[Jacob-list] SUED - Info request

[Mary Hansson]

Hi all,

The Jacob Research Project has 310 in the database already---more sitting 
here waiting to get put in.  Of those 310 animals, there are 27 with SUED 
varying from grades 2-4 in one or in both eyes (both eyes does not 
constitute two sheep).  This constitutes 8.7% of that population of sheep.  
I would have to do some checking, but think that most cases of SUED in rams 
were not around by 12 months of age or had been wethered, but can't remember 
about dispersal of ewes.

I know of a few sheep in that group that were registered as having normal 
eyes that had SUED and passed it to their offspring.  The sad fact is that 
not all breeders either know WHAT to look for or ASSUME they don't have it, 
or simply DON'T REPORT THE ISSUE.  The frustrating position of SUED for me 
has always been that it can apparently pop out of "nowhere" and hit you in 
the face---even when you know the background.

I would never agree that the trait pops out and hits you WHEN YOU HAVE 
PICKED THAT ANIMAL UP AT AN AUCTION OR FROM AN UNKNOWN AND UNDOCUMENTED 
BACKGROUND (I don't mean unregistered background---just undocumented 
background).

I personally had several notches in eyes last year when using a 2-horned 
ram.  This ram had no known ancestry with SUED----his dam/sire came from a 
flock that IS knowledgeable about SUED, does check for the condition 
rabidly, and could state that it was NOT THERE in the parents.  This ram was 
so glorious in every other respect I was having a rough time thinking about 
shipping him for meat (even has a wonderful personality and fleece), but I 
happened to know a bit about the ewe lines that created these little 
MONSTERS with splits and felt they were pretty clear of the defect behind 
them for a couple generations.  WELL---SAID RAM went to visit some girls at 
a friend's place to see if he would throw the SUED in high rates and create 
lots of little meat lambs for my friend.  THIS FRIEND IS A REAL RISK-TAKER, 
AS YOU CAN TELL!  Well----There haven't been any splits yet reported back, 
and they are being looked for!  I think the ram will survive another season, 
but I am surely scratching my head down here!

Mary Ellen
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