[Jacob-list] need advice on breeding groups

[Peg Bostwick]

Hi, Neal.   Good advice, and I especially like your last sentence…. Pick what you like…and stick with it.   Those who never decide what they like/want rarely get it.

 

Peg Bostwick

 <mailto:peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com> peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com

517-626-6981

 

From: jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com [mailto:jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com] On Behalf Of Neal Grose
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2012 8:23 AM
Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] need advice on breeding groups

 

With genetics, everything is relative. Stature is the most highly heritable trait. The offspring will be close to the average of the parents in height at the wethers.

 

Fleece is more variable. Given enough matings, the offspring will look like the average of the parents, but especially with Jacob’s where there has not been rigorous selection for fleece, there can be considerable variation in a group of offspring. In contrast, Merinos that have been selected for a narrow standard of fleece character should respond much more to the influence of a ram. Fleece in Merinos may be much more heritable than Jacob’s Sheep.

 

Just to complicate things, there are a number of different characteristics of fleece. Fiber diameter(median diameter), length, density and variation within the fleece (range, standard deviation)...all of which are necessary to describe what we handspinners call “hand”.

 

Pick what you want in the ram (look at his mom if possible) and stick with it.

 

Neal

 

 

From: Linda <mailto:patchworkfibers at windstream.net>  

Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 8:45 PM

To: Lynette Frick <mailto:lynettefrick at gmail.com>  

Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 

Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] need advice on breeding groups

 

A ram with a dense coarse fleece would have to have something special to add before I'd want to use him on my ewes. Fleece quality is highly heritable. I tend to select my rams for fleece quality (with an emphasis on horn quality in their maternal lines). 
Linda . 

On 11/3/2012 8:08 PM, Lynette Frick wrote:

It should be said that the easiest trait to "change" is fleece... it could go either way. Ideally you would use a ram with the fleece you want to improve a whole group of ewes, then use another ram with the fleece you want on those offspring, etc.. instead of relying on the ewes directly for the change. Also, careful culling is the only way to make lasting changes in a group.  

 

good luck

 

Lynette Frick

Baraubar Merinos &

Four Points Shearing Services

 

 



This will be our first year of breeding our sheep and we had a question
about fleeces.  We have heard that the easiest thing to improve is fleece.
So does that mean that you could (or should) put a ram with a dense coarser
fleece with ewe with really nice fine fleece and get a nicer fleece in the
lambs?  Does the fleece always improve or does it go backwards sometimes?
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