About us


Located 20km from Millmerran on the western Darling Downs...


Bellevue is a mixed agricultural enterprise operated by lifelong farmers David and Robbie Curtis, and their daughter Sophie. Along with the Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper Stud, a commercial ewe enterprise producing MSA accredited prime Dorper lamb, summer and winter grain rotations, of which some paddocks are undergoing organic certification, make up Bellevue’s enterprise mix. David is a qualified Dorper and White Dorper Judge and Inspector, successfully completing his final Judges exam in Britstown South Africa in 2010. David was one of two Australians who passed that judges exam in South Africa, making them the first two fully qualified Australian Dorper Inspectors. David was elected to the board of the Dorper Sheep Society of Australia Inc (DSSA) for the period 2010-2014, serving as President and Vice President during that time.
 

We love agriculture.


We are committed to, not only producing the best that we possibly can from our land, but improving the overall health of our land and soils by using regenerative farming practices.

The prime lamb enterprise gives us the opportunity, as stud breeders, to ‘ground truth’ the Bellevue stud rams.

Prime lamb production is an important part of the enterprise mix at Bellevue.
We understand what the prime lamb market requires and sell our Bellevue prime Dorper lambs from 43+ kg live weight seasonally, from five months of age. One of the important advantages of the Bellevue prime lamb enterprise is that it gives us the opportunity as stud breeders to ‘ground truth’ our stud rams; we get to see how our rams are breeding and performing. We can confidently say, from our own observations, as well as feedback from butchers and prime lamb producers, that the Bellevue rams, Dorper and White Dorper, are performing and breeding very well. Prime lambs need to ‘hit the ground running’. They need to be born with ease, mothered well, and grow quickly to finish, reaching a saleable age as early as possible. Visual selection is the first tool we use when assessing animals to remain in our stud. Bellevue rams are selected for structural correctness, growth, muscle and good fat coverage. Fat coverage not only means good eating quality of the meat, but excellent maternal traits in the ewes retained for breeding. A ewe with good fat coverage will get in lamb sooner, have a greater chance of multiple births and will feed her lamb and ‘hang in’ longer when the weather is tough. She will then get back in lamb again, sooner, because her body condition is good, and do it all over again. This adds up to more dollars in our commercial prime lamb producers pockets.

Lambplan data and breeding history.


Lambplan data and breeding history is then used to help select the best breeding animals for our seed stock production. Lambplan data enables us to know what animals will deliver and takes the guess work out of selection. All of our stud animals are weighed at birth, weaning and post weaning and are muscle scanned to gather the raw data for Lambplan. Ewes are selected for fertility and mothering. We expect a lambing percentage in the 150% range from a six week joining with the non performers being removed.

With prime lamb prices remaining strong, and with both domestic and multiple export markets wanting Australian lamb, the future looks bright for the prime lamb industry. It is a very exciting time to be producing lamb, and to be producing quality prime Dorper lamb, acknowledged for its eating quality, high yielding and early finishing carcases.

The Bellevue Dorper & White Dorper Stud.


The Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper stud is one of the leading Australian studs and has made a big contribution to the Australian Dorper industry. The stud was founded in 2007 with a new and unique genetic pool from Namibian Dorper and White Dorper breeders Pieter van Schalkwyk and Floors Nell. Over the years the Bellevue genetics have won many National Championships, and have become very popular amongst stud and commercial breeders who like Bellevue’s productive, functional, balanced sheep. Paddock sale enquiries for rams are welcome, however the top of the draft rams are offered at the annual Bellevue on-property ram sale, held every September.

Lambplan.


The appearance and performance of an animal is a combination of its genes and the environment in which it is raised (e.g. the amount and quality of feed, single or multiple birth type). Sheep Genetics ‘Lambplan’ breeding values (ASBV’s) account for these environmental effects, allowing the comparison of sheep based on the genes they will pass on to their progeny. It is important to remember when selecting for breeding, you are choosing the genes, not the environment.

The Supreme Champion Breed


Milestones

Experience isn't gained overnight.
  • 2007Namibia.

    First of the Namibian line of Dorper and White Dorper imported embryos from breeders Pieter van Schalkwyk and Floors Nell, born at Bellevue
  • 2008Our First Dorpers

    Held four day DSSA endorsed Dorper training course at Bellevue - August 2008 – trainer Pieter van Schalkwyk, Namibia
    Attended our first DSSA National Show, bringing home the Supreme White Dorper exhibit trophy & Most successful Dorper exhibitor trophy – judge: Ron van der Merwe, South Africa
    Attended DSSA National Sale 22/09/2008 held Bellevue’s first on-property Dorper & White Dorper ram sale
  • 2009Won First Awards

    March - David attended & passed Senior Dorper Training Course One at ‘Burrawang’ NSW – trainer: Ron van der Merwe, South Africa
    Attended DSSA National Show, bringing home the Supreme Dorper Exhibit & Most Successful Dorper Exhibitor trophies – judge: Philip Strauss, Namibia
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    Held second on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 21/09/2009
  • 2010DSSA National Show Awards

    March - David attended & passed Senior Dorper Training Course Two at ‘Kaya’ Western Australia – trainers: Wicus Cronje, Gideon Vivier, South Africa
    March – David attended & passed Judges Course One at ‘Kaya’ Western Australia – trainers: Wicus Cronje, Gideon Vivier, Konie Kotze, South Africa
    May – David attended and passed the final Dorper Training Course Judges Exam held in Britstown, South Africa, becoming one of the first two, fully qualified Australian Dorper & White Dorper Judges who passed - trainers: Konie Kotzie, Gideon Vivier, et al
    Attended DSSA National Show, bringing home the Supreme Dorper exhibit & Most Successful Dorper exhibitor trophies – judge: Theuns Botha, South Africa
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    David - Elected to the Board of the DSSA representing Qld breeders
    Held third on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 20/09/2010
    David judged Dorpers at the Canterbury A & P Show, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • 2011Sophie Passes Dorper Course

    Sophie attended and passed Senior Dorper Course at ‘Burrawang’ New South Wales – trainer: Wicus Cronje
    David judged Dorpers at the Landmark NSW State Sheep Show, Dubbo
    Attended DSSA National Show, bringing home Reserve Champion Junior White Dorper Ewe, Champion Junior Dorper Ewe and Reserve Champion Junior Dorper Ewe ribbons - judges: Rodney Rayner, South Africa & Murray Connan Western Australia
    Held four day DSSA endorsed Dorper training course at Bellevue - July 2011 Attended DSSA National Sale
    David - Board member & Vice President DSSA
    Held fourth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 19/09/2011
  • 2012DSSA National Show Awards

    July – Held information day for sheep producers at Bellevue with guest presenters from the WormBuster Lab Qld, Biosecurity Qld, LambPlan & Namibian Dorper breeder Pieter van Schalkwyk David judged Dorpers at the Sydney Royal Easter Show
    David judged Dorpers at the Tara show, Queensland.
    Attended DSSA National Show, bringing home trophies for Most Successful Exhibitor Dorpers and Most Successful Exhibitor White Dorpers – judges: GT Ferreira, New South Wales; Freddie Dryer, Namibia; Nick Pagett, New South Wales
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    David – Board member and Vice President DSSA
    Held fifth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 24/09/2012
  • 2013Royal Qld Show Awards

    May – Sophie passed Senior Dorper Course held at ‘Samehaling’ & ‘Duurdrift’, Namibia. Trainers: Philip Strauss, Pieter van Schalkwyk, Namibia
    David judged Dorpers at the Goondiwindi Show, Queensland
    David judged Dorpers at the Royal Launceston Show, Tasmania
    Held sixth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 25/02/2013
    Attended DSSA National Show, bringing home trophy for Supreme White
    Dorper Exhibit Attended DSSA National Sale
    First time exhibitor at the Royal Qld Show (Brisbane EKKA) bringing home trophy for Grand Champion Dorper Ram, Grand Champion Dorper Ewe, Grand Champion White Dorper Ram & Grand Champion White Dorper Ewe – judge GT Ferriera, New South Wales
    Held seventh on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 23/09/2013
    David – President of the Board of the DSSA
  • 2014Toowoomba Royal Show Awards

    First time exhibitor at the Toowoomba Royal Show, bringing home trophies for Champion Dorper Ewe, Champion Dorper Ram, Champion White Dorper Ram, Reserve Champion White Dorper Ewe – judge: Andrea van Niekerk, New South Wales
    David judged Dorpers at the Tamworth Show, New South Wales David judged Dorpers at the Perth Royal Show, Western Australia
    Attended DSSA National Show bringing home trophy for Supreme Dorper Exhibit – judge Weber Scheun, South Africa
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    Held eighth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 05/07/2014
    Held ninth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 20/09/2014
    David – President of the Board of the DSSA
  • 2015Tenth On Property Dorper & White Dorper Sale

    Held RamSelect and MSA Field Day for sheep producers at Bellevue in conjunction with MLA, Sheep CRC & Sheep Genetics, demystifying LambPlan ASBV’s – February 2015
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    Held tenth on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 18/09/2015
  • 201611th Dorper & White Dorper Sale

    David judged Dorpers at the NSW State Sheep Show, Dubbo, New South Wales
    Attended DSSA National Sale
    Held 11th on property Dorper & White Dorper sale 16/09/2016
  • 201712th Dorper & White Dorper Sale

    Held 12th on-property Dorper & White Dorper sale 15/09/2017. 100% clearance.

    Introduced the ‘Bellevue Ram Evaluation Guide’ to our ram buyers at 2017 sale

    Congratulations to Dalby State High School ag students and teachers Hayden Todd & Janine Milne for winning the 2017 Royal Brisbane Show (EKKA) Prime Lamb Competition, including first, second and third in the Restaurant Trade class, Champion Grass Fed Pen and overall Champion Prime Lamb Pen. These Dorper lambs have been bred and prepared by the Dalby High team, using Bellevue genetics, and competed with all other long-term commercial sheep breeders and producers. Dalby High also won Prime Lamb competitions at the Tara and Bell shows.

    Congratulations to Ray & Helen Aspinall of Blackall for winning Highest Value Meat Sheep at the 2017 Isisford Sheep & Wool Show using Bellevue genetics.

    Congratulations to Charlie Uebergang & family for winning the Prime Lamb Competition at the 2017 Pittsworth Show using Bellevue genetics.

    Bellevue won Champion Single lamb (yield 55.7%); 1st, 2nd, 3rd Single Prime Lamb 42-46kg category at the Warwick Show & Rodeo Society’s annual Lamb Carcass Competition held at Carey Bros Abattoir, Yangan. Bellevue’s top yield 56.4% (42-46kg range).

    David judged the DSSA Eastern Region Show, Dubbo NSW, 16&17/03/2017

    David judged the Meat Breeds at the 150th Warwick Show, 25/03/2017

    David judged the Dorpers & White Dorpers at the Tenterfield Show NSW, 11/02/2017
  • 201813th Dorper & White Dorper Sale

    David judged the Dorpers & White Dorpers at the Tenterfield Show 10/02/2018

    Held 13th on-property Dorper & White Dorper sale 15/09/2018. 100% clearance.

    Won Champion Pen of Lambs & Reserve Champion Pen of Lambs at the Warwick Show & Rodeo Society’s annual Lamb Carcass Competition held at Carey Bros Abattoir, Yangan.

    Eastern Australia is experiencing the worst drought on record. Despite not harvesting a winter or summer crop for the past two seasons at Bellevue, the Dorpers keep getting pregnant and raise lambs, giving us the ability to send finished 44+kg live weight lambs out the gate! Amazing animals!
  • 2019 Don’t Miss Out!

    Sophie assisted South African judge Raymond Read at the National Dorper & White Dorper Show held in conjunction with the Toowoomba Royal Show, 27-28/03/2019

    Royal Queensland Show – EKKA. Prime Lamb Carcass Competition – 1st & 2nd Pen of three Trade Lambs (18-21kg) - 09/8/2019

    Bellevue’s 14th on-property Dorper & White Dorper sale, Saturday 14th September 2019 – 1pm