Sexed semen: a game changer for Damara stud

The sorting of semen according to gender has brought great success for Stan Burger, owner of the Rubicon Damara Stud near Koster in North West. He is the first Damara breeder in the world to make use of the latest semen-sexing technology.

Burger bought his first Damaras in 2004 to combat the wattle that covered much of his farm. “These animals eat virtually anything and have, to a great extent, annihilated this invader,” he says.

Burger, who is president of the Damara Breeders’ Association of South Africa, adds that stock farmers are increasingly recognising the Damara as a worthwhile contender in the sheep-breeding industry. “The breed has retained its robust genetics [over two millennia] and the onus now