[Jacob-list] breeding for polycerates

[Betty Berlenbach]

Good questions all, Juliet, most of which I haven't spent a lot of time 
considering.  I have used both two horned and four horned rams.  Lately, 
I've used a four horned guy, but this year, the ewes will be divided between 
a two and a four.  Last year I had some weak horns and some lateral scurs in 
females.  I will observe over the next couple of years the differences 
between the two and the four and let you know.  I will have 4 to 4, 4 to 2, 
2 to 4, and 2 to 2, going, but not a big enough number of any group to be 
conclusive.  I wonder if people would all like to keep records over a couple 
of years, and try to come to some conclusions?  Maybe some already have. It 
will be interesting to see.  I suspect that a lot depends on the particular 
genes of the particular four and two horned rams, as well as just the fact 
of multiple hornedness.  And, I also think nutrition plays a part in it, 
both in terms of pasture and grains, minerals, etc.  Maybe even amount of 
sunlight, since vitamin D, supposedly is needed to build strong bones.  I 
wonder if areas where there's more sunlight significantly than areas where 
it is overcast a lot make for a difference, over generations, in the nature 
of horns...hm...
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gordon johnston" <gordon at westergladstone.fsnet.co.uk>
To: <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 6:23 AM
Subject: [Jacob-list] breeding for polycerates


>I would like the advice of those breeding 4 horned Jacobs please.  It has
> been suggested to me that for good strong horns it is better to use a 
> heavy
> horned 2 horned ram over 4 horned ewes ; has anyone tried this and what 
> are
> the results ? The theory is that 2 and 4 horned animals have the same horn
> mass, divided between however many horns they have, but that 4 horned 
> sheep
> tend to gradually loose that mass, so to keep strong horns, especially in
> females, fresh mass should be introduced from a 2 horned sire.
> We have always bred 4 to 4 horns in our Jacobs, but now we wish to improve
> the horns on our Hebrideans (which are a small black primitive Scottish
> breed, and come in 2 or 4 horned versions like Jacobs, also occasionally
> polled, top-knotted or many-horned) , which tend to have weak horns in the
> females, and the experience of Jacob breeders will be invaluable.
> By increasing horn mass, are we likely to lose the space btween the 4 
> horns
> in males? (Hebrideans are smaller than Jacobs so have smaller heads to 
> carry
> the horns)
> The other aspect to consider is the hornset itself ie the position of the
> horns. Forward-pointing horns are undesirable in that in rams they can
> impede grazing, but equally horns which curl backwards are unsightly,
> unimpressive and can eventually turn into the back of the head or neck. 
> What
> we are seeking is good straight horns - would using a 2 horned sire 
> decrease
> the control over hornset ? Have you found that the hornset is highly
> heritable, and if so is the female influence greater than the male (or 
> vice
> versa)?
>
> Juliet in Scotland
>
>
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