[Jacob-list] Great Information Re:Primitive

[fourhornfarm]

Well said Linda. Our Jacobs today are much better than they were years ago, as a whole. The important thing is to keep the breed primitive in their deer-like conformation and the hardy characteristics we don't see in the modern breeds. Smallness in itself does not mean primitive. JSBA has weight limits we should stay within. If smallness meant primitive the so called Mini Jacobs would be primitive, but in reality they are not even a good representative of the breed in most cases.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Linda 
  To: Chris and Tina Griffin 
  Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Great Information Re:Primitive


  I sent that along before finishing the post. A family crisis intervened as I was writing. 

  The quote below is not mine - it's from the archives and was written by Carl Fosbrink years ago.

  I was going to add that I don't think we see tracking as often as we used to. RubyBelle always reminds me of a runway model with one foot in front of the other as she walks. I am uncertain about considering shedding belly wool as a primitive trait, as I did see that in the commercial sheep I had.

  What I was really getting at in my half done/baked post was to wonder if we might sometimes use the word "primitive" when taking about physical attributes to refer to the way Jacobs used to be back in the organizational days of JSBA. It was not that long ago that JSBA voted to stop registering ewes that had only scurs. Were those scurred ewes "primitive"? Are manes on rams "primitive"? Kemp? There have been changes over the years over what is accepted for registration as well as what we like to see in our sheep. The original breeders that worked to establish JSBA and JSC had to travel far and wide to gather sheep to work with. I'm sure that not all the sheep they found remained in breeding flocks. Not all of the original traits - especially (for me)weak ewe horns - are what defines a Jacob (again, for me) at this point.  We could argue forever on what constitutes a "primitive","real", or "the way they were back then" Jacob fleece. I love the diversity of our breed. I don't compromise on horns or hardiness, but I love having big and little sheep, dark and light sheep, and fleeces that are soft enough for next-to-the-skin projects, bouncy and crimpy enough for knitted garments, less crimpy and lustrous for wonderful woven projects, and even the coarser fleeces for rug weaving. 

  Linda

  Chris and Tina Griffin wrote: 
    The knowledge of this group continues to astound me.  I would have quoted the literal Hebrew had I been home and I am so glad that multiple versions were quoted since my original posting.  Now Linda had to add some new information that really got my juices flowing.  A sheep browsing on its hind legs, that would be interesting to see.  Of all the primitive traits that Linda brought up, our sheep exhibit all but the browsing.  I wonder if I can train them?!? 

    Chris 
    www.griffinsark.com 




        Awhile back there was a discussion on the list about 
        primative traits of Jacob sheep. The following traits 
        were listed: udder close to body, ease of lambing, 
        track narrowly, slender legs, presence or alertness, 
        deer shaped body, shedding of belly and sometimes neck 
        wool, standing on rear legs to browse, good mothers, 
        sloping croup, triangular shaped head. From the recent 
        discussion on the list it appears  we could add 
        jumping and pronking ability and down type fleece to 
        the list also. 



      -

  Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep 


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