[Jacob-list] (no subject)

[stonecroft235 at juno.com]

Hi Sharon:

Regarding whether or not to rent out your ram for breeding - let me share
my sad story.  We bought a ram from a flock that did routine OPP testing
- very nice ram with a "teddy bear" disposition and "to die for" fleece. 
I was approached by another Jacob breeder in the area whose son shows
Jacobs in the local 4-H competitions about whether they could bring their
three ewes here for breeding - very nice people - and as I thought about
the extra money and the fact that I would be helping further Jacobs in
the community, I agreed.  The ewes were here for 2 months.    About 7-8
months later I tested (for the first time) for OPP and discovered that
the ram was positive - and was positive on subsequent testing....but my
ewes were negative.   It would appear that the only possible explanation
would have been exposure during the time the off farm ewes were here -
and I had observed that one of those ewes consistently had a snotty nose
although appeared healthy otherwise - and those ewes had never been
tested for OPP.  OPP is a fatal disease, it is a contagious disease - and
it is spread by close contact within the flock.   We determined that we
wanted to preserve the integrity of our flock and maintain an OPP-free
status - so we got rid of the ram - and subsequently purchased a new ram
from an OPP-free flock.

Certainly the issue of sharing a ram is ultimately up the discretion of
each owner - but keep in mind it definitely does significantly increase
risk for not only transmittable disease but also parasites and foot
conditions.  We have taken the position here  that we will never again
bring in other sheep for breeding and our ram will never leave for
breeding purposes.  When we first purchased Jacob sheep, we were told by
another sheep grower that "sheep are constantly searching for ways to
die" - and there is some truth to that.  Jacobs are very hardy and one of
the easiest breeds to raise - but there are alot of health issues to be
aware of and to watch for - and we have opted to attempt to make our job
as easy as possible by limiting potential transmission of
disease/parasites.  We will continue to test for OPP, will buy from only
OPP-free flocks and every new animal we purchase is quarantined before
introduction to the flock - and during that time is aggressively treated
for parasites.  And, we know that despite all these measures and our best
intentions,  disease, parasites, foot rot or some other condition  could 
STILL rear it's ugly head!!!!

Sue Martin
Stonecroft Manor 
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