Welcome to Klipkoppies Dorper Stud

Home of hardy, highly productive Dorper rams and ewes
with superior carcass quality and palatability.

History

The Van Niekerk ancestor arrived at the Cape during 1671 from the Netherlands. From his descendants, two brothers, Dirk and Jacob, established themselves at Eendekuil near Piketberg. A son of that family, BMN van Niekerk decided to move north in the direction of the Orange river and established himself during 1835 at a running fountain, later called Rietfontein. Rietfontein is situated in the then district of Carnarvon. He purchased more ground adjoining Rietfontein and started a family farming concern. One of his sons, Albert Nicolaas van Niekerk, moves and establishes himself on the farm Klipkoppies. He is succeeded by his son, Johannes Stephanus (Jantjie) van Niekerk and thereafter by his namesake grandson, who farmed at Klipkoppies from 1953 with his father.

Albert van Niekerk passed away on the 1^st of July 2019. He will be succeeded by his grandson, Gawie Carr, who has been farming with his grandpa since he was a little boy.

Gawie is now the 5th generation on the farm. He is assisted by Elma Carr and Wilmarie Engelbrecht, who is responsible for the administration and finance. Klipkoppies is privileged to be assisted by a trained workforce, some of whom are the second and third generation employed by Klipkoppies.

Klipkoppies Dorper stud has:

58 successful production sales offered;
Done performance testing since 1978;
Selected more than 16165 animals as Stud and Type 5;
Registered more than 4215 Type 5 and Stud ewes in our Dorper 21 programme since 1999;
Had all breeding rams on all farms performance tested and phenotypically inspected and selected by inspectors of the SADBS since 1990;
Identified more than 73 performance tested breeding rams, which have bred 30% to 79% twins per flock of ewes mated since 2004 ( SA Stud Book);
Entered more than 21207 animals on the Shepherd programme;
Had above high average growth selection indexes;
Has a high lambing percentage – 48% of our ewes have multiple lambs.
Produces quality carcasses which resulted in up to 90% ISO carcasses of which 80% obtained conformation 4 – 5 grading.

Our Aim

Klipkoppies Dorper Stud strives to breed the most economically adapted Dorpers under Natural grazing conditions.
Our animals moves with ease, are hardy, adaptable and very fertile with excellent carcass qualities and carcass palatability. Quality carcasses are produced at 3 – 4½ months directly from natural grazing under normal to good grazing conditions. 90% plus carcasses grade as SA1, SA2,SA3.

Extensive farming is practised at Klipkoppies. Ewes lamb on the veld under normal rainfall- conditions and no supplementary feed is given.

We love to welcome visitors at Klipkoppies.