[Jacob-list] the perfect sheep

[Linda]

I don't believe that siblings are genetically identical. Each lamb gets one gene for each chromosome from each parent - not necessarily the same gene.  Say the dam is sired by a lilac ram and we would accept that she is a lilac carrier.  We can't prove it, be we are pretty sure the ram doesn't have any lilac background.  Not every lamb is going to get that lilac gene from the dam.  They are not genetically identical.  I admit I greatly oversimplified here, but the basis is solid.  Progeny testing is a test of the parents - not the lambs.  If we get a hornless ewe lamb (which I believe is a recessive trait? feel free to correct me), it signifies that both parents carry the hornless gene.  One lamb could carry and exhibit the trait, another could carry and not exhibit the trait, and another lamb could not carry the trait at all. 

Linda
 
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 14:41:32 EST, Paintedrockfarm at aol.com wrote:


>
> I do not believe in inbreeding period -- this our flock policy. 
> Others may agree or disagree with their own flocks, which is
> perfectly fine. We just don't practice that and never have.  I see
> those traits in which one may desire to improve by inbreeding are
> also subsequently "fixed" as the generations progress -- good
> traits and bad.  Merely culling those without the desired "look" is
> not the answer, especially when dealing with multiple births. 
> After all, the siblings are genetically identical, right?  
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