[Jacob-list] Warm fuzzy lilacs

[Neal and Louise Grose]

Hi listers,If you can stand a little more on 'lilacs':

 I recently spoke to someone who has a good eye for color. She indicated that there are indeed two shades of black in Jacob sheep. The type that we have here are a "warm" black (what I have described as "dark chocolate black"). The other is a "cold" black such as we would see in Holstein cows. Both of these are clearly dominant genetically. As I see it, there are several possible explanations for this difference:
1) There is a physical difference in the fiber. In essence, fuzzier fiber diffuses light and yields warmer color.
2) There are two dominant genes for black.
3) There is a genetic difference in the recessive colors under the black that "bleeds through".
4) It's just too darn hot here, the little darlings are getting cooked. 

OK. Now for that messy 'lilac'. Breeders have suggested that we have several shades of 'lilac' color: lilac lilac, chocolate lilac, gray lilac and pink lilac (Hah, just kidding Sue!). The question is, are these:
1) different genes? or
2) different expressions of the same gene due to differences in the underlying color?

If these are different genes, then we might expect to see odd expressions of color when the different colors are mated. The little experience that I have is that "chocolate" mated to "gray" yields "chocolate". If these are different genes, then we might get black instead, and this doesn't seem to be the case. 

If there are differences in the underlying color, then perhaps "chocolate lilac" is associated with "warm" black. 

I would be interested in hearing back from others any experience that others may have in crossing shades of lilac, as well as results from mating lilac Jacob to other breeds. 

Neal Grose


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