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</head><BODY BGCOLOR="white" ><div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;">Good timing - I have a rough draft of a post to send on the same subject. A Cheviot breeder was here last week (getting rabbits) and asked me if I had to use a higher copper content to keep my colors dark. He had colored Cheviots and said it was recommended by other breeders. I didn't get a chance to get any references from him, but would like to.  Copper is required for the production of melanin. In rabbits, you'll see a distinct graying from copper deficiency.  I have seen the banding in my sheep. A while back we had some problems with our premix and the sheep weren't getting the required minerals. I saw alot of banding in the fleeces (and way too many weak lambs). I'm interested in what others have to say. </SPAN></div>
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<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;">Linda<br /><br /></span></div>
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<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> I do have a question for you all:</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> What might be the cause of grey bands in the fleeces? These bands</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> are only across what would be the "black" spots, and are verying</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> shades of grey. They look pleasant, but at this rate I'm not going</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> to have any black wool! I'm thinking it may be something</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> nutritional, but am not sure. Most of the sheep that I have noticed</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> it on have a tendency towards greying anyway, but this is extreme,</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> and generally in the same location on each animal. Very noticeable. </I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> I have never had bands like this in my previous clips. I'm thinking</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> that maybe I should have blood work done to check for mineral</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> deficiencies? The only difference from the previous years is that</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> the sheep haven't had regular access to mineral blocks that last</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> 4mo. and that looks about where the banding would begin?</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> I put a page up <a href="http://www.idealjacobsheep.com/greybands.html which">http://www.idealjacobsheep.com/greybands.html which</a></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> has a picture that shows pretty clearly how this looks on several</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> of my sheep.</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> Thanks in advance, and happy shearing!</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>></I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> Lynette Frick</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> IDEAL FARM</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> Jacob Sheep</I></SPAN></div>
<div><SPAN style="font-size:11pt;color:navy;"><I>> www.idealjacobsheep.com</I></SPAN></div>
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<a href="http://www.patchworkfibers.com">http://www.patchworkfibers.com</a> <br>
Registered Jacob Sheep, Handspun Yarn <br>
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