[Jacob-list] breeding counts

[Mary Hansson]

People are not reading my earlier post very carefully.....  I do not cull LILAC traits.  I cull CROSS-BRED traits.  I combined both topics in one paragraph which was poor English writing.
 
I stated that I had culled an entire line of animals one time (NOT DUE TO LILAC) and that was done because I felt very strongly (and still do) that there were strong cross-bred traits coming through that particular line.  I did that because I had access to pedigrees, I had access to breeders, I asked lots of questions, and I observed offspring and knew what ancestors were producing.  When I culled that line, I got 5 animals out of the future breeding population----and I cut down the risk of those animals then going to one of your farms and producing one of the little black wonders that we get now and then.  I knew of THREE of those black wonders at 3 different farms out of this CULLED line that I eliminated.
 
Not all breeders have the same culling policies---and that is why I purchase sheep carefully when I pay the big bucks for them.  That is why I communicate with people I purchase sheep from---to keep them informed of how their animals are producing---and to better understand behaviors and phenotypes.
 
That is why I have NOT actively marketed the Culloden flock that I have had now for 2 years---BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW HOW IT PERFORMS, WHAT THE ANIMALS WILL PRODUCE WHEN OUTCROSSED.  You don't want the heartache of slaughtering a bunch of "cross-bred-looking" or poor quality stock because I was just pushing to sell animals before I realized what they would do.
 
Do I cull animals for SUED?  Absolutely.  Do I ever use animals with SUED?  Yes.  Do I watch their offspring carefully?  ABSOLUTELY.
 
Do I cull parents if they are producing SUED offspring regularly?  Absolutely.  
 
Do I cull animals that are extremely freckled and produce the same often (which they do)?  Absolutely.  I do cull heavily----and had a flock of sheep that after they were shorn this year had only 2 heavily freckled animals in the flock.  One is a very old ewe and the other is a ewe that is likely going to be leaving skyward.  I started out with a flock culling for freckling traits about 5 years or so back that was predominantly freckled and/or heavily freckled.  People who purchase from me are not likely to get heavily freckled surprises when they shear the first time----and those can be ugly surprises for many breeders!
 
In the past few days, I have seen several answers to the list that were answering to specific posts where it was obvious that the person responding had not even bothered to read the original posting carefully.  Maybe I am PMSing this morning, but that is one of my pet peeves.
 
Mary Ellen




Mary Ellen Hansson, MEd, RD, LDN
ISeeSpots Farm
Jacob Sheep:  Lambs, adults, wool
www.iseespots.com
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