[Jacob-list] (no subject) - white sheep

[Linda]

That's one of the things that make me wonder if this might be the result 
of breeding two sheep that only carry one dominant black gene instead of 
two, rather than just being one big spot (which is also a 
possibility).The white sheep would still carry the spotting gene even it 
if didn't carry the dominant black gene. Bred to a sheepthat carried two 
dominant black genes, the normal Jacob spotting pattern would show up.
I realize that we define Jacobs as having two dominate black genes 
(actually an extension dominant gene), but we seldom test our sheep by 
crossbreedingto see if we get white lambs.
Linda
On 5/2/2013 2:22 PM, Betty Berlenbach wrote:

> One interesting thing I've noticed in the two flocks I've seen white 

> lambs is that their horns are white, not black or striped. I wonder if 

> that is some kind of hint.

> *From:* Peg Bostwick <mailto:peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com>

> *Sent:* Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:57 AM

> *To:* 'tim koenig' <mailto:timkoenig5 at gmail.com> ; 

> Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com <mailto:Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>

> *Subject:* Re: [Jacob-list] (no subject) - white sheep

>

> Hi, all.  Every few years, it seems that someone has an all white lamb 

> from Jacob parents. Hadn't heard about it being related to general 

> weakness.... that is a new one for me.

>

> Very early on -- pre JSBA -- we had a set of triplets, and two of the 

> three were all white. Although the registry hadn't been initiated, 

> both sire and dam were from breeders who provided pedigrees for 

> several generations -- we didn't think this was a case of 

> crossbreeding.   But, everyone was pretty sensitive at the time about 

> what was a "real" Jacob, so didn't want to talk about it much.  We put 

> the two white ewes in with our commercial sheep and forgot about them 

> mostly, although out of curiosity I did breed one to a Jacob ram one 

> time and she produced a perfectly spotted lamb -- which we culled to 

> avoid questions.

>

> At the time, we were told that it was most likely "one big spot" as 

> has been mentioned in this list before.  I can understand that, but am 

> still curious as to whether something else is going on genetically as 

> well, given that there doesn't seem to be a lot of in-between -- like 

> a sheep with just a few black hairs around the eyes or something.  

> Ours had blue eyes and NO black at all.   The physical issues also 

> make me curious, although ours were in the commercial flock for years 

> and were fine.  They don't fit the albino pattern (blue eyes) -- but 

> something similar maybe?   I know that some all white animals can have 

> physical issues -- something like 15% (may not remember the number 

> correctly) of all white cats are deaf, for instance.

>

> Generally, I guess it is just fair to say that all white sheep aren't 

> acceptable as registered Jacobs (obviously!) and aren't desirable 

> physically either it sound like.  We've never had another white one.  

> If I had them show up routinely in my flock, I would try to identify 

> the bloodlines involved and try to get rid of them, but of course that 

> is a personal choice.

>

> That's all I know but if someone figures out more about the genetics 

> involved, I'd love to hear about it. J   Peg

>

> *Peg **Bostwick***

>

> peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com <mailto: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 *tim koenig

> *Sent:* Monday, April 29, 2013 4:35 PM

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

> *Subject:* [Jacob-list] (no subject)

>

> I wonder if anyone else out there has had this situation. I talked to 

> Mark Williams about it, and he hadn't heard of it, so I thought I'd 

> put it out to the list.

>

> In the past 8 or 9 years, a few of my ewes have produced entirely 

> white Jacobs lambs. Never more than one in a given year, and, until 

> last year, most were born dead, or died within a couple days.

>

> Last year, one ewe produce another all white ewe lamb, alive and 

> healthy. She grew well and was bred last fall, and recently delivered 

> a fine, healthy, dark ram lamb. Both animals are unusually friendly, 

> actively seeking contact whenever I'm in sight.

>

> Milky has blue (ish) eyes, not a black hair on her, no black even 

> inside the mouth. Her parentage traces back, un broken through pure 

> bred, registered Jacobs. No other sheep have been on the farm since 

> several years before I started Jacobs.

>

> Does this situation just qualify as one humongous, big white spot...or 

> what??

>

> Tim Koenig

> Applegarth Farm

>

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