[Jacob-list] 4 horn ewe skulls

[Linda]

Edited to add (need to proof read more)

I do consider a sheep with fused horns to have the number of _*total 
horns including the ones that are fused*_ - not the number of horns that 
are separate.

Linda wrote:

> Are there single horned cows? I want one :-)

> I've received a wide assortment of private responses to my question. 

> We certainly are as individual as our sheep!

> I have no experience with wethers, so can't add much to that topic. 

> The few meat buyers I have want intact rams and added to the fact that 

> I am lousy at banding means that our cull rams go into the freezer as 

> rams. A friend of mine did have a wether (castrated by the vet, so I'm 

> sure he was a real wether). Pokey had HUGE forward horns as a two year 

> old - every bit as large as two year old ram. I think he was unusual.

> I have two five horned ewes and one six horned ewe. I do consider a 

> sheep with fused horns to have the number of horns that are fused - 

> not the number of horns that are separate. I would consider your ewe 

> with three separate on one side and two fused and one separate on the 

> other to be a six horned. Unbalanced and undifferentiated is only a dq 

> for rams.

> You haven't posted in forever and it's fun to hear from you again - 

> it's an interesting topic and thanks for "messing up" my brain :-)

> Congratulations on Canada's first GC Jacob ewe! What does it mean to 

> be Canada's first GC ewe?

>

> Linda

>

> ranchrat wrote:

>>

>> Heel low Linda & Sheepers:

>>

>> As far as I understand this, Jacobs are polycerate because they have 

>> a gene the splits the horn core...just as a cow has horns, for 

>> example, the only difference between having single horned cows and  

>> multi-horned cows is this horn splitting gene.  People have enough 

>> trouble having meat with horns and you'll find a lot want polled 

>> cattle, no horns...meat with horns is harder to deal with.  LOL, that 

>> is until they realize their pretty handy handles some times...or not! 

>>

>> I will go out on a limb and surmise that because rams have 

>> testosterone and this amplifies the horn growth (and degrades fiber 

>> quicker than in ewes...sigh!), you will note a more major split in 

>> the horns...but basically, you have the same issue, a single horn 

>> that becomes multi-horns.

>>

>> I see no difference in the horns of your four horn ewe and your four 

>> horn ram...both look the same to me, but in the ram, more amplified 

>> because intact rams have bigger horns than the ewes.  If he had been 

>> altered, you would note horn growth really slows down, maybe to the 

>> same rate as a ewe...that sounds like a FUN project to 

>> investigate...alter a full sibling ram to a ewe and see if their horn 

>> growth is any different...har har...keep feed and all other factors 

>> the same...have fun with that one.

>>

>> Fused horns...it is hard to determine TRUE number of horns as in some 

>> causes, I would probably lean towards a seam delegating the 

>> "potential" to have caused more horns.  I tend to count the fused 

>> horns separately, so have "five horned" ewes that would in some 

>> person's opinions, be four horns and in the case of one ewe, we have 

>> three separated horns on one side (no questioning that side) and her 

>> other side, the top horn is fused with another completely separate 

>> side horn, so some would say a "five horn," but we refer to her as a 

>> SIX horn ewe.  Fused horns are frowned upon by some...hee hee...so 

>> maybe it is safer to count a fused as one, but then you can fight 

>> with the fact that it could make a Jacob have unbalanced horns...that 

>> too is a negative for some.

>>

>> Hee hee...too many interpretations...makes nobody completely happy.  

>> Sure is fun messing up your brain over tho.  Thanks Linda, sure helps 

>> pass the time cleaning out barns and gearing up for shearing...oh the 

>> tedious tasks of spring and other whatnots.

>>

>> Doggone,

>>

>> Tara Lee Higgins ~ Rat Ranch -- Alberta

>>

>> Home of Melody; Canada's 1^st Grand Champion Jacob Ewe -- Lilac FOUR 

>> horn...or FIVE horn??  Hee hee

>>

>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>

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>

> -- 

> http://www.patchworkfibers.com

> Registered Jacob Sheep


-- 
http://www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep

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