[Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

[Zach Oaster]

"Too dark" has been mentioned several times, but I think it is important to
point out that breeding for extreme lightness is also a fault. Jacobs are a
naturally black sheep with white spots, so a very dark sheep isn't
particularly unnatural... given that if you're registering them you should
cull outside the boundaries set forth by JSBA, etc. Personally, I find the
leaning-dark animals preferable to the leaning-light (just a personal
thing), but in my experience I've had to cull otherwise perfect rams for
being too light far more often than for being too dark.


^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Zach Oaster
zach at fattoaster.com
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Visit Zach & Lindsay's farm blog: http://www.fattoasterfarm.com
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^



On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 1:25 PM, Carl Fosbrink <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>wrote:


> **

> I know of high letter Jacobs that weren't culled very heavily that have

> thrown some dark lambs so you are correct that just the letter doesn't mean

> as much as how you have selected your breeding stock. Some people also

> select for different things in their breeders, but should always put the

> breed traits first. I am not advocating that you register every lamb. I

> only register the ones I keep as breeders or sell as breeders. 80% of my

> lambs are sold for meat because I am very particular about what I keep or

> sell for breeders. I realize the registration process is quite lengthy and

> that is why I give customers a copy of the registration application that I

> send in. You have to do what you think is best for your situation. Good

> luck to you and I hope you get more people buying your Jacobs.

>  *From:* spotted_sheep at bluefrog.com

> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 08, 2012 6:53 PM

> *To:* Carl Fosbrink <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>

> *Cc:* jacob-list at jacobsheep.com ; oliveoyl_123 at hotmail.com

> *Subject:* Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

>

> But of course ; ) Someone (like me?) just has to skip one generation to

> mess up the flock letter, even if the animal has a long recorded pedigree :

> ) Or you can have animals that have been recorded but not registered for

> years, turning out premium lambs who will only be FF sheep. And then you

> can have the D/F/E flock sheep throw a wild card super dark lamb/messed up

> horns, etc. You can never guaranty what you'll get with these guys, no

> matter what the flock letter is, but that is half the fun of these guys : )

> Marie

>

> --- fourhornfarm at frontier.com wrote:

>

> From: "Carl Fosbrink" <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>

> To: <spotted_sheep at bluefrog.com>

> Cc: <oliveoyl_123 at hotmail.com>, <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>

> Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

> Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 18:40:07 -0400

>

>       Flock letter doesn't mean as much as seeing the parents,

> grandparents etc. so that you know what is in the background. Selecting for

> good animals to pass on good genes is important. The better the genes you

> pass on the better chance you will get better lambs and after a few years

> of doing this you will get a higher percentage of keeper lambs.

>       I would encourage registration so people can use the pedigree search

> and see what is in the background of your animals. I like to see the

> pedigrees on Jacobs I buy as well as pictures of the parents, grandparents

> etc. as far back as possible. I mostly keep my own ewes so know their

> background, but when I buy a new ram  I know I am bringing in a whole set

> of new genes so am very careful of what I am introducing into my flock.

>       It may be luck of the draw as to how the spots are arranged on the

> lambs born, but it is all in the genes as to the rest of it. Conformation,

> horns, fleece, temperament etc.  are all in the genes.

>       You have some nice Jacobs. Keep up the good work.

>

> Carl

>

>

>  *From:* spotted_sheep at bluefrog.com

> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 08, 2012 5:51 PM

> *To:* Carl Fosbrink <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>

> *Cc:* oliveoyl_123 at hotmail.com ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com

> *Subject:* Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

>

> She hasn't been registered yet. I haven't had the money or time to do so

> until recently. And have been wondering if I should even bother registering

> anyway (ewes that is).

> She is out of Chicory Lane Houdini and Meridian Zena (two registered C

> flock animals). Sire of the lamb is a C flock animal as well (not that

> flock letter really matters - just luck of the draw).

> Marie

>

> --- fourhornfarm at frontier.com wrote:

>

> From: "Carl Fosbrink" <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>

> To: "Sue Roenke" <oliveoyl_123 at hotmail.com>, <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>

> Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

> Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 15:24:20 -0400

>

> I tried to bring up Meridian Sadie's pedigree on the JSBA pedigree search

> and found no matches. Is that her correct registered name?

>

>  *From:* Sue Roenke <oliveoyl_123 at hotmail.com>

> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 08, 2012 1:06 PM

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

> *Subject:* Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

>

> We had an almost all black purebred Jacob lamb born last year, pictures on

> our Facebook page.

> Sue and Marie

>

> https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.171304052931100.43461.164095880318584&type=3

>

>  > From: hettick.1 at osu.edu

> > To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com

> > Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 10:59:48 +0000

> > Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Black Jacobs!

> >

> > I've had a purebred white Jacob, but never purebred black. The white

> ones just have too many spots!

> >

> > I can get a 4 horned and spotted lamb from an Icelandic/Jacob cross if

> the Icelandic carries spotting, but you can tell they are crosses because,

> in most cases, they are double coated and have short tails. I occasionally

> get a single coated one though, but I've always kept track of who the

> father is and who got out with the wrong ram and when, if that was the

> case. THey would be a lot like the Shetland crosses, but some Shetlands are

> single coated - and some Jacobs have naturally shorter tails too, just to

> confuse things.

> >

> > Navaho Churros can also be 4 horned, but they are also a double coated

> breed so you should be able to tell the difference, plus I think they can

> have wool forward of their horns, but I'm not sure. They come in a variety

> of colors and patterns including spotted and solid black. There are 4

> horned Icelandics too, but not in North America.

> >

> > Heather Hettick

> > Moonstruck Farm

> > creston, OH

> > www.moonstruckfarm.wordpress.com

> > www.moonstruckfarm.etsy.com

> >

> > I still have a couple young ( 1 and two years old) but experienced 2

> horned and registered Jacob ewes for sale who would love to be bred to a

> real Jacob ram for a change!

> > _______________________________________________

> > Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks

> > Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com

> > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list

>

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