[Jacob-list] Selective breeding

[Linda]

We can't help but introduce bias into our flocks.  Despite my acceptance of a wide variety of markings (and lack of markings), I am rather keen on strong laterals on my four horned ewes.  I think we probably all do select on a 3 (or some number) strikes and you're out.  It is a bit of a juggling act.  Do you keep the ewe  with the spectacular fleece & gorgeous horns or cull her because she's missing some facial markings?  Or the ram? In a small flock like mine - 12 ewes at the most, 2 or 3 rams used each year, rams generally only used for two years, I think some of my older ewes have contributed more genetically to my flock than any ram.  I tend to believe that my ewes are just as important as my rams.

Linda
Hoping for diversity without going quite as far as butt-ugly :-)


What's New at Patchwork Farm?

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 17:35:08 -0700 (PDT), Susan Nielsen wrote:

>
> Fortunately, we still have sufficient variability in the puddle to
> produce the unaccountable lamb with a longer tail, the one with a
> bull's- eye eye patch, the one with freckles, the one with coarse
> fleece and the one with weird horns. These are the babies that keep
> the flocks alive.
>
> I guess what we have to decide is how many strikes are tolerable in
> our own flocks: 3 strikes, you're out? Obviously, no one wants to
> raise butt-ugly sheep. But we do need to keep some average ones
> around, too, I think.
>
> Susan
> --
> Susan Layne Nielsen, Shambles Workshops              |"...Gently down the
> Beavercreek, OR, USA -- snielsen at orednet.org          |stream..." -- Anon.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> -- Purveyors of fine honey, Jacob Sheep, Ashford spinning products
> and Interweave books
>
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