Re: [Blackbelly] The Beet Pulp Experiment

[The Wintermutes]

Barb, 

I for one like the research you do.  Although it doe not always apply for
our environment, it is of interest so we know not to go that route.  We have
considered planting one field in turnips since the sheep some to love them
so much.  But it is cost prohibitive. Lately it seems that the "ax" has been
swung towards Mark and I so much, we are tired and basically are trying to
stay out of it.  Sometimes I just can't seem to do that.  

We have over 500 sheep so I know exactly what you are going through.  

Sharon


-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Barb Lee
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 1:54 PM
To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info
Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] The Beet Pulp Experiment

Sharon,

If my current thinking continues to reel out on this same track, I 
visualize either going to a breed where the groundwork is already done 
(what's the fun in that), or hm..what other word is there...hybridizing?

My greatest disappointment at this point is that I feel I am talking to 
a mud fence.  There is neither reinforcement, nor opposition.  I've put 
my neck on the proverbial chopping block with all this stuff I'm talking 
about.  I've handed a lot of people the axe.  Why isn't anybody at least 
taking a swing? What's the point if nobody is willing to contribute? 
For all my talk, I know full well that without the genetic input from 
other well founded breeding programs, my own feeble attempt at breed 
improvement is doomed.

Barb

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Wintermutes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] The Beet Pulp Experiment


> Barb,
>
> You stated"
>
> My problem is, I am too stubborn to give
> up the notion that I can adapt my registered flock to meet my
> expectation (I have a few that never disappoint me).  It's getting to 
> be
> an expensive hobby though.  I love the lamb so much, I do not want to
> risk outcrossing. I have even been thinking about infusing some polled
> blood into the flock (these would never be registered as AB), to see 
> if
> I could improve reproductive performance without going outside the
> blackbelly.  Actually my best performing lamb this year is a ram lamb
> with tiny little horn buds - he's almost smooth headed.  Where did 
> that
> come from in a flock with very good horns!!  What's the connection? 
> The
> ewe, a registered AB, milked like a cow and has a pedigree of horns.
>
> My dilemma is now, whether several more years of selection for a 
> higher
> plane of performance within my AB flock will be repaid in value added 
> to
> the sale of proven breeding stock, or if I should just stick to meat
> production.  There is little point in continuing to register animals 
> if
> the goal isn't to improve them.   It's a big problem, because I would
> like to some day make exceptional quality breeding stock available to
> other producers, but not for $45 a lamb...more like $450 a lamb.  If I
> give up on that, I lose half my interest in my work."
>
> Don't feel like you are the only breeder with these questions.
>
> One thing I would like to point out is that genetic diversity produces
> better animals.  One thing I do remember from my genetics classes at 
> the
> university is one amazing statement the professor made. "Without 30
> different base lines it is impossible to keep a blood line pure." 
> This is a
> common theme among geneticists all though the number of base lines 
> vary.
> Nearly all of the current AB and BB lines are from only 2 different 
> base
> lines.  Without some out-crossing, it is nearly impossible to keep the 
> breed
> alive.  We are using BB and AB together to produce better quality and 
> size.
> Even within these two lines, there have been out-crossing before we 
> started
> with them.
>
> The influence of previous breeders with Rambouillet and Mouflon is 
> quite
> prevalent in all the flocks we have visited over the years.  The 
> pictures we
> have of "Caribbean" BB, although similar, have more color variations 
> that
> what is prevalent here in the United States.
>
> Sharon Wintermute
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
> 


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