[Jacob-list] Primitive Jacobs

[gordon johnston]

As Gordon's other half, I feel it's time to contribute to the discussion. When we bought our first Jacobs about 6 years ago we were unfamiliar with the changes in the breed which had taken place in the two decades since we had first fallen in love with them. So we were quite taken aback, but also impressed, with the new-style beasts we brought home. There were three gimmers, all 4horned, and even at that stage of our knowledge we could see that one was different - she was less placid, much more aware of her surroundings, very 'twitchy', and Helen Baillie, the breeder, said to expect her to end up being the best mother. She was certainly correct, and this was Trixie, our tending-towards-the-primitive Jacob, who is now well settled and friendly, but also more curious than some, and a superb mother.Oh, and she's a bit smaller than the others.  She did once have to be loaded into the back of the Landrover and taken to the vet at 2am in midlambing with large,dry and stuck twins (bred to a very large 'improved' tup), but has otherwise been problem free. She has my favourite fleece for spinning, very lustrous but unfortunately it tends to cot, so has to be watched carefully prior to shearing!
Since then we have learned a lot about sheep, and have aquired Hebridean, Soay and Shetland sheep, as well as some crosses. As Gordon has mentioned, we have had some minor successes in the show ring (including some of Trixie's progeny), not only with Jacobs, but also with the other breeds. Apart from last year with F&M, we usually sell about half of our ewe lambs for breeding, and the occasional tup, and this is why we have done the showing - no-one will buy from an unknown breeder. Nonetheless, in the case of the Jacobs we have always felt we were doing something we did not really want to do, but could not afford not to.  George has mentioned David Kinsman's book 'The Black Sheep of Windermere', and it was David who first helped us to clarify our views on breed conservation. (The book really is a must for anyone with an interest in the development of breeds, and genetics. It is largely about Hebrideans - aka St Kilda sheep - but does draw on many other examples). We began to see how a breed can be shaped by the requirements of farmers, and how these requirements, and therefore the breed, will change over time. Now we come to the point I want to make (at last!) - the improvements made to Jacobs from the 70s on were, I think, what saved the breed from possible extinction, or at best 'endangered' status. These improvements were made by a dedicated few in response to the needs at that time. Gordon's feeling is that now those needs have changed. From stirrings at Government level here in GB, it would seem that great efforts are being made, for whatever reason, to change the way we farm. Many farmers will give up altogether, large tracts of countryside are destined to become 'managed wilderness', and all of us will have to become more accountable. I don't wish to comment on these changes, scary as they appear at this stage. What it does mean is that those of us who wish to stay in sheep rearing will have to accept, and adapt to, these changes. Those who stay in large scale commercial production will fill the need for bulk sheep product : middle-sized outfits seem destined for extinction : smallholders and crofters will have to seek out and occupy the specialist niches. We see this as the obvious time to resurrect the old-style, pre-70s Jacob - hardy, unpampered, independant, intelligent, beautiful, tasty, a bit smaller and more easily managed(?), same lovely spinnable fleece and elegant horns. We have never said that this should be at the expense of the new improved Jacob - if this animal and it's breeders can survive the coming changes all well and good, but it would be short-sighted to miss this opportunity, while we still do have a hopefully large genepool, to save some of the older characteristics which may be essential to the survival of the Jacob breed, improved or not, in the coming upheaval in farming in GB.  I was taken by Betty Berlenbach's comment on how wonderful it is that there is room in the world for both types.
So lets not squabble about which is best, but try to preserve our beautiful breed in a changeing world.
Juliet
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