Sheep: Damara

Country of Origin

Eastern Asia and Egypt, moving down to Namibia and Angola

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Australian Status

 

 

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Uses

 

Meat

 

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Breed traits

Typically alert, lively, long-legged, large deep bodies, short hair varying from black, brown, white or all combinations of these.

The Damara is a fat-tailed, shedding sheep, that grows short, coarse hair. The wedge shaped tail extends below the hock and stores body fat utilised in hard times. There is minimal body fat distribution.

The Damara has a fairly high resistance to most sheep diseases and also good tolerance to internal parasites. The Damara sheep has a diverse diet. It feeds on grass, bush and shrubs and can almost be classified as a browser. Research has indicated that up to 64% of the diet of the Damara sheep can consist of browsing material. This places the Damara in the same feeding category as goats.

They can be uni-coloured (black, brown or white) or multi-coloured (black and white pied). Damara sheep can survive in a harsh environment and under poor nutritional conditions. The breed is exceptionally vigorous and can produce and reproduce where water and grazing is fairly restricted. This makes it very suitable for the communal areas of Namibia where extreme conditions are usually the norm rather than the exception. Research has however shown that the breed responds very well to optimum conditions.

The Damara is predominantly a horned sheep, though polls do occur mainly in ewes. Rams have spiral horns, ewes' horns are smaller. They have mobile ears to repel insects; small lobes (wattles) can occur under throat. Rams have strong masculine head with pronounced horns, Roman noses, briskets and are more lively and robust than ewes. Ewes have finer bodies and appear more delicate and feminine.

They are proven performers and good food converters. In wheat belt areas they are non-selective grazers, excellent at weed management by rotational grazing reducing herbicide requirements.

The Damara is highly fertile with polyoestrous cycles, reaching sexual maturity as early as six to seven months, The recommended first joining period is 10-12 months. The breed is capable of producing three lambs in two years. Ewes have five month gestational period with lambs quickly grazing. Ewes have strong mothering instincts, are very protective. They care well for their young and will fight off predators when attacked by such. Ewes can cycle again as early as eight weeks after lambing. The ewes produce enough milk even to raise twin lambs which will occur in 5 to 10% of the births. . Orphan lambs are a rarity in the breed because of the outstanding mothering ability. It is known for example that ewes with small lambs can be transported over long distances without ending up with a single orphaned lamb.

A two percent ram-ewe ratio is typical in wheat belt areas. A high proportion of rams, typically three to six percent, are often used in pastoral country.

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History

The Damara originated from Eastern Asia and Egypt. The breed then moved down to the present day Namibia and Angola. For many years the sheep were in an isolated region of Namibia and thus remained free from the influence from other breeds. They are found in north-western Namibia (Kaokoland) and southern Angola where they were herded relatively free from external influences, by the local inhabitants (Himba and Tjimba).

The name of the breed was derived from the specific region where the sheep were originally encountered (formerly known as Gross Damaraland).

History in Australia

The Damara was Iintroduced into Western Australia in 1996 from South Africa (embryos and semen). 

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Breed Organisation

Damara Sheep Society of Australia Inc.  http://www.damaras.com.au/index.html 

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Australian Population

2018 Ewes 101 

2022 No figures

 

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