Jaqui surprised us with a ram lamb today. A surprise because it turns out Jaqui is black (tiny black spot on back of one ear) with one huge white spot, and also because we didn't think she would lamb second. Here is RF Vance weighing in at a hefty 7 1/2 lbs. He's a cutie pie.
And our next surprises occurred a few hours later when Jewel gave birth two a ram lamb, here's RF Vaughan an incredibly handsome fellow and weighing it at 6 1/2 lbs.
And then our first ewe lamb of the year. Introducing RF Eleanor (ewe lambs are E's this year) who will be staying here. She weighed in at 6 lbs. I was getting worried we would have all rams and I would have a hard time coming up with that many V's!
Valiant and Valentine are doing wonderfully. Here's Valiant in mid spring. Amelia is being a very good mother.
Only Cammie is left to lamb. She's looking like a wide load and has at least twins. I'm actually hoping for a ram and a ewe out of her but would be happy with two ewe lambs. Just crossing my fingers they aren't both rams.
They are just adorable!
ReplyDeleteEducate me, Shula. Why can't Jaqui be white? Couldn't she be Awt/Aa? My white ewe has LOTS of black spots on her ears and face, but she is definitely Awt/Aa.
ReplyDeleteThey are SO so so so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I am assuming she is black because the ram I bred her to is mioget and has never passed black along to any of his offspring when bred with anything brown based. Black I believe is dominant to brown. Because her ram lamb is black with white markings I am assuming she carries the black gene. I guess I was just assuming if she's white then her lambs would be white as that would be dominant to the brown.
You're right; the ram could not carry black if he is mioget, so Jaqui obviously carries at least one black gene at the color locus. But Awt, which causes white sheep, is a pattern, not a color, and covers up all other patterns and colors. Since there are two genes at the pattern locus and she threw something other than white, she must be Awt/? (may Ag, since the lamb looks like it could end up grey?) not Awt/Awt. I have heard that there are solid black or brown sheep that appear white when they carry two spotting genes that cause a "big white spot," but that doesn't sound like what is going on with Jaqui. Aren't Shetland genetics FUN?!? ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy those are some healthy weights on those lambs! The first "big" guy pictured is just awesome! I have about 2 weeks till my first lambs and I am getting jealous of seeing everyone elses lambs;)
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