[Jacob-list] tails and what buyers like

[Carl Fosbrink]

It has been my experience  that more buyers want a docked Jacob than one not docked or don't care too much if everything else is to their liking. This may be different in another area of the country.  Also shearers in my area don't like to do long tails and it is hard to get shearers in my area. Those are the two main reasons we dock tails. I have a breeding ram from the Eastern part of the country who was not docked when I bought him and he has no problem with his long tail. Jacobs have control of the upper part of their tails and can lift them out of the way. In some parts of the country or some people like the long tails and that is fine. It is a personal decision to dock or not to dock. Shortly after birth we tag and band lambs and at that time I record the tag numbers of lambs and their sire and dam info. as well as any other comments about the lambs. If one has a tail that is too long I record it so I will know when making a decision about culling. If a lamb had a tail well below the hock it would be sold for meat. If you like long tails then by all means do not dock and if you like short tails or have a problem with getting a shearer then dock. I have always banded the tails on my Jacobs where the skin stops on the underneath side of the tail. NEVER dock the tail completely off as used to be the practice with show sheep. This can cause prolapse and has been outlawed in most parts of the country now I think.


From: Avillion Farm 
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 8:50 PM
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
Subject: [Jacob-list] tails and what buyers like


HI Linda or anyone else with similar experience, when you say the market likes them docked, what exactly
do you mean?  My ethnic buyers want them both intact and with the tail left long, i.e. not docked.  Some of 
them are fairly adamant about it.  The language barrier makes it a little hard to understand exactly why.
I have also sold undocked lambs to 4H and FFA kids who show them and no one seemed worried about the
long tails.  From an aesthetic standpoint, I rather like their tails myself.

Elaina


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