I've only had rabbit once in my life that I can remember. My Stepdad shot it. A wild one. Back in the 60's. I just remember picking out the gun shot pebbles. :/
Anyway, back to this thought. Anyone into reg. exercise? I miss it. Use to be able to on a regular basis. Getting older. Now I find some really good excuses..at least, I make myself think they are. :/
@CanuckBock saw a pretty impressive Jacobs sheep at a small fair yesterday. I've seen them a few places now, this was the first I've seen with a nice set of horns. How many yrs does it take to grow them like that?
A ewe like Nascor here would be a good match for the ram lamb above-
You breed to what the other lacks and hope against hope...
you end up with more of the wanted and less of the not...
er so the hopes of a breeder goes
Nascor has the correct ratio of coloured to white pattern...dark feet, nose, eye patches and cape. Strong horns for a female with correct set and good spacing. Now amplify these horns three to four fold to figure where an intact male Jacob will go with these genetics for horns.
Looks like he has nice decent spacing between his horns... and the "set" or direction they are heading seems good if he does not sustain any accidents goofy around growing up...so he can graze and function without being hindered by horns. Horrible when you see a Jacob with horns set heading for their eyeballs or growing to block vision. Nightmarish. You'll get those images if you google "Jacob goat horns"...kills me as I personally know of NO breed of goat that is multi-horned...only SHEEP are multi-horned that I know of and some "photoshop" the images of goats...and sheep so you never know if what you are looking at is really real. sigh!
You can predispose a Jacob to have nice functionable (complimentary) horns by choosing good horned parents (like in chooks, want good head gear, both parents play major roles in expression of the progeny...inspect each carefully...many blame the male when the female had crappy comb/wattles and was not judged as sternly as the father). You can fix horns that tip forward by selecting a better partner with good horns. You could also use these...tho I never have...heh heh heh...no really...nope, never...
So what are these?
I have an antique set of these...fur cows...laughed my butt off and knew if I posted this...all my Jacobs with good horns would be accused of me using them to do this...yeh, they are COW sized...NOT getting on that, eh.
You want good genetic predisposition, then you gotta feed that genetic potential a properly well balanced diet (to grow to full genetic potential) plus good mineral and salt mix, fresh clean water...yada yada. Head hunters (the ones that grow out beasts for "big game hunters" <--oh please spare me the grunting...hilarious!) want cheap methods to grow out great horned beasts. They only want the $ made so will never get a reasonable return on investment by going cheap on feeding, crapping housing, stressing out too many in close confines...rams can damage each other quite badly if too many are too close to the girls. Happy happy, good conditions = nice head gear...what can you say, eh!
Rex - the wether...lambed him in 2005
This photo is from July
As a wether, he provides us with a dreamy, cloud soft fleece every year...I suspect that the white part of the Jacob wool is softer than the coloured part. He is way way too light, facial eye patches are absent (nose is coloured which is better than white face...too white not good- you want 40% coloured to 60% white overall).
I wethered this male Rex because we are to be much more picky about the colour pattern on the males we use.
This lilac Jacob Ram I produced has lots of good colour on his face and decent horns and spacing
You can see from the surrounding horns...we don't lack rams for choices back when I was breeding Jacobs
So far, to make horns grow big, you need genetic potential, good diet/mineral/water, less stress, good housing, no crowding (no fighting amongst the males...CRACK out in the ram pasture is rams doing what they love...hitting hard and potentially ruining head gear...like big horn mountain sheeps!), then you keep them intact. A wether (and a ewe for that matter) will NEVER grow out a head set of horns like a full ram with that testosterone coursing thru his system.
Spring lambed Jacob lambs in the fall
Five horn ewe Nascor on left, Four horn Regis lilac ram on right
Pretty easy to judge gender on a Jacob by head gear growth.
The ewe Mia on the second left, her horns are barely acceptable because they tip forward
She produced that wether Rex when bred to another well horned ram
Shows you can correct faults by selective breedning
See the lightening of this lilac ram's horns...he is the ram lamb in my first photo up thar...we could say the Jacob horns get "greyer" with age...lighten up. A lilac ram or ewe will have lighter horn colour than a black & white piebald Jacob. Lilac is any colour other than black...so chocolate lilac, grey lilac....
Funny really because Jacob sheep are dominant black...which means if you cross to other more common sheep (that usually have recessive black kicking around in their flocks) the progeny are normally all black...one dose dominant black hides all other colourations and patterns. What is kewl about lilac is it is a recessive colour that in a double dose, dilutes the black pigment to lilac shades of grey or chocolate...found that tidbit amazingly kewl!
Dominant black over dominated by a double dose of a recessive "hidden" colour. Nascor was a triplet from a Lilac ewe bred to a regular black & white Jacob ram...all her kids had one dose for lilac hidden under the black & white.
Some of my ewes
All sorts of head sets, patterns and whatnots. I found you were best to mate a lighter ewe to a perfectly marked ram than to breed to a more dark ram than wanted. Seemed the over the top dark colouration aspect to the Jacob pattern expression went over if the ram had too much. Not that I am any expert but just what I found that worked for us.
I am gonna miss my multi horns and them dots...now that I have gone to the Dorper Hair Sheep side of the equation...sigh.
Here are full brother twins, Rota and Regis...both lilac rams outta Canada's first Grand Champion Jacob Ewe Melody. I was quite surprised when the sheep judge placed Melody over all other Jacobs...given she was a EWE and Lilac--not the regular black & white piebald form of the Jacob breed.
Melody and I in 2003
In horns on the Jacobs...I figure the biggest growth spurt (the males are often born with nubs pushing outta their skulls... really neat birthing Jacobs...so many wonders...is it male or female, what balance of colour in their pattern, what colour-lilac or black, how many horns, what kinda setting...) is in the lambs...and it all begins to slowly slide off in growth as the animal ages.
Massively huge horn set...now figure if that top horn was aimed at his eye...gack!
Regis BEFORE shearing him
In the late spring, before I sheared the rams, use to get more and more intimidated by their fleece depth...har har...then I would remove the fiber and WOW...what a whimpy beast under all that clothing of wool!
Hey, Wimp BOY!
I see the real ewe (you?) under the wool now
Sans his fleece...there he really was...now nothing to ever turn your back on but hey...not as intimidating as he was in full fleece!
Here is Nascor with her fleece on...
Here in Canada, our Jacobs grow a long staple of wool compared to say
Jacobs outta Texas which would produce a "cobweb" of a fleece compared to ours
I love the horns--absolutely LOVE horns--makes me at ease...you are not to man handle them horns on the lambs...can break a horn right off in your hand...gross--bleed like a stuck pig! But once growed up...like a yearling or so...then these horns are delish HANDLES...I would far sooner enter a pasture and deal with a charging Jacob ram with four horns (handles) than deal with my current boy Boss Man the Dorper.
2-year old Boss Man - not weighed him yet...not sure I want to know but guess probably
200-300 pounds easily
He could easily "take me out" with a charge
Boss Man, he has NO handles and no way for me to "May pole" myself outta the full brunt of his charge--if he ever chose to get mean which he has not thankfully and hoping he never does. He has small horns (much desirable in Dorper rams) but of no significant use to me as handles that I love on the Jacobs.
And before I post this...do note that my five horn ewe Regina...she came from a four horn ewe bred to a two horn ram. But the ram had lots of four horned ancestors. Never EVER let some idiot Jacob person fib to you about only have four horned Jacobs. I remember going to one farm and hearing time and again..."we only have FOUR horned Jacobs." So there I stood, looking at numerous TWO horned Jacobs (some will have seams on those two horns...so technically, the gene that splits that horn core was not strong enough to completely separate the horn core...no real biggie). I asked them, pointing right AT the two horns, "What are those then?"
The big issue I see with Jacobs is the same issue I deal with in people and poultry. The Chantecler is often culled at day old because the bird has no "cushion" comb--any moron, and I MEAN a child can differential from a single comb to a cushion one, any ijit can see a wrong comb type. There is absolutely NO talent in viewing a Chantecler and blurting out, "It has the wrong comb type!" DUH....
But well as far as I know, you cull like that, fine, you may or may not have all perfect cushion combs (not all cushion combs are perfectly expressed in an adult, eh)...but what did you toss in the waste basket by culling the day old that you might have wanted in your breeding flocks? When you focus on ONE trait, what other characteristics did you miss out on??
That ram (lamb?) at the fair has a nice juvenile potential head rack of horns on the grow. Will he be a nasty infertile, monster of a mess...you just don't know by looking at this head gear, eh. Not that I do not appreciate a nicely expressed set of horns on a Jacob of either gender...weak horns are not a trait I would make more of if given the ability to keep horns good.
Horns are one item on Jacobs...disease resistance, conformation, longevity, temperament, productivity (meat, horns, wool, milk<--YES there are Jacob DAIRIES!!, etc.), fertility...all these and more are things we desire in a beast...so don't get yourself caught up in HORNS make the Jacob sheep scenario. They are a rather unique feature but here is an article I wrote about the Jacob and all its unique characteristics from an eight percent heavier brain than most sheeps to Scrapie resistance.
http://www.wolven.ca/higgins/ratranch/articles.htm:
An ancient wool breed that is primitive and domestic. The Jacob was an historic English “park sheep” and was left to fend for themselves. They were brought in once a year for shearing and the unimproved Jacob fleece consists of a protective coat that may contain kemp and hair. Primitive Jacob lines have lambs born with a protective hairy birth coat that sheds out at 3-6 months and is resistant to cold and moisture. Fleeces range from a Bradford count of 44 to 56 and micron count of 34.40-36.19 (44) to 26.40-27.84 (56). This range of wool is the largest recognized range for any wool sheep breed. Crimp and quality vary over an individual’s body. Jacob fleeces are open, soft and light containing little grease (lanolin) with a staple length of 3-7 inches, a weight of 2 to 5 pounds, and a healthy luster and sheen. Some describe a sheared Jacob fleece likened to a “cobweb” when describing its openness. Jacob fleeces are in high demand by handspinners, felters and weavers. Sunbleached black Jacob fleece may appear in many shades of brown, so a single undyed Jacob fleece may provide white, black, brown and grey fiber. Jacob hides and horn buttons provide other unique crafting opportunities.
Jacob ewe and ram are polycerate (multi-horned). They are the only multi-horned sheep with a medium fine fleece that is not double coated. Horns are dark or white striped, one, two or three paired (2-4-6 horns) with preferences for even balanced sets that do not inhibit grazing. Rams are quite striking and may have horns two or more feet in length. The two horned rams may be double curled. Jacob Sheep many not be polled and both sexes must have horns though the ewes have more feminine horns.
Jacob breeders have many more breed characteristics to consider. Not just conformation and items like wool/meat/dairy qualities as with other breeds of sheep, but horn characteristics, spotting patterns, and primitive traits like maternal instincts, longevity, and hard hooves. Body conformation is longer than tall and “goat-like.” Jacobs have a unique ground covering gait. Ewes are 80-120 pounds and rams 120-180 pounds. Ears are small, head is triangular, carried upright, and small-not coarse, face is clean with no wool forward of the horns. Legs are free of wool and fine boned. The unimproved Jacob is a seasonal breeder with a single lamb the first year and twins and singles up to 15 or 20 years of age. Triplet are not rare and Jacob ewes are excellent, protective mothers.
Genetically, the Jacob is a black (dominant-one of a few British breeds that are dominant black) or lilac (recessive-any colour other than black is referred to as “lilac” in the Jacob Sheep; lilac is usually chocolate or deep grey or blue/purple cast) sheep with white markings-recessive piebald. Eyes may be amber to brown including blue; marbled blue with amber, whole blue or sky blue. Lilac Jacobs have lighter coloured hair around their eyes (agouti eye circle). Jacobs are the only sheep breed that is entirely spotted. Jacob breed specific markings are dark eye patches, white poll, blaze and chest, dark muzzle, ears, cape over shoulders and neck, udder or scrotum. Other markings on the Jacob may consist of their white legs with dark markings on hock, knees, pasterns, and hooves. Some have successfully linked the possession of dark leg markings to a higher incident of freckling in the overall fiber. Freckled fiber results in a Jacob that over time appears increasingly “dirty” in their white fiber areas, but wool crafters seem to love the silvering affect this freckling has in their products. Random spotting occurs on the rest of the body with the preferred 60 percent white to 40 percent dark. Each Jacob has its own unique colour scheme (some even having patterns that look like constellations) and may be easily identified by its individual markings so much so that some use photographs to document positive identification.
Jacobs are extremely healthy and renown for being resistant to foot problems and internal parasites. Jacobs in the British Animal Health Program are tested for Scrapie resistance as PR at codon 134, 151 and 171. Many Jacob flocks are on OPP and volunteer Scrapie health programs. Deworm, vaccinate, and provide a balanced mineral with access to salt and fluid clean water, and they will flourish on pasture. Most producers give them no grain and feed straight Alfalfa during Alberta’s winter. Jacobs are small, easy keepers and forage very well for themselves. Some browse on brush by standing up on their hind legs. Tails may be docked or undocked as they reach about to the hock and are lifted out of the way when eliminating. Crossbred Jacob offspring are often completely black. Jacobs do not run to fat like other breeds and are slow maturing on pasture. Jacob carcasses are very lean and tasty with the meat being sweet and some say it tastes like venison.
Jacobs have brains that are eight percent heavier than other sheep breeds. They are playful, exhibit intense curiosity, strong family ties, and display a keen sense of humour. They bond well to their flock tender but are suspicious of strangers. They have a loose herding instinct and would rather follow than be herded. They are ever watchful, preferring to observe from a distance. Jacob Sheep are characters with often unexpected personalities. Some describe them as more endearing than dogs.
I know it should be worth it. But I have always viewed my chickens as my pets. I think that is the reason we really did not want to finish the job. I complain about the prices in the store and the chicken and meat being sent to china to be processed. But I am guilty of not wanting to do the deed. I spose if I could find a way to have them done for me, then I would go for it.
I grew up with my dad feeding us rabbit telling us it was chicken and we loved his fried chicken! It was so much better than moms that we would not eat hers. lol
so who knows how lobg he had been like that.
Lol, how about if we start calling them alpacas?Stop it C!I just spent near a week getting calls at all hours of the day! Two dairy billy goats (gruff?) were canvassing the neighbour hood... first the subdivision...got three calls in one night then and one lady phoned like every 25 minutes...could have timed her calls...why? Because these "Jacob" sheep (she knew they were goats, with beards and horns...just figures I have goats I guess) were tormenting her dog. Like it was my fault or sumthun'. I suppose I should not be insulted because everyone that called and left messages knew my name and that I had "goats" (agh!). I think what I found insulting is I don't OWN goats 9well, OK...I own one last doe goat but once Heidi who is 10+ passes on, I won't EVER own goats again...she don't even really look much like a goat, she's had her horns burned off, eh) ...I own registered SHEEP...and my place is fenced and cross fenced and triple perimeter fenced...so like Ft. Knox and we even have the geese to go with that honour...sheesh. You do realize to call someone's SHEEP a goat is to be like calling up someone who owns COWS and tell them that their PIGS are out...sigh.
Jest a little over sensitive. I got a call early this morn that I needed to hurry down to the corner store (about a ten minute or so drive away) and "GET my GOATS!" I called the store, got no answer, played telephone tag a few times only to find out they had called their nephew who loves goats (and sheep too...works at an auction mart and buys any and all cheap ones, fixes them back up and makes some money on it)...they never answered their business phone because they were wrangling the billies into Nephew's truck. He's thrilled all to pieces...I figure the rest of the community (and myself) are just relieved the ugly deer (as Rick calls them when he saw them meandering down the highway) are gone ... hopefully for good. Not sure I can take any more calls about my two GOATS being loose.
