Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The 2026 World Dohne Merino Conference promises to be one of the most significant gatherings of dual-purpose sheep producers in years – and South Africa will host it.
Mark 20 and 21 October 2026 in your diary. The world’s Dohne Merino community will converge in Cape Town for a two-day conference that brings together breeders, researchers, economists, and industry leaders from across the globe. With Plaas Media and BKB confirmed as media and main sponsors respectively, the event is shaping up to be a landmark occasion for the breed, and a compelling reason to book your seat early.
LEES MEER: 100 jaar van wolproduksie.
A breed built for tough times
The Dohne Merino has always been a practical animal: a dual-purpose breed developed to produce both quality wool and good meat in the variable and often unforgiving conditions that South African and Australian producers know well. But in a world of shifting markets, rising input costs, and tightening sustainability requirements, the question of how the breed positions itself for the next decade is more urgent than ever.
This question lies at the heart of the conference. The theme running through both days is clear: what will it take to keep Dohne Merino farming economically viable, environmentally credible, and commercially competitive in a rapidly changing global landscape?
Day one: The breed in the field
Day one (Tuesday, 20 October) opens with Pierre Vlok of BKB welcoming delegates and introducing visiting countries and their representatives – a moment that underscores the truly international character of the event.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Daniel Brown of the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit at the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. As one of the foremost authorities on sheep genetics in the southern hemisphere, Dr Brown brings a rigorous scientific perspective on where genetic improvement of the Dohne Merino stands today and what the breed’s future selection priorities should look like.
The morning also features country snapshot presentations from participating nations – a rare opportunity to hear directly from Dohne producers across different continents about the challenges and opportunities they face on the ground. A panel discussion will follow, opening the floor to questions and debate.
The afternoon shifts to economics and practicality with a session titled “Dohne Merino: The economical breed for challenging times”, featuring Dohne breeder Richard Armstrong of Tweeddale Dohne Merinos in Cathcart, commercial specialist Lood Visser of Southern Agricultural Services in Bredasdorp, and Prof Beatrice Conradie from the Department of Economics at the University of Cape Town. This combination of on-farm experience and academic economic analysis is exactly the kind of grounded, evidence-based conversation producers need.
The day closes with a forward-looking breeding session featuring Dr Willem Olivier of the Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Dr Nelius Nel of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture at Elsenburg, Dr Bobbie van der Westhuizen of SA Stud Book, and Prof Schalk Cloete of Stellenbosch University. This line-up represents the full spectrum of South Africa’s applied sheep research capacity.
After the formal programme, international Dohne breed society representatives will convene for a meeting chaired by Dohne breeder Koos Vosloo. The evening then wraps up with a Dohne Merino braai, wine tasting, and a fashion show by Gerber and Co, because what is a wool conference without a celebration of the fibre?
Day two: Markets, sustainability, and the future
Day two (Wednesday, 21 October) broadens the lens considerably, tackling the commercial and environmental pressures that will define the breed’s relevance over the next generation.
The morning opens with a session on product development to meet consumer needs, asking the pointed question of how the industry can keep lamb and wool relevant to increasingly discerning global consumers.
The speakers here are particularly impressive: Dalena White, representing the International Wool and Textile Organisation in Brussels, brings the global textile industry’s perspective on what consumers and brands are demanding from natural fibres. She is joined by Dan Kriek of the National Wool Growers’ Association, Prof Johann Kirsten of Stellenbosch University’s Bureau for Economic Research, and Prof Louw Hoffman from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation at the University of Queensland in Brisbane – an international panel that ensures no parochialism creeps into the conversation.
The mid-morning session on sustainable and ethical production is equally strong. Isak Staats of BKB, Deon Saayman of Cape Wools SA, regenerative farming specialist James Brodie from Graaff-Reinet, and Dr Bennie Grobler of the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Animal Sciences will address the growing pressure on livestock producers to demonstrate environmental stewardship and how Dohne producers can turn this challenge into a competitive advantage.
The afternoon features a future-focussed discussion with Dr Johnny van der Merwe of Agricultural Market Trends and Prof Abel Esterhuyse of the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Strategic Studies, two sharp analytical minds considering what the next decade realistically holds for Dohne producers worldwide.
The conference concludes with closing addresses from the incoming president of the international society and the president of the Dohne Merino Breed Society of South Africa. The evening gala dinner and awards, hosted by MC and Dohne breeder Dries Pienaar, will bring the two days to a fitting close.
Why you should be there
Whether you run a stud flock in the Karoo, a commercial operation in the Eastern Cape, or a Dohne enterprise in Australia, New Zealand, or Argentina, this conference offers something rare: the chance to hear the best current thinking on genetics, economics, sustainability, and market development – all in one room, over two days.
The social programme alone – the braai, the wine, and the gala dinner – makes it worth the trip to the Cape. The intellectual programme makes it essential. – Plaas Media
To register and secure your place, visit www.conference.dohnemerino.com
