[Jacob-list] Horn strength

[gordon johnston]

May I add 2 points to the discussion on Jacob horn strength?

The first is that, yes, horns can be used for handling sheep, but they do
not like it and it's rarely necessary.  A sheep can be well controlled by a
hand under the chin and the body braced against the handlers leg, unless
it's wild or distressed (the sheep that is!).  Sheep's horns are
surprisingly sensitive - see how precisely they use them for scratching, or
flicking someone else's lamb out of the way, and how they toss the head when
the horns are touched.  They clearly know exactly where the horn tip is,
even if there are no nerves in the tip itself ; there must be plenty at the
attachment point. So please think carefully before routinely using horns for
catching and securing sheep, no matter how convenient they are.  Keep it for
emergencies.

The second is that Jacobs, especially 4 horned, take some time to develop
firmly fixed horns.  If you attempt to catch a lamb by the horns you may
well end up with the horn in your hand and a bloody hole into the animals
skull.  Side horns in particular are knocked off very easily by fighting,
caught against netting, etc.  Even a shearlings horns are too delicate to be
used to hold its full weight.

I enjoyed all the colour inheritance info from Fred and Neal, although I
wasn't quite certain about the reference to 'Soay, Shetland, etc'.  Neither
of them contains a lilac variant, do they??  Mouflon pattern, moorit, yes.
There are lilac Jacobs here, with spots of a very pale grey - is that what
you mean?

Oh by the way, just to be really picky, The Jacob Sheep Society represents
British flocks, not just English ones.

Juliet, in Scotland.