Mutton demand: Farmers net Sh25,000 per head for high-yielding sheep variety

There is a growing demand for mutton as the tastes of Kenya’s growing urban population become more diverse. As a result, the Dorper sheep has become an animal of choice for ranchers, breeders and abattoir operators.

Dorper sheep are easy to care for, grow fast and yield juicy ribs and other chops.

“There is high demand for breeding ewes, and it far outstrips supply. Regional countries have widened the gap as they are coming into Kenya in high numbers looking to buy breeding ewes,” said Kone Ole-Sein, a Dorper farmer in Kajiado County.

She is also the national secretary of the Dorper Breeders Society of Kenya.

 Little input

The animals are a particularly smart investment idea, and according to Ms Ole-Sein — whose 1,700-acre Rimpa Estate in Kiserian has more than 220 breeding ewes and 68 rams — the sheep do well in arid regions and require little input from herders.

“They are good grazers and are hardy and quite resistant to worms and other local diseases,” she said.

Currently, a breeding ram fetches between Sh25,000 and Sh40,000, with ewes being sold between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000. The breed has a high fertility rate.

Because of the rising demand, large-scale farmers and Government-run farms have begun breeding rams, which are then sold to smallholders.

“We breed rams and then dispose them to farmers for flock multiplication. Demand for rams is quite high across the country,” said Cleopas Wahome, a livestock production officer at the Naivasha Sheep and Goat Station, a State-run farm.

The farm has a flock of 550 Dorper sheep.

Non-selective grazers

According to Mr Wahome, Dorper sheep have a good mothering ability and exhibit a long breeding season.

They adapt quickly to their environment and are non-selective grazers, which means they make maximum use of available pasture.

Originally developed in South Africa, the breed is a cross between Blackhead Persian ewes and Dorset Horn rams. Its name comes from a combination of the syllables of the parent breeds, Dorset and Persian.

A mature ram can weigh between 80 and 114 kilogrammes, with ewes weighing 57 to 80 kilos. This high yield in meat is drawing in many farmers eager to make profits quickly. A kilo of mutton retails at Sh500 on average.

“Local farmers, especially in dry parts of the country, are also using Dorper rams to upgrade their flock performance,” said Wahome.

“For instance, pastoralists in Kajiado and Narok have been upgrading their indigenous Red Maasai sheep by cross-breeding them with Dorper rams. This has led to increased growth rates and weight gain in the offspring.”

But as with other livestock, for farmers to gain maximum returns from Dorper sheep, proper management of the animals is paramount.

Farmers must take the necessary steps and precautions to prevent common disease and parasite attacks to boost weight gain and growth rates.

“Pneumonia, foot rot, worms and ticks are the main health challenges affecting sheep production,” said Ole-Sein.

“Appropriate control measures will help the farmers reduce mortality, improve production efficiency and provide high-quality products.”

 Provide solutions

The Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of Kenya was formed three years ago to provide farmers and experts with a platform to exchange ideas and provide solutions for teething problems affecting the growth of the sub-sector.

“We organise field days for our members so that they can visit successful Dorper farms. We also participate in agricultural fairs and sensitise prospective farmers on issues pertaining to Dorper breeding,” said Ole-Sein.

“We also link farmers with breeders so that they can access rams and ewes easily.”

The organisation’s membership is currently made up of 52 individual farmers and 10 corporate firms. Among the corporate members are Gicheha Farm and the Naivasha Sheep and Goat Farm.

Individuals are required to pay a registration fee of Sh500 and an annual fee of Sh1,200, while corporates pay Sh500 for registration and Sh5,000 in annual fees.

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