Frans Marx

P O Box 229• BURGERSDORP • R.S.A • 9744

TEL / FAX: +27 515 6531 496

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INTRODUCTION

· FEM Dohne Merinos are bred in a classic Open Nucleus System in a harsh pastoral environment. 

· Meticulous recording of pedigree and production data combined with high reproduction rates, enable strict selection to be carried out for traits of economic importance.

· The FEM Dohne stud has been affiliated to the Eastern Dohne Central Nucleus and the North Ea8st Cape Sire Reference Scheme since the inception of these schemes.

· In the latter scheme, breeding values of all sheep are calculated annually. These reveal that FEM Dohnes rank high in relation to other participants, that genetic trends are positive and precisely in line with the Society objectives (see graph).

· FEM Dohnes have earned the Top Breeder Award in their region five times in succession.

· FEM Dohnes earned  the Society’s most prestigious National Award, the Ivomec Trophy for effective sheep breeding in 1990, 1998 and 2002.

Dohne Merino Breed Society Of South Africa

Registered Breeders

Ram SD92.763 ranks first on the ranking list of all sires used to date in the Sire Reference Scheme in which we participate.

Dohne Embryos

FEM Dohne Merinos offer frozen embryos of outstanding genetic value, flushed in accordance with international protocols.

Frans and Andriesa Marx with their son Andries

MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING SYSTEMS

This Dohne Stud as adhered closely to sound breeding principles. Our sheep breeding enterprise is run on a very extensive scale, exclusively on dry Karoo veld between Burgersdorp and Venterstad in the North East Cape. A total of over 2000 ewes are maintained in a classic Open Nucleus System consisting of 75% commercial flock ewes and 25% fully recorded stud ewes. Both pedigree and performance data in respect of the latter ewes are kept in a computerised database both on the farm and in the Society office.

Young sheep are performance tested at 12 months of age. After inspection at 16 months of age, rams and surplus ewes are offered for sale on an annual production sale on the farm in early February. Top rams are offered each year at the Society's Prestige Promotion Sale at Bloemfontein.

Lambing percentages achieved and the production data of young rams over the past six years, are set out in Table 1. The number of rams sold and prices achieved at the sales over the same period are set out in Table 2.

Evaluation Techniques

The FEM Stud has been a member of the Eastern Dohne Central Nucleus Stud since its inception in 1978. Its family has performed consistently well in this highly successful breeding venture. It was one of the members of this group to supply donor ewes for the first embryo export order to Australia in 1998.

When the first Sire Reference Scheme was launched by the Society in 1992 the FEM Stud immediately became involved. Having always used AI as a breeding tool, it was a simple matter to incorporate the Reference Sires in the mating programme. In this way it became possible to evaluate all subsequent lamb crops on a very wide base, using the BLUP technique to determine breeding values across all the participating studs. FEM sires and young rams have ranked consistently well in this regard. Participation in the Sire Reference Scheme has made it possible to monitor genetic trends and so determine whether breeding objectives are being achieved. From Figure 1 it is clear that progress in the FEM Stud is exactly in line with the objectives set by the Society to achieve higher gross margins, namely to increase body weight, maintain clean fleece weight and reduce fibre diameter.

Table 1:   FEM Dohne Stud - Production Data, 1992 - 2001

Reproduction Production - Young Rams

Table2:   FEM Dohne Stud - Sale Results - 1993 - 2004

Bloemfontein Production Sale

Click here for Sale Catalogue: 13 Feb 2013