[Jacob-list] PRIMITIVE TRAITS

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/10/01 8:25:14 PM Central Daylight Time, WenlochFrm 
writes:

<< I'm not following this very well, Fred. Are the Caoirich Big type sheep 
related to the Hebridean? I keep tuned for information that might explain the 
origins of the lilac color  in our Jacobs.
 
 Interesting that they would breed for singles. Did they say why? Also about 
the molting. I think some of my Jacobs must not have evolved very much. I'm 
very late shearing, and half the flock are bare halfway up their sides. >>

This is the only reference I have seen to the Caoirich Big 'breed'.  The 
origins of many of what we see today and call a 'breed' (eg. Jacob) may be 
very local as to its origin and the 'breeds' that make up the breed we see 
today (eg, Jacob) might be influenced by something out in left field.  

It seems that in the early 18th century (say up to 1750) the Dishley Leister 
had been paraded for stud service from southern England to northern England 
and certainly was mixed with the Dorset.  But when the 'breeding up' hit the 
Scottish border all bets were off.  The Scottish pasture demanded a sheep 
that could take weather and walk. Thus the Shetland, Scottish Blckface, 
Swaledale (breeds of today) and Jacob seem to have a certain 'primitive' gene 
that is unlike the Down breeds, principally the Southdown (meat breeds).  A 
comment from a grazier on sheep "There are two kinds of sheep; those that 
stand and those that walk".  The flocks of the south stood, the flocks of the 
north country (Scotland and Wales) walked.  You might not think of this 
immediately but the demand for mutton in London was so huge, flocks were 
moved by foot from Scotland to the south in the early 1700s.  By 1775 they 
moved them by boat and by the 1800's by train.

The environment and management was so tough that twins were not desired: it 
took too much out of the ewe and the lambs were generally undersized.  The 
multiple lambs were preferred in the south of England and already by the 
1700s the Dorset was known for multiples and 'early' lambing.  The south of 
England managed and 'tended' over the flock.  The even used 'barns' of sticks 
and thatch; brought ewes in for lambing and suckling.   In Scotland they made 
a pile of rocks for a wind break; ewes lambed behind the pile of rocks...out 
of the wind....and moved on.  Fred