[Jacob-list] JSBA Inspector Games - or maybe good decisions!!!!

[Edd Bissell]

At
>Esau was born on April 8, 1999, so he was about 7 months old when everything
>was sent in.
>
>thom
>\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\


Not being one who has ever or probably never will choose his words
carefully, I will jump headlong into this.

1 - I do now and from day one value Ingrid's opinions - she has been there
since probably some of this list were not even born much less into Jacobs

2 - She, like several other out there including myself, has made every
mistake possible -  and like many has been able to learn from those mistakes
and her flock to me should tell you that.

3 -  I do NOT register my flock - have not for years so am not slanted by
that process.

4 =  The RAM in my opinion is the MOST important part of you overall flock
and to those on down the line who buy sheep from the breeder UNLESS you are
single breeding that particular ram over a ewe =- and most of us are not
priviledged enouth to be able to keep enough rams to do that.  Mazie Hescock
was probably the exception to this - she had FIELDS full of rams - and had
the most elaborate breeding system that I have ever seen - BUT she started
out the a VERY limited gene pool and did an exceptional job of breeding.

5 - If Ingrid and the OTHER inspectors have made the decision that the ram
is unacceptable the breeder should listen to THEM - the key to your
discussion is in the above statement  =  SEVEN MONTHS OLD - this presents to
me a very imature ram - and if his horns are fusing or touching [I think
this is what you said in your earlier statement] now then by the time he is
maybe 2 the lower horns will ABSOLUTELY have the blood supply cut off time
the lower horns.  You can take that to the bank!!!!! And horn position, etc
is a VERY inhertable thing in my opinion - 

6 = I find that the "perfect" rams in my flock at times in the past when I
had from 60 to as many as 100 ewes was maybe in the range for 1 to 4 in a
breeding season.  Sue Thaxton was the exception to horn quality - the VAST
majority of her rams had WONDERFUL, well spaced, almost perfect horns.  I
think it has something to do with the Middle Tennessee Limewater!!!!!!!

7 = Now, after all of that I think you are doing the right thing = use the
appeal process.  But remember stand back and look at that ram one more time
- and if you think everything if according to the standards then go
foreward.  BUT if you look at the horns [the MOST important part of the
overall Jacobs IN MY OPINION = if you have poor quality horns then no matter
how nice the rest of the male is he is destined to the Muslins market here
in Tennessee] and still think that it is something that you want to have
your flock look like then you are on the right track. 

8 - EVERY LAMB BORN on your property SHOULD not and is not the quality to be
automatically REGISTERED - there are those that say if it comes from
registered animals then it should be registered.  That is a thought process
that is to me bunk. 

9 = In closing, I have been around the bend a time or two - Ingrid and I and
Sue and Luther and several other have had differences of opinions over and
over and over - and in the end we have all been better breeders for it.
Sometimes it pays to listen to those who have been there and done
that....saves you lots of problems down the line -

10 \ With all of the above wording and 50 cents in New Market Tennessee you
can get a good cut of coffee at Lost Creek  Market and Deli - read, think
and go foreward.

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      Edd Bissell = Hidden View Farm = Rare and Primitive Breed Animals
Scottish Blackface=Jacob=Barbados=Texas Dall=Navajo-Churro=Churro Hairsheep
     ====Tennessee Nervous Meat Goats =  = Great Pyrenees LGDs=====     
                  = bissell at usit.net = 423-475-4844 =    
         1435 Collins Road - New Market, Tennessee U.S.A. 37820