[Jacob-list] wooly eye

[Susan Donoghue]

Interesting. Can you please supply the resource (text, journal, or  
internet, etc) reporting dermoids in a Suffolk and a Merino?  My only  
reference on dermoids in small ruminants (goats) has linked the  
problem hypothetically to poisonous plant (mimosa) ingestion during a  
critical period of gestation.

Thanks.
regards,
Sue

Susan Donoghue, VMD, DiplACVN
Walkabout Farm

On Jul 10, 2008, at 3:07 PM, Jacobflock at aol.com wrote:


> In a message dated 7/8/2008 10:57:38 PM Central Daylight Time,  

> pcj at efn.org writes:

>

>> Karen Askounis, DVM wrote:

>> >Hi list members

>> >

>> >I have a kind a survey for you. I had one lamb this year with a  

>> dermoid. It

>> >is an area at the edge of the cornea (at the junction of the  

>> clear area and

>> >white area of the eye)that is growing wool. These occur in many  

>> species.

>> >They contain the wrong cell types for the area and usually grow  

>> hair or in

>> >this case wool. I found a reference that it is inherited in  

>> Hereford cattle

>> >but is not considered inherited in dogs. Our local  

>> ophthalmologist has

>> >removed one from a Jacob in the past but could not find an answer  

>> in her

>> >references regarding whether this would be considered  

>> inheritable. Well we

>> >will not be using him for breeding just in case but I thought I  

>> would see if

>> >any of you have had this occur and if so did you recognize is as  

>> more

>> >frequent in certain lines etc..

>> >

>> >

>> We had one lamb that had what sounds like this condition.  We  

>> observed

>> it at shearing time, when we collected all the lambs we hadn't  

>> already

>> laid hands on to check them out, made a note that we would cull her

>> later in the year, and that we didn't think much of her wool anyway.

>> She appeared to be blind in that eye, but not in any discomfort.  Our

>> shearer, who had experience with many sheep, had not seen it before.

>

>

> With two reports of dermoid cysts it might be a positive step for  

> the Jacob breed and conservation breeders to consider a continuing  

> review.  Let me digress.

>

> If a primary flock goal is the conservation of the breed, then  

> deleterious congenital defects and source(s) should be more fully  

> identified. There may be a role for the vet pathologist and and eye  

> specialist.   If "wooly eye" is a genetic recessive I suspect it  

> should be curtailed for the sake of the breed; if not then a cause  

> may be identified for the "wooly eye"/hair shaft adnexa.  If  

> conservation of the breed is not a top priority a repairable  

> congenital defect may not seem like a big deal.

>

> Hair and associated glands (sweat, etc) come from "primary  

> follicles"; wool comes from the surrounding "secondary follicles".   

> That is, and this may be germaine, the Jacob is a primitve breed  

> having a greater number of primary folilces per square cm. at birth  

> than some other breeds ... and we know that for every primary  

> follicle there are an associated 10-15 secondary folicles which  

> produce wool.  Which leads to the question .... does "wooly eye"  

> have associated priamry hair follicles?  Is "wooly eye" in the  

> subject Jacobs comparable to the Suffolk and Merino?

>

> Both incidents of "wooly eye" reported are noted as "cull sheep".   

> This may be the dead end that leads to the "Impressive Syndrome"  

> and HYPP.  You will get a better glimpse into this hairy mess if  

> the breeding is repeated ... perhaps several breedings.  The  

> subjects ram and ewe should be rebred to see if the problem can be  

> repeated; if so, the parents are probably problem carriers ... and  

> then you look to their parents ... etc.  Are there lines or source  

> sheep?  Forget about the flock name prefix, go to pedigree tables.   

> Does your source flock shepherd ... they came from somewhere ...  

> have any insight.

>

> I told you I was digressing ... it's your own fault if you made it  

> this far.

>

>

> Fred Horak

> St. Jude's Farm

> 1165 E. Lucas Roaad

> Lucas, TX 75002

>

>

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