White Dorper Breed Standard

A well-balanced sheep with strong, deep, wide body and correct legs and feet. Rams must be well muscled and strong from the front to the back. Ewes must be lighter in front and getting bigger and heavier to the back (a wedge shape). A ewe needs to look feminine with a feminine head, and a long graceful neck.

Head:

Strong and long with triangle shape. Eyes widely spaced, strong nose and strong mouth with well-fitted jaw. Long ears are preferable and are usually indicative of calmer sheep. A developed horn base or small horns are the ideal on a ram. Heavy horns are undesirable. The head must be covered with short, dullish black hair in the Dorper and white hair in the White Dorper.

Neck:

Medium length, well fleshed, broad and well coupled in the ram...long and graceful in the ewe.

Shoulders and Chest:

Shoulders firm, broad and strong with good muscling on the forearm for rams. A moderate protrusion of the brisket with correct foreleg placement and moderate width between the legs. Shoulders, which appear loose, a brisket that protrude too much or too little, are faulty.

Barrel:

Long, deep and wide body. The sheep must have a long straight back and not a 'devil's grip'. A slight dip behind the shoulders is permissible. Ribs must be well sprung.

Hindquarter:

Long and wide rump. The inner and outer twist is to be well-fleshed and deep in rams.

Legs:

Strong, well placed with strong pasterns and hooves not too widely split. The hocks must be strong without a tendency to turn in or out. X-legs, sickle, cow, or strait hocks are culling faults.

Reproductive Organs:

Scrotum of the ram should not be too long and the testicles of equal size and not too small…reaching about half way to the ground. Well-shaped udder and reproductive organs in ewe.

Cover:

The ideal is a short, loose, light mixture of hair and wool and with a natural clean kemp (hair) underline in adult sheep.

Color and Pigmentation:

Good color and pigmentation.

White Dorpers: A white sheep, fully pigmented around the eyes, under the tail, on the udder and the teats is the ideal. A limited number of other colored spots are permissible on the ears and underline.

General Appearance:

The sheep should be symmetrical and well proportioned. A calm temperament with a vigorous appearance is the ideal.