[Jacob-list] lilac

[Trish Berger]

Apparently there have been at least 150 different genes identified that affect coat color in vertebrates.  Most often, the melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor gene (MC1R) is involved; it alone has many(well over 60)  natural variations.  So if one breeds the perceived two different lilacs  to each other and the offspring is not lilac, one knows that different genes are involved,  If the offspring are still lilac, we don't know if there are different variants of the same gene  unless we sequence the DNA.  To me, the possibility of a second "lilac" variant either due to a 
second gene or an alternative variation of the same gene is very 
reasonable. 

--- On Fri, 3/30/12, Betty Berlenbach <lambfarm at tds.net> wrote:

From: Betty Berlenbach <lambfarm at tds.net>
Subject: [Jacob-list] lilac
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Date: Friday, March 30, 2012, 3:46 AM





I don’t have a lot of experience with lilac, but I’ve had a question asked 
of me.  I know that occasionally, I will have a lamb that looks black, but 
when it dries off, in the light, it is very dark grey, with that telltale “halo” 
of lighter color around the eyes and blue eyes. Still, it is not the 
blue=lilac/light grey, blue eyed color from birth that I’ve seen.  In the 
dark grey type, the head and leg markings seem to remain black, though the body 
color is very dark grey. AND, I’ve heard people talk about chocolate brown 
lilac.  So, is “lilac” another word for “not-black” or what?  The 
guide book/breed standard, unless I”ve missed it, doesn’t talk about these 
variations.  I recall Phil Sponenberg, way long ago at a N.J. AGM bring up 
the thought that there were two jacob blacks, one dominant to the other, both 
dominant over regular ol’ white sheep white.  No idea whether that was 
something others observed and what difference it made or why he thought there 
were two.  So, Fred and others, thoughts?

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