[Jacob-list] horny question :o)

[Mary Hansson]

Hi everybody.

I have been advised by several breeders to not just lurk as well as to throw
this particular question to engender some thought-provoking discussion:

How many of us have had 4-horned animals NEVER break off their horns?  The
typical 4-horned rams and ewes that I have noticed rarely have all 4 horns
that have not been broken at some point.  Royal Unzicker was here this
morning gasping over Amita and her head.  She has probably just broken 1 of
the 4 early on in her life.  I know of another ewe out of Kathryn
Stokey-Dillon's flock that did not break a horn.  I don't know of others,
but I am sure they exist.

I happened to have a ram lamb born this spring here (bred at another farm)
that is 4-horned and at birth, there was NO ROOM for more horn up on the
head.  Each of the 4 horns were like a 2-horned ram lamb......COOL, said I.
FREEZER MEAT, said I.  In the intervening months, the little guy has
fascinated me more and more.  Those horns are large!  They have never
chipped, cracked, etc.  Every other 4-horned animal here has had something
get knocked around.  Would the horns on this ram be something that would
increase the overall diameter of the horns on offspring as compared to their
dam lines?  I wonder.......

QUESTION:  Are we breeding progressively smaller-horned and weaker-horned
rams and ewes when we are eliminating from the gene pool rams with horns so
large that they touch on 4-6 month old rams?

I know that Edd has talked about wanting a finger of space between horns
when ram lambs are born, and you basically have to have this sort of space
for the horns to be separated when the animal is an adult.  That does
promote the "picture perfect Jacob ram" image.

When 4-horned ram lambs are born with all 4 horns the size that you see on
2-horned ram lambs.........what does one do?  Breed for bigger heads to
support these very large and more massive horns so they won't touch?  This
would most likely lead to birthing difficulties.  Cull for smaller horn
bases on 4-horned rams?

Who has used rams with such large horns, and what did you see in the
offspring?  If you don't feel comfortable writing that to the list, please
feel free to e-mail me privately at iseespots1nc at earthlink.net as I have
been ruminating over these basic issues now for several months.

Mary Ellen
ISeeSpots Farm www.iseespots.com
Home of Jacob Sheep
Renewable fleeces, loving friends.