[Jacob-list] Primitive?

[Linda]

Please excuse my typos - very long night and very early morning.

Linda wrote:

> Small-ness, in itself, does not scream primitive to me, even though 

> many of the more primitive Jacobs are smaller.

> One thing (for me, anyway) besides hip and bone, that helps to define 

> primitive is the head. A big square clunky head with a broad forehead 

> just isn't what I call primitive. A slender, triangular head that is 

> decidedly male or female (as the case may be)without being blocky is 

> (again, for me)*is* a trait of a primitive Jacob.

> Behavior and adaptation are hard to judge *to judge* with a glance. I 

> hope that we are still raising hardy and adaptable sheep.

> It's interesting to check out images on the internet of commercial 

> breeds for comparison and images of deer to define "deer-like".

>

> Linda

>

>

> Neal and Louise Grose wrote:

>> I don't think color should figure in on this. Color is more a factor 

>> of blood- lines and chance.

>>  

>> We tend to think of primitive as being defined by smaller animals, 

>> but we need to be careful about that. Breeding for small-ness is just 

>> as bad as breeding for big-ness.

>>  

>> Resistance to parasitosis is often cited as primitive, and this is a 

>> very good attribute; but, Soay sheep, which are primitive by 

>> definition, have little resistance because they were not developed in 

>> an area that subjected them to large parasite loads.

>>  

>> I look at body style and conformation. The hallmark of domestic 

>> livestock improvement is the selection for extended loin area and 

>> larger hams. This is accomplished by breeding for a round, 

>> course bone and a less flexible broad ligament (the ligament that 

>> overlays the pelvis). Large hips increase the area that produce the 

>> more expensive cuts of meat, but also dramatically increase the 

>> incidence of birthing problems since this is the widest area that 

>> must pass through the birth canal.. This birth problem is multiplied 

>> by the less flexible broad ligament, which prevents the pelvis from 

>> separating during the passage of the fetus. Primitive sheep and cows 

>> have relatively narrow and sloping rumps, and flatter bone. Even the 

>> "improved" lines of Jacobs Sheep that are often criticized have 

>> relatively narrow rumps and strong front ends (think of them as 

>> linebackers with no necks narrow hips).

>>  

>> Mostly, we just think that we know it when we see it.

>>  

>> Neal Grose

>>  

>>  

>>

>>     ----- Original Message -----

>>     *From:* Laura C Frazier <mailto:farmgirlarts at triad.rr.com>

>>     *To:* jacob-list at jacobsheep.com <mailto:jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>

>>     *Sent:* Tuesday, November 03, 2009 9:41 PM

>>     *Subject:* [Jacob-list] Primitive?

>>

>>     I'd like to have some clarification about the

>>     characteristics/traits of the "primitive" Jacob sheep. I've

>>     heard/read of some individuals being referred to as "primitive",

>>     including my ram, and I'd just like to better understand this.

>>     Less black? Finer bones? Smaller in stature? 

>>

>>     Thanks!

>>     Laura

>>

>>     Laura C Frazier

>>     FarmGirl Arts

>>     (336) 971-3834

>>     Kernersville, NC

>>     http://home.rr.com/farmgirlarts

>>

>>

>>

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>

> -- 

> Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep <http://www.patchworkfibers.com>


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Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep <http://www.patchworkfibers.com>
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