[Jacob-list] ? Ethics on selling Jacobs

[Linda]

On Sat, 22 Mar 2003 16:13:10 EST, Hobsickle at aol.com wrote:

>
>1.  Even if you where to sell them without papers they can still be
>registered (at least through the JSBA), so I don't see that selling
>them without papers accomplishes too much.  (My absolutely best all
>around ewe is a sweetheart that I bought three years ago at a
>stockyard sale for $35.00--no papers.)

Personally, I don't see the point in selling without papers.  All you are doing is taking an animal with a known background and keeping it in the breeding population as an unknown.  I totally agree with Dan on this.  And as an aside, I've spoken to a few breeders that do take purebred, noncull stock to the auctions.  Some years there is just not enough grass, not enough buyers, and not all breeders like to eat lamb.  I love my sheep, but I certainly do not intend for them to push me to the poorhouse.  We do not take sheep to the auctions as we have a rather large freezer.  
>
>2.  If you are not a well established breeder you may find that you
>have a hard time selling as many lambs as you'd like (particularly
>rams) and take almost any opportunity you can find.

There are always too many ram lambs!  I think they should be culled rather harshly and by culling, I do not mean selling them to someone else.  I would MUCH rather sell a good quality ram with papers for cheap to some place where he will be appreciated than sell a cull quality ram for cheap where he will be used for breeding.  I truly hate hearing "he only had $50 to spend, so I sold him a $50 ram." I believe that even well established breeders have a few nice quality unsold lambs left over every so often.
>

>5. Most, if not all, of us with Jacobs raise them because we like
>the looks (at least) of them.  Should we deprive anyone else of
>satisfying that desire because we may not like their breeding
>program?


Well said, Dan.  It seems that there are as many breeding and management programs among Jacob breeders as there are Jacob breeders.  We are as individual as the sheep we so enjoy.  Jacobs can and do thrive on situations as diverse as lush pasture and feedlot situations.  There was recent discussion on this list about a quite inbred flock that seems to have done well.  I never meant to get really involved in Jacobs - just wanted a few for the fleece and did plan on continuing with a crossbred spinner's flock.  Well, 10 years later,  it's all Jacobs here. When selling your sheep to a first time Jacob owner, hand them the plentiful information available from both JSBA and JSC.  Recommend Ingrid's book.  Point them to this list and the breed websites.  You may find that they go from wanting a ram and 2 ewes to becoming enthusiastic breeders.

Linda