[Jacob-list] Tails wagging the registries

[Neal and Louise Grose]

"The reason that the arguments in [anthropology] are so large is that the stakes are so small."

I heard this quote on NPR in a story on anthropologists suing one another. It occurred to me that this statement would be true if we filled in the brackets with any number of things ... churches ... political parties ... Jerry Springer Shows ... Jacob Breed Organizations ...

Here is the big question as I see it: Why would anyone register their sheep with so much diversity of opinion for what is good and bad and immaterial. In short, how does a registry positively influence the balance between preservation of genotype and preservation of phenotype. 

The recent discussion on jacoblist on tail length prompted me to go back and look at our flock to see if there were any conclusions that I could make. Unlike Betty's, our flock is rather intensely linebred. (This is for a variety of reasons, which I will not go into now.) There is some variation in tail length, which seems odd given the amount of inbreeding that we have. For the most part, our sheep's tail are within a couple of inches of the hock. Would I select for tail length? Yes and no. This is a trait like teat length that is immaterial unless the length is extreme in one direction or the other. Tail length is an indication of purity, but not taken by itself. If tail length is used as an test of purity, then the shorter the tail, the purer the animal (or at least until it approaches Shetland length). Yet, some of our shortest tailed sheep are the ones with atypically fine fleeces. What I have seen is that our sheep with long tails tend to be from some of my least favorite maternal lines. A sheep with a long tail would not be culled if we had 6 sheep. We have 70. I am looking for any good reason to cull. This seems to be a marginal trait on which to base selection.

In contrast: I have noticed previously that the JSS Breed Standard has an odd entry: 'Back - straight, level from base of neck to setting on of tail, which should be broad.......Tail to be well set up on chine.....'. I may be reading this wrong, but this seems to me to advocate what we used to praise in 4-H judging as a "broad, flat rump". This is the antithesis of what is desirable in domestic animals. Flat rumps are a disaster for the proper function of sheep and cattle. In order to create a flat rump, we have to select for an inflexible broad ligament; which does not allow the pelvis to move as it should. There are many studies that show that "flat rumps" are the largest contributor to birthing difficulty other than management (big fat lambs). I honestly had not thought that this would be a problem in sheep until I saw a creature that was being passed off for a Jacob ram at a show. I could have placed a plate of Bar-B-Que and a glass of sweet iced tea on this thing's rear end and never spilled a drop. 

If I lived in England, could I, as a conscientious breeder, register my sheep in the Jacob Sheep Society under these circumstances? Certainly. 

There are three reasons why we register sheep. These reasons don't change just because we disagree over minor items.

1) Documentation.
Identifying animals with a breed association is an important way to document ownership. The markings on Jacob Sheep are equivalent to finger prints, and recording this along with flock management numbers and Government ID numbers is an important way to clarify ownership. Tracking animals is certainly easier when they are identified with a breed association. We all eventually cull some animals to public sales. Animals that are purchased at these sales can come back to haunt us unless we have some way of tracing them. 

2) Documentation. 
Sooner or later, we all die and our kids sell off our stuff. We have seen any number of cases where important stocks of conservation breeds were depopulated before anyone knew what they represented. Registrations allow others in the breed societies know something about the background of the animals, and allow those in our families know something concrete about what we have.

3) Documentation.
I may have some genetically interesting animals, yet they may not be in the current "popular trend" of Jacob Sheep. They may not be valued by others; but, by having them listed in a breed society, they have the chance to influence future generations if and when they become more widely valued. A good example of this is stature in Holstein cattle. After years of selection for tall cows, we have suddenly learned that medium size cows live longer and work better under grazing management. Registering animals despite (or to spite) current trends is a way to prove that the unusual things we value may stand the test of time. I firmly believe that we should not only tolerate traits that show REASONABLE variance in the Breed Standard, but should encourage these things.

The things we have in common are greater than our differences. The sooner we realize that, the better we will be able to practice the conservation we say we support.

I know that this has gone on for awhile, but am grateful that you have tried to follow this shaggy dog story!
Neal Grose
North Carolina













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