[Jacob-list] Primitive Traits - Age

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

Edie mentioned one of her old girls going to age 24... and lambing.  The 
Ewecote flock of John and Steph Sleighthome have a litle flock of Jacobs in 
the Whitby area of England.  Their flock was close to some others that had 
F&M and they lost about a third to a half of their flock, perhaps about 30 
sheep.  They were able to save some, a 24 year old and a couple of 20 year 
olds.

Some listers may recall the comaprison of Jacob ewes with several other 
breeds and lambing by age; the Jacob produced lambs longer and twined longer. 

It sounds as if Gordon Johnson was born after his time.... Back in 1911, Oryx 
magazine made a plea to continue to "conserve" the original type Jacob lest 
by conservation through commercialization, many traits would be lost. Many  
genetic traits can be lost to a breed in as few as five or six generations.  
When we 'hired' Elite Genetics to see if they could find "unimproved" Jacobs 
in England or Scotland several years ago, they came up short.  Certainly 
there must be something left to add to the gene puddle in North America.

Fred Horak