[Jacob-list] Re: Sheep shearing question......

[Linda]

The JSBA standard does list adult sheep that shed as a DQ.

I don't think anyone is talking about Jacobs routinely shedding.  In my case, I was talking about breaks in the wool 
due to stress factors.  The ewe I referred to came here with mastitis.  During the treatment, her wool broke.  In the 
spots where she could rub, the wool fell out - at the break, not at the skin.  Where she could not rub, the staple 
stayed there, but had a very weak spot.  I went ahead and combed her to pull off the wool at the break, which left her 
with a very short fleece.  Not the same as shedding :-)  

I did see some Jacobs once that had not been sheared in years and their fleeces were very matted.  The fleece was 
pulling off in places.  It looked like the sheep was uncomfortable and was rubbing those areas.   I'm not sure, but I 
don't think that would be the same as shedding - more like ripping off some heavily felted/matted fleece.

Linda





On Sun, 8 Aug 2004 19:43:59 -0400, Betty Berlenbach wrote:
>Seems to me the breed standard says that if the sheep sheds, it is not
>registerable.  Am I imagining that?  I am crazy busy and don't have time to
>look right now, but Jacobs are not supposed to shed as a matter of course.
>Undue stress is something else again! Betty! ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Linda" <patchworkfibers at alltel.net> To:
><gordon at westergladstone.fsnet.co.uk>; <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com> Sent:
>Sunday, August 08, 2004 2:40 PM Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Re: Sheep shearing
>question......
>
>
>>Thank you, it's very clear. I have seen the weak layer a couple of times in
>>ewes that underwent a
>serious stress event during pregnancy and had the
>>one ewe with mastitis that actually lost most of her fleece.  But, I don't
>think it's a standard occurrence around
>>here, judging from my own wool and fleeces I've bought from neighbors.  I
>wonder if it might be because we have such
>>mild winters?  I'm in NE Georgia, in the mountains, where it is unusual
>for temps to go much below 20 or so in the
>>winter.  Does that make any sense?
>>
>>Linda
>>
>>On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 23:44:40 +0100, gordon johnston wrote:
>>>Lots of people don't know about the rise, so don't worry. Just think tree
>>>rings. When it's summer and the feeding is good, the wool grows long and
>>>thick. In winter when it's cold and the feeding's poorer, the wool growth
>>>slows and thins. This thinner, weaker wool is the rise - the layer of
>weak
>>>wool between last year's strong summer growth and this year's strong
>summer
>>>growth. The rise is most marked in ewes as in the winter they are growing
>>>lambs at the expense of their own wool, so the rise is particularly
>pronounced
>>>- a very noticable layer of very weak wool that hand shears just zip
>through.
>>>If a ewe is stressed by illness during pregnancy, this weak layer is so
>weak
>>>the the fleece can just fall off. With tups (rams) and gimmers the rise
>is
>>>minimal and can be hard to discern in places. Makes shearing accurately
>more
>>>difficult.
>>>
>>>I hope that is reasonably clear
>>>
>>>Gordon with 2 more sheep to shear.
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>>Handspun Yarns
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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