Without knowing his parents, we can't know if he is a Barbados
Blackbelly or an American Blackbelly. He is probably a cross-bred.
The blackbelly color trait is very strong and can express even when a
blackbelly is bred to a white sheep, such as a Katahdin or St. Croix.
But as I stated before, some long-pedigreed Barbados Blackbelly sheep
occasionally throw scurs or horns. And some long-pedigreed American
Blackbelly sheep occasionally are polled or have only small scurs. So
it is possible that he is purebred but has mutated horn genetics.
Very little is understood about the genetics of horns and scurs in
blackbelly sheep. I've spoken to several geneticists who have studied
the breed in other various genetic ways, and they agree that horns
and scurs probably have different alleles and different loci on the
gene. They can't explain why an anomalous trait suddenly shows up.
But that can be true of traits other than the presence or absence of
horns. It applies to color as well. One breeder I know had a
long-pedigreed Barbados Blackbelly throw a lamb with a completely
white rear leg. Genes happen.
Carol
At 05:03 PM 3/3/2014, you wrote:
I guess I am confused. Why would he have horns or scurs or anything
if he is a Barbados?
Carol Elkins
Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep
(no shear, no dock, no fuss)
Pueblo, Colorado
http://www.critterhaven.biz
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