[Jacob-list] Generations, Genetic Diversity, and Culling Pressures

[Jaci Siehl]

Lynette - I believe you said it exactly right.  I've dreamed of having an E or F in my flock, but I don't have the room to have a highly diversified flock so I keep my few ewes and get a new ram every couple of years.  My flock so far has been an extension of Meridian/Hillside flocks (like 95% of Northern California flocks).  The problem is that I love the looks, fleeces, personalities, and hardiness of my sheep - probably because Gary and Robyn are very concienious breeders with the breed as a whole in mind.  
 
We have several people in our area selling Jacob sheep that are not registered.  I wouldn't have a problem with an FF but a lot of these people also raise other breeds and I am not so sure of getting a true Jacob (looks like a Jacob, walks like a Jacob, talks like a Jacob - but is 1/4 polypay). 
 
We are lucky with Jacob sheep - we don't have to import semen and do IA to get our breed up to standard so if we want to keep the breed what it is we need to keep the crosses and inbreeding out.   


Jaci Siehl
Sugarpine Jacobs
530-538-9474


      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/jacob-list/attachments/20091206/e2e2e041/attachment.htm>