[Jacob-list] Hescock flock

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

Fred Horak here.  

In response to "I'd sure like someone to explicitly define or describe the 
difference beteen "primtive American Jacobs" and "improved American Jacobs" 
so we might be able to use these terms in a non-subjective manner."  I am not 
pretending to define this explicitly but here is some sources one might 
consider.

The ALBC (1997) describes the Jacob imported to North America as the JACOB 
AMERICAN; as distinguished from the JACOB in England which is considered 
"improved".  Thus two terms: improved and unimproved.  Improvement, in animal 
science, is to select for a desired trait which has apparent commercial value.

For example, Todd Hescock selected his sheep for importation in May-June 
1976.  Todd selected the Jacob for their commercial potential.  At the time, 
Todd describes there being 10,000 Jacobs in Britain; considered by some to be 
a novelty breed but beginning to have commercial potential in England and in 
Europe.  

The "commercialization" track was specifically selected by the JSS in 1969 as 
the way to conserve the breed.  The commentary in "Oryx", a conservation 
journal, was that the primitive Park Sheep would be lost through 
commercialization.  The favorite cross was to the Horn Dorset; many of these 
crosses are described in the JSS "Jacob Journal".  The process and the 
consequences were detailed in a number of articles in the Spring, Summer , 
and Fall 1998 JSS Journals. "The Jacob has improved out of all recognition 
since 1969 when the JSS was formed through improved husbandry and selective 
breeding." (Jean Blacknell, JSS Field Officer).  The JSS asks "why do we now 
have white and striped horns, pink noses, striped hooves".

Jacob American is the Jacob breed nomenclature designated by the ALBC to 
distinguish the Jacob in England from that imported to North America; i.e, 
the Jacob American is probably more like the 1960 English Jacob.   The Jacob 
American is purposely not cross bred for scale as was done in England but has 
kept its more deer like qualities and not a lot of attention has been paid to 
conformation, it is not highly managed and the breed standard is rather 
basic.  

The English Jacob breed standard promotes standardization and conformation, 
e.g., black on legs is discouraged, lilacs are apparently not registered, 
etc.  Our cow-hocked rear ends completely fail the British standard etc.

The breed conserved and registered in the JSC and JSBA is the Jacob American 
(no primitive or improved).  The term Jacob American is simply used to define 
the unimproved Jacob.  In a sense, if the American Jacob is traced to an 
import, say thirty years ago, and has not been crossed ("improved") it might 
be considered part of the 1960 primitive stock prior to the wave of English 
improvement for commercialization.  You might want to look at Ingrid 
Painter's book and the AMBC records.  The tapes by Edd Bissell and Susanna 
Davy are also informative.

The true Jacob American is considered  "unimproved" (often called 
"primitive") becasue it hasn't been crossed in North America for commercial 
improvement and requires so few management inputs. (Jacob American should not 
be confused with black and white sheep with horns).  In one sense Todd's 
Jacobs were probably "improved" Sottish Jacobs and clearly his intent was to 
commercialize the breed (Sheep Production - July-August 1984). In fact he 
felt bad because his flock was seven years behind the Scottish flocks by the 
time he got his Jacobs to VT.  

Though they are considered Jacob American by the ALBC, Todd's sheep may be 
considered improved by the strict constructionist; say, as opposed to a 
Reynolds or Zoo import in the l960's which the strict constructionist might 
consider "unimproved"...but perhaps not primitive.  The strict 
constructionist might look to the descriptions and pictures by Ewes (1913) 
and Roberts (1926) as better examples of the original Jacob or the primtive 
type classed as Park Sheep. 

Which brings up another subjective issue: the degree to which a Jacob breeder 
 "improves" the Jacob American; not by crossing but by selecting a desired 
trait.  I can build an "improved" looking Jacob by selecting larger parents, 
larger bones, or I can build a "primitive" type by selecting smaller boned, 
deer like Jacobs for breeding.  

Which leads to another issue for Jacob breeders that might look to 
registration papers as an indication of "primitve" rather than actual 
pedigree/parentage.  Since the registries are basically open, sheep with 
unknown backgrounds are entered based upon producing a couple of lambs from a 
couple of different breedings; this is called a progeny test or lettered 
generations but is not "scientifically" a proof of anything other than 
parentage.  If a Fieldwood is crossed with a Hescock is it "improved" or 
"unimproved"?  Where does Ari show up?

Good night.  Fred Horak