On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:54:22 +0300 (EEST), you wrote: >Ear >cropping has been illegal almost forever (meaning I can't remember the >time it was legal, must be over 20 years ago). And it is also illegal to >neuter sheep by "banding".
I can't remember that ear cropping has ever been allowed - or popular - here, and it's very rare indeed to see dogs with cropped ears. However, banding lambs tails and testicles is legal providing they are less than a week old when it's done (and with the tails, you must leave at least enough to cover their genitals properly). The nice thing with Icelandic sheep is they already have short tails. Now, there's an interesting genetic question. I always learned that when it comes to genetics, A + B always = A or B, not a mix of the two (ie if you breed a horse with a big head with one with a small head, you will get either a big or a small head, not a medium head). Yet in my sole Icelandic (short tail) cross Welsh (long tail), the lamb has a medium length tail. Curious.... Mic Mic (Michelle) Rushen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes"
