

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First Dohne Merino courses 2016

The success of the Dohne breed, locally and internationally, relies almost entirely on scientific selection methods under ordinary flock farming conditions. Application of scientific principles to optimize productivity of the entire flock, is basic to the understanding and effective use of the Dohne System. Therefore the Dohne Merino course is one of the core businesses of the Dohne Merino Breed Society. The course uses a hands-on ………….

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Council Report 2014

Economic turmoil became the hallmark of South Africa.   Despite South Africa being an agriculturally unfriendly environment at all levels, our farmers are rendering an excellent food security service. Meat and wool prices are at reasonable levels. However input costs are escalating in relation to total income. Labour costs and the productivity of available labour are […]

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Dohne Stud Farmers exploit the advantages of higher reproduction rates

It well recognized that the main profit driver in any livestock farming enterprise is efficient reproduction.   In woolled sheep, the total weight of lamb weaned represents the total outcome of the reproductive cycle of the ewe. This trait is currently receiving more attention by Dohne Merino breeders to increase profitability. Dohne Merinos were selected for […]

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Kursus verslag vir 2015

Dohne Merino kursusse is gedurende 2015 uiters goed bygewoon deur ‘n totaal van 237 studente. Hierdie studentetal was saamgestel uit 3 buitelandse besoekers, 19 voornemende inspekteurs en beamptes, 12 telers (insluitend kuddeboere), 180 studente en 23 hoërskool leerlinge.   Die kursusse is aangebied te Dohne Ontwikkelings Instituut, Stutterheim, Elsenburg Landbou Kollege, Stellenbosch (Elsenburg), GLEN Landbou Kollege […]

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TOP BREEDER AWARDS – 2015

Criteria for this competition are strictly objectively evaluated and covers all aspects of stud breeding including prompt and accurate animal recording, stud administration, marketing and breed promotion. Special emphasis is placed on the efficiency of use of records to effect genetic progress. These aspects include efficient management during testing phases, generation interval, selection differentials maintained as well as number of appearances on sire lists. Participation in official sales (including the National sale) and stud information days held all serve as criteria to evaluate breeders regarding effective marketing and breed promotion. The winners of this tough competition can justifiable be regarded as front runners in the small stock industry!
The following winners will compete for the title of National Dohne Merino Top Breeder of 2016 …………

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Illegal Poisoning of wildlife on the increase

The recent death of vultures, Blue Cranes, Brown Hyaenas and other wildlife due to illegal poisoning should be a wake-up call for South African conservation authorities, law enforcement agencies and conservationists. While rhinos are faced with a grave poaching threat, other equally important wildlife species, especially scavengers and predators are at risk of joining rhinos […]

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