The Debutantes Ball

I haven't really posted any updates on this years lambs since their baby photos. So here's a few of those that I have kept from this year. The three ewe lambs are running with a ram at the moment. I still have very mixed feelings about mating ewe lambs, the statistics from last year are that fifty percent of the ewe lambs became pregnant I am still very undecided if they are mature enough to rule out any increased risks of lambing difficulties but I will give it another year or so before I make a definative decision hopefully time will prove it is the right choice, the alternative of keeping the ewe lambs seperate is not an easy or practical solution. I just wish I was more comfortable with leaving them with the ram. So, here's photos taken in the last day or some of them in all their glory

Spered Breizh Amélie the true test will be once she is shorn but she has always been a very balanced lamb and I am hopeful that once her fleece is off she will show as much promise. She was the smallest of this years lambs photos can be deceptive, I will wait until she is shorn to measure her but at this stage she looks the right size too.

Spered Breizh Soizic, fifty percent dutch breeding and it shows, she is a carrier for brown, the first generation of this type of breeding always seems to be neither one thing nor the other. The difference between her and Amélie is that Amélie is just better constructed with more bone. This is not something which will improve greatly with age but it is no surprise either. This pairing was always going to produce a mixed bag, the intention is to improve on this with the second generation and to produce a well constructed brown lamb.

Spered Breizh Soélie who would rather play king of the castle on a mud pile ( new fencing gone in!) than pose nicely for the camera. Plenty of substance, just like her dad, if she has a fault its that her tail is on the long side for me but I have an idea for future matings that will help work on that.

Spered Breizh Yann his topline is alot better that it appears in the photo, a run in with a bramble bush meant I had to cut away all his fleece over his shoulders. This fella is a half brother to Amélie sharing the same sire and grandsire but different dams, I have hopes that in the next year or so he will consolidate this bloodline as it appears to be nicely consistant.

Decisions, Decisions

No photos on this post until the weather improves, I'm like a drowned rat this morning!!

So yesterday was the big day. I wormed and tidied up the rams a week ago and yesterday was the turn of the ewes in preperation for putting them into their planned breeding groups. Preperations included renewing and / or reinforcing adjoining fences between the rams once seperated as they do like to have a go at each other through the fence. I have spent the last couple of weeks mentally match-making, trying to spot any flaws in my proposed pairings. Naturally I want to have fun with colour but equally important has been to produce some good quality ouessants, to this end the aquisition last year of some very good rams has handsomely paid off in this years lambs. This year the aim is to do the same but I have to keep an eye on in-breeding and the possibility of any less desirable traits either appearing or continuing. When buying in breeding stock it is this work and forethought that has already gone into several generations. In this way by hopefully bringing in compatible and complimentary rams I have jumped a couple of years in terms of producing some consistant and nicely put together lambs. There are never any guarantees. So each year you roll your dice and hope that you have managed to somehow stack the odds a little more in your favour but it is always a game of chance, thats what makes it such a buzz and this from someone who won't play the lottery as I don't like the odds!

I will post a little later on my colour plans as this is more about how I see colour and not necessarily what the books say. It will take me a while to put it together.

This years rams are.

César des Lutins du Montana Aa/Aa BB/BB MM/Mm - I love seeing his stamp on the lambs my only problem is that I can't use him all the time and I have to let some of the other rams have a go!

Spered Breizh Josse Aa/Aa Bb/Bb MM/Mm - My aim has been to have a high percentage of blacks that carry browns each year Josse gets a select number of ewes, eventually the aim is to produce consistant browns who cannot be picked out from the rest of the flock in terms of type or conformation. It has been a long standing difficulty in french breeding to produce consistantly good typey browns.

Koudou des Lutins du Montana Awt/Aa BB/B? M?/M? - Another quality ram whose potential includes possibly carrying brown and also maybe homozygous for colour modified. Not only does he bring type, but the potential for some interesting play with colours we'll see if I can draw them out of him.

Spered Breizh Louarnig Awt/Aa BB/B? MM/M? - A home bred lamb and one where I have some very old ouessant bloodlines this years matings are primarily about colour with him.

Faolan Aa/Aa BB/BB Mm/Mm - One of this years lambs he's very forward so I let him have a couple of ewes to keep him busy. He brings generations of consistant breeding I hope to see some interesting results.

I'll post their photos when I have some decent weather along with some of this years ewes.

Scrumping

It will be interesting to see what the google translator comes up with for a translation for Scrumping. Heres an online dictionary explanation.

[edit] Pronunciation
(UK) IPA: /ˈskɹʌmp/ SAMPA: /"skrVmp/
[edit] Verb
Infinitiveto scrump
Third person singularscrumps
Simple pastscrumped
Past participlescrumped
Present participlescrumping
to scrump (third-person singular simple present scrumps, present participle scrumping, simple past and past participle scrumped)
To steal fruit, especially apples, from a garden or orchard.
1994, Edward Bond, Edward Bond Letters: Vol 1, page 180
(we've all seen trees, and arent Adam and Eve condemned for having gone scrumping?; interestingly a great philosopher recalled Saint Augustine spent a lot of his long life being racked with guilt for having gone scrumping for some pears when he was a boy!...)

Yawn, deathly dull. It gives no sense to the meaning of the word which actually conjours up great images of small boys and girls climbing trees, skinning their knee's as they go, the fruit all the sweeter for the thrill of stealing it. Usually from some grumpy old neighbour who had too much fruit to use it all anyway. An innocent prank and one which is as homely and as English as hot buttered crumpets,.

So not to be out done the young rams decided it was their turn to make a foray into the garden where the forbidden delights of falling fruit could be heard calling them seductively through the fence. The adults were all far too sensible to be swayed by such temptation.

Do they look guilty to you? or just caught in the act? oops!

Si Belle, La Nouvelle Agnelle!

When I started keeping sheep it was just to keep the grass down, practical, cost effective and with a purpose in mind. The odd leg of lamb for the freezer was also an added potential bonus. How things have moved on...........This is Bigoudène des Lutins du Montana. Vital statistics. Born 23.03.09 current height 39-40cms she is a grey ( colour modified) ouessant. She looks a little dishevelled, she just made the trip up yesterday to join the family of ouessants here. She has captured my heart, really, I didn't see it coming a sheep is a sheep right? Petite and feminine with exquisite colouring right down to the subtle shades of grey when you part her fleece. Woosh............ the sound of practicalities disappearing out of the window! It may be some while before I recover my composure!

Colours

Growing Horns!

At this time of year, its a double entendre. The rams are definately getting a little frustrated. Their hormones are begining to surge , the girls are begining to bat their eyelids and soon the annual cycle of reproduction will begin. Its at this time with the rise in testosterone that the rams horn growth actually begins to slow down. It will be January, February time before much further growth is seen.

I am always fascinated by the variation in the growth of horns. The different shapes, curves, rates of growth and the seeming lottery when it comes to being able to breed consistantly good, correct ( whatever that is) shaped horns. Here for example are three of this years rams. I like all of them for various reasons and yet their horns and what they will pass on to their off spring is still so much of a mystery.

Louarnig, by César, out of Liza

In contrast

Yann, by César, out of Brianna

Yann's Horn growth is almost horizontal although I don't doubt they will turn eventually but the final outcome seems fixed by not only their inital growth from the base and curvature but also growth rate and despite everything I still think its the hardest thing to predict the final outcome but it will be fun watching them grow!

Faolan, the little grey wolf in sheeps clothing very different breeding from the other two and I know that this guys growth curve is on a very different track to the others. He will take time to grow and it won't be for almost another year before he starts to get any real maturity about him.

Right now his horns are a very different shape to the others but one thing I have learnt is patience. As the horns grow through in their second year the twist in the middle section of the horn seems to determine the final direction in the points, It will be very interesting to compare all three later on to see how each comes through that twist.

IGOU Ouessant Breed Club Show 2009 Treffen

Link to slideshow for photos from this years breed club event.

The German Ouessant (IGOU) forum link is HERE

And more slideshows and links from the day can be found here , although understanding a little German helps.

The Great Colour Debate

First, the argument or bone of contention. GEMO earlier this year pointed out that the agouti grey or "schimmel" coloured ouessant as it is referred to in Holland is a colour outside the breed standard according to their interpretation.

Agouti grey sheep pattern
The french ( and original) breed standard allows for any solid coloured sheep, currently white and black are shown and awarded prizes, with those of other colours brown and the french greys (colour modified) being presented at the annual competition but not awarded the same honours when it comes to assessment.

French grey colour modified sheep, fleece on and fleece off.


Confusing isn't it?
The reasoning behind GEMO's decision to allow presentation of browns and french grey or modified colours is an historic one and not without some complexities but first it would be helpful to really understand the crux of the problem.



Photo circa 1900 curtesy of John Ushant of an Islander leading a black and white ouessant on the island of ouessant.
The earliest texts that mention coloured sheep on the island of ouessant talk in 1890 of black and white sheep and as the breed was already on the decline by the time photography was taking off the photographic examples of colour variation date from a time when there was already thought to be an outside influence. Certainly some of the breed revivalists such as Mr P Abbé felt that in reality only the black ouessant was a true colour representation and that whites were a more modern introduction from the shipwrecked Mikanos ( 1935) and the mainland and areas such as the Monts d'Arrée.

I think it can be established without doubt that white ouessants existed on the island well before the introduction of any stray white sheep from the mikanos and in reality trade in sheep from the mainland may well have taken place over many decades.

So GEMO have accepted both black and white sheep for many years and although originally the numbers of white sheep were very small due to an undoubted selection on the island for blacks they did exist. Interestingly there is some anecdotal evidence for the existance of the odd extension dominant black for the most part all I have come across in french breeding is recessive blacks. Although I do know of a number of cases of extension dominance genetics in dutch and german sheep. This may prove a relevant point at a later date.

The historical argument for the acceptance of both brown and grey ( colour modified) ouessants has been that both colours are recessive and could be hidden by black and so the potential for the production of the odd rare recessive colour is always a possibility.

There is no doubt that the origin of the colour modified greys belongs in one of the original flocks as identified by Mr P Abbé and as such is as genuine as it is possible to get in terms of being original genetics to the island of Ouessant.

The browns are a different story and yet even so it may be possible to explain the appearance of some of those original browns. Whilst the breed standard calls for a clear white sheep without pigmentation the examples of in some cases heavily pigmented whites continues to pop up time and again and in some cases the pigmentation doesn't fade they remain heavily coloured and to all intents and purposes brown. Of course they are not true browns but infact part of the white colour variation coming under the nomenclature of Agouti white and tan. This colour variation also pops up quite often in some flocks identified by Mr P Abbé as again being in part of the original foundation flocks for the breed revival. They would also appear on the face of it to be recessive, they could easily be mistaken for a true recessive brown.

Today it is impossible to trace any true recessive browns to the original french population all have come from Holland and so the story takes a new turn.

The history of brown ouessants in Holland and their rise in popularity is well known it is also acknowledged in the dutch breed society literature that both finn sheep and romanovs were used to "improve" the ouessant breed ( My own personal opinion is that shetlands must also have been used at some point) and some today talk also of the heideschnucke a small german breed of sheep whose colour variations come often in agouti grey.

What ever the exact reality it has been acknowledged that in producing some of the present day colour variations seen in Holland, Belgium and Germany outcrossing has taken place. The resultant progeny is now registered and accepted as part of the ouessant registry in those countries. If you own an agouti grey registered ouessant it is a hard pill to swallow if someone then tells you it is no longer considered registrable and so the potential for a schism arrives as GEMO seek to clarify the other breed societies position on the registration of non-standard colours. On the other hand if your ouessant is one centimetre too tall..... its also not considered registrable despite many generations of breeding. Tricky to get to grips with it all isn't it?

My own position is that the genetics of the ouessant sheep are valuable and care should be taken not to reduce the breed to the role of simply an ornamental fancy. Even today there is much we do not understand in the genetics of sheep and other mammals that makes the dilution of the breed genetics by outcrossing using the justification that as long as it meets the breed standard or some other contrived rule it is fully justifiable, is missing the point.

However there is another point to make and that is that I believe the genetics for agouti grey exist within the current french population of ouessants and that the argument over colour belittles the deeper and more important understanding of the consequences of outcrossing and using introduced genetics.


Firstly the argument for the existance of agouti grey genetics within the french ouessant population. Here we enter the realm of extension genetics something which I think has been over looked in the sheep world. The traditionally held view is its really only of significance in sheep where the agouti / extension dominance is reversed. It being hitherto accepted that if sheep weren't extension dominant then the agouti locus was in full control. However going back to my previous post which explains the basis for my assumptions on extension and accepting that extension is an incremental modifier you can begin to understand a very different picture. Those white ouessants that were and are more heavily marked and that crop up with alarming regularity are part of the extension genetics. It is entirely possible that the reason these mismarked whites continue to crop up with regularity is that the resevoir for this is in the black sheep population. Continue to select for heavily marked whites and you will end up with a white sheep that has more black on it than white, at that point do you have a white sheep or an agouti grey one? It may be that the contrived breed standard ( to select only for the clearest whites) puts the segregation of agouti greys at a distinct disadvantage in french ouessants but to date with an overwhelming population of blacks still carrying extension genetics those heavily marked whites keep appearing. In fact its worse in Holland and Germany where the agouti greys maintain extension genetics in the blacks not to mention several breeders preference for very black blacks and when they are then crossed out to whites they are often heavily marked. It may also explain why Holland and Germany have a higher incidence of dominant black ( extension dominant sheep) than the french sheep population. If you move on from an agouti grey sheep in extension terms you will eventually arrive at extension dominance and an apparently black sheep potentially obscuring an agouti pattern. However, the agouti grey patterns original to the french ouessant sheep may be very different to those of the present and already introduced agouti greys. Each family or group of ouessants will show their own variations in the agouti grey pattern and some of them can be strikingly different.

To my mind the argument over colour is a non argument I believe if those in a position to make policy decisions had a clearer understanding of the basics of genetics they may not be quite so quick to try to force the hand of other breed societies BUT I also believe that if this little breed, a relic of a different age is to give up some of its other secrets and I do believe there are more to uncover then the breed integrity must remain as far as is possible intact and that means people having a much broader understanding of the colour argument and the dangers of accepting outcrossed genetics.


One little point I'm working on. Ouessant meat has often been described to me as being a darker meat. Several little points have made me ask the question is there a reason for this and would the tyrosine deposits seen in black boned sheep that are also deposited in muscle account for this greater colour? I understand the romney marsh sheep are known to exhibit this. If any one has any info on either black boned sheep or the specifics in romney marsh sheep I would be very interested. It may yet be that there are undiscovered genetics traits within the breed that make them of interest and to lose the genetics for the sake of an argument over colour would be a tragedy.

Ouessants in Holland Ctd

From here on apologies for the quality of the photos. For some reason I don't have many good pics at all, so I will use what I have and for the rest you will have to use some imagination!

This guy takes the prize for me as the one I would have taken home, assessed only as an AB I thought it was a little harsh and merited an A but there you go, I'm not a judge:-)

I didn't get this guys number but from the looks of his ears tags a french bred ram originally.

White ram.

About the only two other reasonable photos of the line ups. ( note to self get a better camera!)

Sadly not a single one of the breeders groups all far too dark but they were very even groups and a nice selection.

I was fortunate to have enough time whilst in Holland to be able to visit several breeders and thank you to everyone who welcomed me, the kettle is on if you ever come in this direction!

There is no doubt that there is a realisation that there is a difference between the ouessants in Holland and those in France and dutch breeders have made some great strides in ironing out some of the differences. I saw some beautiful groups, and certainly some sheep that I would have been happy to see in my flock

Browns as always well represented.

Some flocks were exceptionally even in terms of type and quality and hold plenty of promise for the future of the ouessant.

Although some may be a little past it now;-)

And to finish there were some nice examples of the schimmel or agouti grey pattern, however the debate on this subject threatens to pull apart some of the close ties between the national breed societies and so the subject of my next post will be the big colour debate!

Ouessants in Holland - From the Begining

Ouessant sheep have a considerable following in Holland. The breed has been established there for well over thirty years. Reading through the literature supplied by the dutch breed society (FOS) they were first imported into Holland in 1971, initially, with ouessants imported from Belgium. It was only later that ouessants were actually imported from France itself. The literature states that the breed was further increased with more Belgian breeding stock. The breed society was formed in Holland in 1992.

Having seen and been involved with ouessants for several years in France now. I was keen to see the assessment of ouessants in Holland by FOS judges at their annual meeting and also to see close up a selection of Dutch ouessants.

The venue was rural but the beautiful brickwork and dutch style was still there.

Unlike in France, ouessants in Holland are graded according to the breed standard and their closeness to it. I have covered this topic before ( HERE). There are benefits to this system in that it does allow all good quality sheep in theory to be acknowledged, as opposed to the french system where the winner beats all.

Of course showing is ALL about "in the eye of the beholder" what appeals and suits one person may not suit another.

I was keen to make a comparison to french ouessants and also to see what dutch judges are looking for.

First off, the usual measuring and also weigh in, very small ( under 40cm) and also very light weight ouessants are not encouraged. The breed strength lies in its health and not just in its size. To concentrate soley on the smallest / smaller ouessants and to fail to promote health is considered detrimental to the breed and acknowledged as such by the dutch breed society.

The breed society is progressive in its thinking but not without its controversies, more on that a little later.

As sheep are not being judged against each other but against the breed standard the structure of the day is quite different. Sheep are presented and judged in small lots of eight sheep at a time and each is examined and assessed by a group of judges. The sheep are all pre-entered and a full catalogue of their statistics including parentage is provided for all who are present. This has some advantages, and it can be useful to know who bred a particular sheep and of course whats behind their breeding BUT as with all showing it can become very "facey" . Certain names or faces can be judged perhaps too critically or even too generously.

There were a considerable number of sheep present on the day and so judging got off to a prompt start at 10.00 am. It would take most of the day to assess them with a short break for lunch. The final assessment after the individual sheep was the group or breeder ensembles.

The lighting wasn't brilliant inside for my little camera and on a black mat, the pictures are very poor in contrast so only a few snapshots of the assessments. Where else but in Holland would you find ouessants being shown with the handler in clogs, loved it!

The noteable and most obvious general differences between french and dutch ouessants, fineness of bone, for me, this is probably the single most obvious difference. As a point of construction it makes a huge difference to the general prescence of the sheep, its frame to carry all that fleece and also very obviously in the face.

The second and related point is in the depth of chest ( not leg length as some might see it)

On the whole ( and as a generalisation) dutch ouessants have less depth to their chests, this gives them a very "high on the leg" look. In comparison, many of the french breeders breed for a deeper chest, the shoulder height may be the same but the gap underneath the sheep is very different.

Another day I will go into some of the background behind the differing types, here I'm just trying to point out some of the more obvious differences.

Whilst trying to neatly sidestep some of the politics involved with the development of the ouessant in Holland. One thing that seems to have been lacking is a definative representative type or model of a french ouessant to follow through in Holland. However there is no doubt for me that in some cases the idea of what is a ouessant comes more from comparisons with other small european primitive breeds than with any real representation of what is in France.


The browns are far more numerous than in France

I thought the whites really had very little substance to them at all. I'm not sure why the whites were so fine boned unless there really is a colour divide and they aren't mated out across the other colours. Certainly there were a number of noticeably marked whites.

Not to mention the hugely controversial topical agouti greys.

Also some nice sets of horns.

To Be Continued.............

Ouessants Abroad - and a little detour

Last week, I took a little trip to Holland to see some dutch ouessants for myself, and I couldn't resist the invitation to spend some time in Amsterdam. You'll have to forgive the diversion but it is a beautiful city - not to mention country.
The architecture is so distinctive, tall elegant buildings with luminous, voluminous windows detailed into fine brickwork , from the glazed tiles and gabled rooves, each house with its own individual features. Row after row sitting compactly on the waters edge or nestled into narrow streets and courtyards. Today, a modern, efficient, bustling city of people , cars, trams and bicycles, restless and ceaseless in its activity. Somehow despite the advertising hoardings, the neon lights and all the necessities of the 21st century,

It is possible to transport yourself back to another place and era.

I loved the fine detail in the brickwork, I can only imagine the play of light on the inside from the windows, such a contrast coming from Brittany where the window tax put paid to all but the most functional of lighting. The Jordaan district seemed only a step away from the 17th century, if you listened very carefully you could almost still hear the ghosts from times gone by. With its green and living streets, it breathes life into the heart of Amsterdam.

Amsterdams city culture is modern, eclectic, and vibrant,

But it was possible to get a glimpse of a city that speaks of a very different time.

Sadly not enough time for me to see it all, this time but a place where time is just a question of perspective.

I can't say thank you enough to Marion and Erik for such a great trip, I loved it. And so to the burning question...did I get to see any sheep?.................... You betcha!

err and a few hens too:-)

GEMO National Competition Part 2

A few more photos and descriptions of the show day.

The competition was hosted by the Parc Naturel Régional d'Armorique and organised by the association Bro an Are - Terres d'Aree. There were a large number of stalls, events and exhibitions going on, on the day, many of which I didn't get to see but a few close to hand that caught my eye were some of the livestock.

There are several breeds who teeter on the brink of dying out and this breed along with the ouessant has been one of them. Until recently I had found very little on them and it was the first time I had come face to face with some at the show, some essential differences and also some similarities but they are not the only local breed found in Brittany.

Familiar colours but a much larger more commercial breed of sheep altogether.

They also had some of the local rare breed goat, Chèvre des Fossés. I absolutely fell in love with these goats.

With long hair all over and a very fetching set of bushy eyebrows, I found them hugely appealing. If only I had the space................

Most of the stalls were local crafts or had an environmental aproach to their trade.
And finally at the end of a long day and with a two hour drive home ahead of me, the awarding of the prizes, the book I received curtesy of the Ecomusée Monts d'Aree was a real treasure.

A series of charming black and white photographs of people and events in the region with verses in Breton, French and English. Many of the photographs had a timeless quality to them, really lovely. The perfect end to a good day.

GEMO New Website and Show Results

At last, fantastic news GEMO have revamped their website (still some work to do) and listed the winners of this years show. It beats having to wait until the bulletin is produced!

GEMO Website

Results page Bravo à tous!

Anyone Speak Czech?

The ouessant sheep forum continues to grow with members joining almost everyday. It is quite amazing the number of nationalities and languages but we all seem to muddle through. Most recently the Czech contingent seems to have arrived with several members making contact. A couple of their blogs for those who read Czech.

Czech blog 1

Czech Blog 2

The forum is open to all nationalities, sales and exchange of sheep, ideas and assistance at all levels is most welcome.
If you want to join then click HERE for the link.

GEMO 2009 Slideshow

Link to the full screen slideshow for a series of pics from the day.

GEMO 2009 St Rivoal National Competition

This year I decided to take two sheep to the show. The shows are not just about competing with sheep but a chance for breeders and those with an interest in the breed to come together, spend alot of time leaning over railings, discussing sheep and the politics of the sheepy world. If at this point you are yawning then you have missed the point of the show entirely. For those of us with an interest in the breed this IS where it gets interesting!

Solaia and Koudou were not entirely thrilled with the crack of dawn start but at least they travelled comfortably. Health and transport regs mean that the flock must meet the legal requirements including brucellosis testing, vaccinations for Blue Tongue 1 and 8 as well as ensuring all the relevant treatments to prevent any transport of extra midges or other disease vectors. A little bit of an effort for the paperwork but on arrival everything is checked.
Tag numbers, next year we move to microchipping ( plenty of discussion on that topic!)


and of course for Ouessants the inevitable height measurement, care is taken to place the sheep correctly. Here one of Koudou's competitiors looking really nice.

Entrants have stalls for their sheep, the sheep are on view to the public and there are always plenty of curious people with lots of questions.

TV was there too. This ram entered by a first time competitor did very well.

The ubiquitous 2 hour french lunch. Here some members of the public enjoying some of the many stalls catering for a variety of tastes. Breeders, many of whom had travelled quite some distance were able enjoy a good meal curtesy of the Parc Regional National d'Armorique.

And so to the judges, the judges had travelled far and wide, here along with two french judges Lawrent Wynant BOV ( Vice- President Belgian breed society) and Horst Roller IGOU ( Head of the German breed club)

And then to the showing, this guy took Prix d'honneur or Champion white ram (adult) .

and this guy was champion of champions and a very worthy winner he looked stunning.

So how did we do?



Koudou des Lutins du Montana Prix d'Honneur
Yearling white ram





Solaia (Billes) Prix d'Honneur
Yearling black ewe





I had to use a previous photo of Solaia she is extremely difficult to photograph and as usual I just got a shot of her peering out from hiding behind others, shes the second one in.

I am chuffed to bits, it is with HUGE thanks to their breeders, Dominique Morzynski once again for trusting me with one of his rams. To have taken the prix d'honneur two years on the trot with one of Dominique's just goes to show the consistancy in his breeding.

And to Claude Billes I was struck with his breeding the very first time I saw his sheep and he never disappoints. Solaia beat one of Claudes own ewes for first place but it was a close thing both were very nice . I'm just pleased he was gracious enough to let me have Solaia.

More to follow.............

Spered Breizh Yann

This year I have kept back three of the ram lambs , who I will run on to see how they develop and to hold blood lines for the future. One of these is Yann. I am particularly pleased as he is one of the first lambs of the second generation that I have retained.

Yanns breeding:

---------------------------------------[Chloe at Spered Breizh

---------[Spered Breizh Brianna

---------------------------------------[Ivo at Spered Breizh

Spered Breizh Yann

---------------------------------------[Gwen

---------[César des Lutins du Montana

---------------------------------------[Troll des Lutins du Montana

Genetic diversity within rare breeds is important, Ivo's blood line was an important one and one that I didn't want to lose but at the same time Ivo's poor horn growth was a concern Previous post

Yann's horn growth to date is way in advance of Ivo's at this stage of development, so far so good.

Through his maternal line he also carries a surprise, modified colour genetics. The reasons and my justification for not getting rid of Ivo's bloodlines may yet bear fruit. I won't be using Yann this year he's definately a ram to hold back for the future but I'll post some updates as he grows to see how he progresses.

New lamb and Update

Faolan at Spered Breizh, this guys name means little wolf. Its rather an apt description as he is a grey ( modified). Lets just say I'm pretty pleased with him all round. Hes got some growing to do so time will tell, how he develops.

This is Louarnig a few weeks ago. Remember him? The red lamb, as you can see he has lost a great deal of his colour and for me its interesting so see where he retains the most.

This is him taken this weekend. His colouring is barely discernably different from alot of other white sheep. I'm also begining to like his emerging character and physique alot. He was a very gawky leggy lamb, but you can start to see some prescence about him now I hope it continues.

Spered Breizh Soélie, she was always a very pretty little lamb and she remains one of the lambs that always catches my eye in the pasture.

The influence of Koudou is very strong in her and I hope much like him, she will mature slowly but surely. There are one or two lambs that I have my eye on, I'll post on them as and when I can get decent pics. Those that are due to be moving on have done so and the flock is now reduced in numbers. It is nice to get back to a friendly bunch of favourites. I am already planning next years mating arrgghh! when will I ever learn!!

Showing Ouessants

In a couple of weeks it will be the annual national french breed championships. Some of the top breeders from France will be presenting their sheep for the judgement of the jury. I will be taking a couple of my sheep along of course I'm hopeful but the competiton is tough and so you never know how things will turn out but I like to give myself the best chance by making sure presentation is good.

Above a picture of one of my sheep I will be entering . Rules for presentation state that no shearing or trimming must be done within two weeks prior to the show. In fact I sheared all my sheep several weeks ago and this is the regrowth already weathered by the sun to a rich golden brown. So I took some time to do a bit of trimming and here is the result an hour or so later.

Last year I got a special mention for my presentation which was very nice:-) but it isn't that hard to do and here's what I did. I used a pair of professional dog clippers I don't like traditonal sheep shears I find them too hard to handle they weigh in at several pounds. So with my trusty oster A5s and a 5F blade which leaves a longer trim than I would usually use to simply remove all the fleece I just shear in the usual manner I scissor any ends or lines that the clippers may leave in the fleece and put back in the field. I gain length because I haven't shorn to the skin so the sheep doesn't look practically bald and by shearing just before the two week period they go to the show with a clean fleece that looks almost as fresh as the day it was cut. To achieve the same length using a traditional short shear would mean by the time the length of fleece had regrown to a nice length it would begin to sunbleach or look weathered. Just before the show I will use a dog slicker brush ( the one with the metal teeth) to just card the wool very lightly to provide an even all over finish and remove any dust and debris from the fleece. With the rams sometimes it can really make a difference if you oil their horns. Other than that they are just natural , but the end result looks a whole lot better. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Updated Sales Blog

Much as it breaks my heart to see this guy go hes up for sale or loan if you fancy getting some fresh blood in, even if just for this years breeding.

See the fleece and fibre blog

Competition Time 30.08.09 St Rivoal (29)

The annual GEMO show has come around again. This year it will be held St Rivoal in dept 29 not too far from last years event. This time it will be held at the Parc National Regional d'Armorique. The whole event is held under the title Marché des Energies Paysannes. It is organised by the association Bro an Are - Terres d'Arrée. In addition to the Ouessants there will be a presentation of the "Chèvres des Fossès" the breed of goat specific to this region.

With the last year and the problems associated with not one but two types of blue tongue virus and the required health conditions for entry not to mention its setting again in the extreme west of the country may mean a diminished numbers of participants. I hope not but there should be plenty of stalls and stands in addition to the ouessant competition to make a good day out . I look forward to meeting some of you there.

The Curious Case of the Collapsing Lamb

This is Aislin at four days old.

She was born, possibly slightly prematurely. From the day of her birth when she was slow to stand and suckle it was clear she was going to be a lamb that needed a little help. That first day I found her making only feeble attempts to stand and possibly slightly chilled from the wind that was whipping across the field. It took a couple of days of TLC to set her on the right track, she stood for the first time in the evening of the day she was born but suckling seemed too much of an effort. I carefully milked the ewe of her colostrum and bottle fed the lamb. I could find no reason for her to be slow in getting started and just assumed that a little support and she would be on her way hopefully still bonded to her mum so that I wouldn't be needed.

It became clear that whilst she was happily taking the bottle she wasn't going to get the hang of suckling from mum so by day four I had made the decision to hand rear her. The stress in milking and confining the ewe was not doing her any good at all.

We used to joke that Aislin "didn't do" mornings, she would take her bottle but doze or be quite lethargic until about 2 in the afternoon, by which time she was bright and alert and raring to go. I wrote this post at this time, I had no idea how prophetic it would turn out to be.

By day ten I could see she was improving every day and now the morning lethargy was clearing , she would greet me with a welcoming bleat and we'd sit on the outside step for her early morning bottle. A few times during those first two weeks there had been some puzzling moments, she would go all floppy I assumed she was developing an infection of sorts ( I knew how at risk she was, as her immunity was likely to be low) All this time I had been waiting for signs of something definate, actually being wrong but there was nothing concrete. I would take her temperature, the puzzling thing was her temperature was so variable I came to the conclusion maybe the battery was getting low on the thermometer. So, no antibiotics and other than a precautionary injection for any possible selenium deficiency and some probiotics as she seemed to get a dull tummy ( hard to describe but there was less gut feel than I would have expected) she was on no treatment.

By day sixteen I had seen the first really clear signs that something odd was going on. Her legs would buckle underneath her as she took her bottle and the early morning walk to the outside step for her first feed was becoming a battle to get her to the step before she fell down. She was so keen for her bottle and even during these very odd moments she would still take a bottle if supported. Then having had her bottle we would take a walk up to the field to see the flock, no sign of her falling down. I was very keen for her to remain in contact with the flock and every day we would spend time with the flock. I felt if she was strong enough then she could spend her days with the flock even if I was still bottle feeding her, but these odd episodes were worrysome. I decided to video one of her odd moments and also her during normal behaviour. By this time thoughts of epilepsy, diabetes or even narcolepsy were running through my mind.


Video of Aislin during one of her episodes. It was becoming more apparent the moments of collapsing were almost exclusively linked to feeding. I stopped walking her out to the step in the morning and fed her as soon as I could after she saw me, her legs would still buckle and sometimes she would appear to go completely out of it but after a few seconds she would come to and get back to taking the bottle. When I supported her taking the bottle during these moments that she would go completely limp you could feel no tension, tremor or twitching of her muscles at all. It seemed more and more that narcolepsy with cataplexy was the explanation.

As I began to learn more about narcolepsy I began to understand what this could mean for her if this was indeed what she had. Narcolepsy has been most widely studied in humans and in dogs I didn't have a lot to go on in sheep. I began to learn a little of the process and disorder and what might possibly be wrong in her body that would cause her to present this way.

Whilst all this was going on Aislin was getting on with the day to day process of living. She moved on to start on solid feed, if confirmation was needed of the trigger for her funny behaviour her first dish of hard feed was met with such enthusiasm that she was unable to eat any of it, she just fell over and got right back up, to fall over again. After the initial excitement she was able to happily feed herself. What a relief, my biggest nightmare of her not being able to be self sufficient from a food point of view was less of a concern.

For those who are concerned at this point Aislin has never been in any pain, she never appeared disturbed by these episodes indeed she just gets up and carries on with life. This video of her taken at 20 days old when her falling over episodes were at her worst shows her doing what lambs do, just having fun. As time went on, the degree of her collapsing lessened she would maybe sway slightly during taking a bottle but from six weeks on she had no more complete outs that I was aware of. She spent her days with the flock, with a very close eye being kept on her to start with but all was well. At night she was kept inside for her safety. It seemed she was growing out of it. This was not unexpected and definately hoped for, cases in particularly, horses where foals are born with narcolepsy ( fainting foals) do show that by the time they are six months old they have invariably grown out of it.

I was still however curious as to the processes going on, that would cause narcolepsy. Was this damage due to a difficult birth perhaps, or a congenital defect, an hereditary problem. As there is very little precedence for narcolepsy in lambs I was struggling to get any clear answers. I delved more into the understanding of narcolepsy itself. In humans onset is not thought to be from birth but the chemical processes described, what ever their cause were interesting and started to make me wonder if what I was seeing was part of a bigger picture.

I learnt that narcolepsy can come with a cluster of problems and in Aislins case her symptoms were pointing to a problem with a very specific area of her brain, the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is also responsible for temperature control. It was clear that during a bad period if she was having a prolonged floppy episode or a sucession of episodes her temperature would vary to a significant degree. I would never know from one moment to the next if she was going to be hot or cold. So maybe my thermometer readings were not so badly off as I first thought. Whilst her digestion was always good she never had the runs she would get bouts of bloating where everything appeared to stagnate I found a dose of probiotics every four or five days seemed to keep things on an even keel. Hypocretins ( also known as orexins) a neuropeptide and their receptors are found in the hypothalamus and have recently been determined to be involved in the symptoms of narcolepsy specifically if hypocretins are not produced in sufficient amounts or if the receptors are in some way damaged. Hypocretins are also involved in feeding, gut motility, satiation and temperature control.

It seemed possible that either a problem with the production or receptors for some chemical pathways in her brain could explain the variety of symptoms I was seeing. This still didn't explain the original cause for this dysfunction, an accident at birth may explain the problems, or it could be a genetic defect and there was one other sign which also needed to be considered. Her colour, some of the chemical pathways which lead to neurological problems could also be involved in colour pigmentation. Was there a precedence for this? People with the griscelli syndrome have characteristic silver grey hair as well as a cluster of other problems including possible sleep disorders and neurological problems. However in sheep who are homozygous for colour modified the characteristic clumping of pigment ( seen in people with griscelli syndrome) is not seen. Possibly not the exact same process but if this was a case of some similar defect in colour modified sheep why is narcolepsy not more prevelant?

I looked for anything that might correspond with health problems with colour modified sheep. To date this is the only article that I have come across which explores both a silver grey gene in sheep and any potential possible health problems. At this stage I have more questions than answers. Why are the same health problems not seen in shetlands where the number of modified sheep is relatively high? Is it possible there are two forms of colour modification genetics or is it that in shetlands those carrying the more lethal form have already been weeded out? Is an explanation for why more narcoleptics lambs are not being seen, that in most cases they don't survive beyond birth? I am aware that in colour modified ouessants there are occasional problems with the death of lambs but in general these could be considered part of the unexplained deaths seen on a number of ocasions in sheep and lambs. Could it be in the white sheep population where colour modification goes unseen this could be a contributing factor to lamb deaths?

Or is Aislin simply a one off, whatever the cause of her problems? I don't know, but you can be sure I will be looking for more answers.

One Year On

Josse, brown ouessant who also carries colour modified genetics, here he is last summer. A gawky adolescent and here he is photo taken last week after he was shorn.
I have to say he has exceeded my expectations in every way. Exceptional quality fleece even for a first shear and an attractive rich brown colour, with the added bonus of modified genetics I am very much looking forward to seeing his bloodlines in his future progeny. The added plus for me is that he has the nicest of natures and is a great fun character to be around always one of the first to come over and say Hi . Happy 1st year Aniversary Josse!

Visitors and Shearing Sheep!

César in the arms of another! He looks pretty pleased with himself especially getting shorn this weekend when the weather has been stifling hot. His trim is pretty good too. This weekend Mary came all the way from the charente- maritime I really must get to grips with french geography I had no idea it was quite so far away! Anyway Mary made the long drive up to learn about shearing ouessants and César was her first guinea pig. I admit Mary is a bit of a hero (heroine?) in my eyes, her website and blog Warmwell is pretty legendary for keeping a finger on the pulse of hot topics in the farming and livestock industry in the UK. I am in awe, born out of the foot and mouth fiasco in the UK. It can be relied upon to give an up to date and unbiased account of some of the issues affecting the livestock industry in the UK.

It was a pleasure to show her how I shear my sheep and heres Mary's second victim err willing volunteer, Koudou.

He looks hot to trot! It was a pleasure meeting you Mary and I hope we will be able to meet up again at some time. I look forward to pics of your sheepies very soon.

Measuring Your Ouessant

Now is the time I start to think about measuring the sheep. After they have been shorn and at roughly a year old, you will begin to really get an idea of what they are really going to look like as an adult. Ouessants will continue to grow until they are about three years of age. Size and particularly height is a very important factor the breed standard requires them to be no more than 49cms at the shoulder for an adult ram and no more than 46cms for a ewe. This means that yearlings should be several centimetres UNDER the maximum to ensure they are not likely to go over when fully grown. Why worry? Well you could ask what makes them a ouessant? Apart from their colour and conformation their uniqueness is in part due to their size.

The toise is the essential piece of kit for measuring ouessants. You can just use a level and flat piece of ground or measure them against a wall but the toise being easily portable does make life a little easier.
As you can see you want your sheep on a flat, even piece of ground, standing squarely and head in a natural standing position. The toise rests on their withers and the height can be read off on the central piece of wood when marked out in centimetres.

Heres mine. I made it up according to the plan on Gilles Delorme's website. If I was to make another I may alter things slightly but it does the job. In case you are wondering the rather beautiful César modeling in the picture above measures up at 43.5 cms at fours years of age, he won't grow any more;

All Done.........................I Think

Well I've been waiting to write this post for a long time, lambing is over I'm pretty certain it is but.................you never know. From Löic on the 28th of Feb until around the 19th of June is a long time to be on tenter hooks!! The last birth here was little Aislin five week ago but Tiramisu has been thought to be intermittantly pregnant , not pregnant then pregnant and now according to my dates very unlikely to be pregnant which means her ever expanding belly is just good eating and not a developing lamb!

So to sum up.
8 ram lambs
4 ewe lambs.

the colour combinations are

2 x heterozygous whites
1 x white with heavy phaeomelanin
2 x black carrying brown ( both could carry modified colours)
1 x grey ( modified)
6 x black all of which have the potential to carry modified.

Not a prolific start to my colour programme but I'm very happy with both the colours and the lambs. In fact I am thrilled with the lambs. I have almost finished the shearing and will have a little more time, if Aislin lets me to take some pics of them as they grow. Aislin has shown herself to be a firm favourite here, her slow start which has been worrysome to say the least appears to be over and she goes from strength to strength. she is now learning that she can run alot faster than people so catching her if she doesn't want to be caught could prove a little more difficult, she is equally at home with people or with the flock and her time spent with the flock is getting more and more, although she is still vunerable to head butting from the others but I noticed the other day for the first time she is putting up some resistance. I'm pleased, even with so much time spent with people, she is smart enough and confident enough to learn her way out of bullying tactics by the others. watching her grow and develop has been an amazing experience and even though I would have preferred her to have remained with mum she doesn't seem to have been slowed too much in sheepy behaviour. Her mum ignores her in the flock interesting in itself, as she does recognise her, she is the only one not to head butt her if shes too close and yet the maternal bond is broken .

Joie de Vivre

At twenty days old Aislin has come on in leaps and bounds (literally). her greyish muzzle is very clear and I can tell you that under the dark black birth coat, the fleece is coming in grey. She spends time with the flock every day and I hope soon she will be able to spend her days with the flock. Of course to say I'm smitten is an understatement, she is adorable but cute as a pet lamb is her place is with the flock. For now i'm enjoying every moment even if I'm still sleep deprived!!

Why I Like Living Here.

I live in a rural idyl in the backwaters of Britany France. I am not a native but an incomer or outsider, a displaced Brit who couldn't settle in the UK. I speak OK french, feel reasonably integrated but am not a socialite at the best of times, so don't really get involved in village politics or social life apart from the obligatory wave to all the farmers out in their tractors, the man in the house at the end of the road who's not quite 100% actually there are two of those. The retired roofer ( who retired after falling off the roof one too many times) who's lawn is more an artform with every blade of grass neatly combed, primped and levelled to within an inch of its life in search of seamless perfection. The industrious dutch/french couple with their herd of border collies who round up their ever expanding caravan collection err sorry storage business. And so it goes on everyone knows everyone and with polite familiarity, we meet and greet and go about our daily lives. Many are farming families who little plots of land ever more spread out, ever more split up from france's cumbersome inheritance laws, means that I have at least five or six who farm small plots of land in the fields near to the house. The dairy farmer who keeps his heifers out at grass at the end of the lane. The agriculturalist who tries to melt into one homogenous mass all the plots of land and hidden corners to get the maximum from his plot. I see all manner of machinery pass my door and the chicken farmer.................... what can I say about the chicken farmer, only here it seems do you get car alarms in the country......no wait it's not a car alarm its the chicken house alarm, for when the temperature goes up and as his house in the village is no more than a stones throw away the car alarm works well to alert him, no matter where he is in the vicinity.

So proud they all are of their little part of this world, even the tractors get washed down at night, no litter, no mess, neat little houses in neat little gardens with the red geranium resplendant against the cream render or granite walled houses. All so very polite. So why this sudden outburst? Last week whilst busy on my route to see the sheep I stopped for a brief moment to ask the chicken farmer if he knew of anyone who could supply me small bale hay, a scarecity round here as most have large comfy barns and big tractors to move it all around. This morning he waved me down he'd found a farm not too far away who had just baled some small bales, he made sure I knew where it was and we went on our busy lives. This afternoon having made a note to drive past the farm tomorrow I arrived home to find a neat pile of small bale hay on my doorstep! It is sweet and fresh and all the sweeter for the thought.

We are a community.

Isard - Grey Ouessant

Yesterday at the open day I sheared Isard as one of my demonstration models. Another beautiful grey fleece. I have yet to measure him but must do so for completeness.

Open Day

Thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all and hope to see you again soon. Thanks to everyone for making today a great day!

Shearing Ouessants - Essential Item

I don't think its colour is necessarily important.

They do come in all shapes and sizes.

To be read in a Rolf Harris accent " can you tell what it is yet?"


its just a little stool but I promise you it is a lifesaver! If you have ever spent anytime bending over shearing your ouessants you will know it is a killer. Tables are good but I do find that in most cases a quick trim with me sat on the stool is just as efficient if not more so. The height of the stool does need to be quite low everyones length of leg will determine the best height but I easily sheared six ouessants last weekend without a bad back in sight.

Snapshots

Solaia, love this little girl always elusively shy but endearingly so.
Otis with his mum Olivia getting out of the sun.

Kaelan, testing out my trainers!

Amelié, another favourite and already striking a pose.

And this little girl the cause of all my problems. I feel about as knackered as she looks!! She may get to snooze peacefully in the sunshine but even though she's gone from strength to strength, two hourly feeds begin to take their toll after a while on me. Thank goodness kids grow up!

And finally as if I haven't got enough to do, open day this weekend. The weather will be good so look forward to seeing you !

This Little Lamb............

Had a slow start but she's finding her feet now..............

Steadily, surely she's making progress................

There's no getting away from it................

When you gotta sleep , you gotta sleep......................

Shearing Time

Magellan and Izard both grey ( colour modified) ouessant wethers. I thought it was interesting to see the difference in colour, fleece on and fleece off. It has been said that ouessant fleece isn't much good for anything except composting. It is also said that wethers ( male castrates) have the best fleeces they lack the kempy fibres of the rams and don't have the hormonal influences of the ewes. If anyone has has their dog neutered you will find it often changes their coat to a much softer coat, sheep are the same. Now is the time to be shearing, if anything its already a little late, if you wait until they have completed their shedding or moult, the moulted fleece often isn't actually shed but felts into the new fleece underneath, leaving a fleece that really is only useful for composting.

Grey ouessants are not common and these guys have the most wonderful fleece, take a look and dive in.

solid grey fleece, in shetland terms this is equivalent to emsket with oatmeal tips.

looks fab doesn't it, I am so pleased with these guys fleeces!!!

Both Magellan and Izard are looking for good homes where they will be appreciated for not only their fleece but their adorable little characters. Magellan is a petit 42cms high and Izard is similar although I have yet to measure him.

Aislin

Four days old and still not quite as strong as a newborn. This little girl was pretty slow in getting started and for a couple of days things were rough. I'm pleased to say that she's now starting to explore and behave more like a lamb. I don't know if her problems are due to her getting chilled after she was born certainly the wind was really vicious and she didn't get to her feet straight away or if she was born a little premature. Either way she was definately a cause for concern but things are looking good now. And she's a grey( colour modified ) what could be better:-)

Spered Breizh Aislin- Dream

This little girl was born yesterday afternoon, at the moment she's still inside, the weather is just horrid! She is also a slow starter. I'm not sure how well it shows on the blog but she also has a light muzzle, her genetics are she's a carrier for brown but the light muzzle could be the first clue that she's also colour modified. The first grey ouessant born at Spered Breizh... watch this space!

Of Spots and Pyjama's - Joining up the Dots

"All sheep are coloured but some are wearing white pyjamas"
S. Adalsteinsson.

Previous related post on this topic

This is Tiramisu, She is a ouessant sheep. She isn't a crossbred, she doesn't have Dutch, Belgian or German ouessant sheep bloodlines ( acknowledged to have outcrossed)
She does however have a very interesting background, one which I hope to explain without losing myself or others in summing up my explanation for why she has the pattern she does.

First, family relations and what is known about her breeding.

Maternal GrandDam Awt/Aa
Maternal GrandSire Awt/Aa

Dam ??/??
Sire Awt/ Aa

Tiramisu ??/??

Where the genotype is known I have completed it, this is based on their phenotype as a white sheep and also that they have each produced a solid black lamb in other matings, so are known to be Aa. I have not completed Tiramisu's dam as she is of similar pattern to Tiramisu and so its not possible for me to complete her as Awt as I lack the nomenclature to be able to accurately notate her genotype. The entire flock is made up of white or black ouessants and apart from Tiramisu's grand dam and dam no other ewes have produced dark headed lambs in the flock. The sire that fathered Tiramisu's mother is not the same sire to produce Tiramisu. The flock has been in existance for over twenty years, examples of lightly freckled lambs are born but the light speckling is transient and doesn't last. The only traces are some light smudges of darker colour on the extremities.

Currently traditional genetics for primitive sheep would explain her as a white sheep, how else could she fit genetically, she clearly isn't solid colour and according to the genotypes I have listed she has no possibility of inheriting Ag. However her pattern is very reminiscent of some Down breeds in the UK and previous attempts to understand their colouring has determined they are white sheep but there is little firm explanation for the spots and dark colouration.

Could there be an explanation and one that is perhaps not universally accepted but sometimes the exception proves the rule.

Mahler and Denis published a study into "The inheritance of face and leg colour in the mouton Vendeen breed"

They proposed the possible existance of a gene at another locus, not at agouti but extension.

I would suggest that their work was on the right track, but didn't go far enough.

My explanation, All sheep have the potential for a variable and incremental allele at extension. The expression of this allele is seen phenotypically only in white or grey sheep, it may be present in varying degree's however, in all sheep. The pattern of expression of this allele is individual but familial and in the case of breeds with a close or selected genepool can be very specific.

Not only are Down breeds expressing this gene at extension but I would also go further and suggest that all Ag sheep are expressing the same allele at extension to a lesser or greater degree. Ag would more correctly be Awt and a variable gene at extension. Lambs born solid (coloured) but with some degree of fading out, as in Ag would be expressing an increased variable at extension than those born with a white body and dark extremities.

From the tiniest patterns of pigmented spots (denoted as brindling by Mahler and Denis) through to a full Down pattern or Ag sheep and on to a solid colour sheep which is still Awt at Agouti but looks solid ( extension dominant) they are all part of the same variable and incremental allele at extension.
Traditionally dominant black has been looked at as only an on / off switch. A sheep is either ED or E+ . Would this still be the case with an incremental allele at extension? Yes, it is possible for this allele to behave both as a switch and with variable expression. The best analagy I can come up with is, to think of a see-saw, its position and effect is determined by the weight at either end. it can balance or swing between one end and the other or it can switch instantly to one end depending on how its weighted. Depending on the degree of shift to E+ or ED in each sheep at a mating, a variable expression could be seen in the offspring. In sheep with a significant shift to ED its offspring could become extension dominant.

In explaining this variable allele, the pattern of expression is important. It is built up in a series of patches or spots, the size, distribution and joining up of the dots determines the "pattern" . Within families ( or even breeds) where the pattern distribution is closely similar, it can be quickly built up, rather like drawing over the same areas on a piece of paper, it becomes darker and more easily identified as a defined pattern. When outcrossing to unrelated breeds where there is a shift of the allele at extension towards E+, it is easily lost in the cross bred offspring. Hence Mahler and Denis's problem of losing the identifiable Down pattern in their study, however the subsequent backcross determined that the pattern wasn't lost in either the white or black offspring, merely diminished. The cross they had chosen was to a sheep with a shift towards E+ in both the red and black versions and so the resultant offspring were not able to express the full Down pattern, only an earlier stage in the pattern building. In breeds such as shetlands and icelandics where Ag is regularly encountered , there is within the solid colour sheep population a variable but higher degree of shift to ED, that is, whilst within the population the degree of extension can vary, the prescence of Ag sheep keeps the shift towards ED. Where sheep are selectively bred for clear whites without any stray points of colour or patterning the degree of extension is shifted towards E+

At this point I will suggest that the various patterns in different breeds are co-dominant, that is each can be individually expressed however the shift of the allele at extension towards E+ or ED as it effects Agouti determines which is more phenotypically dominant, also by crossing out from close family or breed groups the pattern distributions may be so different as to lose any identifiable pattern and so crosses become a jumble or mix of two patterns that are virtually impossible to distinguish from each other. In essence whilst the prescence of say Ag and mouflon pattern occuring in the same sheep can lead to a difficulty in discerning the two distinct individual patterns, the mistake when it comes to interpreting pattern in Ag and Down sheep is in assuming if they are of the same genetic basis they should be in some way cumulative but the patterns would act as independantly as would Ag and Mouflon.

One further point and specifically in relation to those sheep that carry colour modified genetics. It seems to be the case that in white sheep with a mild shift towards ED , the darker pigmentation is cancelled out or negated by the prescence of colour modified genetics, leading to clearer whites. This may well be an explanation for why some wool breeds when producing solid coloured sheep as in the coloured Wenslydale and the Polwarth show the prescence of colour modified genetics, unwittingly the colour modified genetics have been selected along with sheep who are shifted to E+ .

To return to Tiramisu for a moment. The pattern she displays is quite progressed but its possible to identify this pattern in the large majority of white ouessants with a limited shift to ED, only in her case the pattern and therefore shift is considerably further towards ED noticable both in increased area of distribution and depth of colour and so far more striking, but subtle indications of this basic pattern can be seen in a good number of ouessants. In her case as the normal breeder controls in ouessant flocks of selecting only the clearer whites hasn't taken place the accumulation of a shift towards ED has gone on unchecked and so her dams unusual pattern emerges from an apparently Awt/Aa x Awt/Aa breeding. There is no reason to suspect that there has been an outcross in the flock, the same process of pattern building has been noted in many ouessant flocks where blacks and whites are bred together, "grubby whites". An explanation for this could be that whilst clear white ouessants are sought after for the breed standard, The majority of ouessants are black, and the incidence of whites has traditionally been extremely low, so it is possible for black ouessants to have maintained a variable degree of shift towards ED and when crossed to whites, some lambs are born showing the beginings of the same pattern seen in Tiramisu or a shift towards ED. I have identified the possibility of two other patterns of extension present in ouessant flocks, it will be interesting to see if its possible to build on these to a similar or greater degree.

So to summarise either the genealogy I have for Tiramisu is incorrect or she is simply a white sheep ( which seems to stretch the definition of phaeomelanin a little) or there is the possibility of the existance of a variable incremental allele at extension. My explanation above will naturally continue to be tested and refined.

Tiramisu's pyjamas only hers have spots on, although technically I suppose they could be holes...............

Mahler and Denis from Proceedings of the world congress on coloured sheep 1989.

Koudou and Ronan

Have You Started Shearing Yet?

Ciska's Fleece Brown Ouessant - Reserved

Who Needs Words

Gwenaëlle and Loeiza

A Vision in Pink

Louarnig at two days old just venturing outside. His colouring is just exquisite. Ouessant lambs born with heavy phaeomelanin aren't unheard of, I see photos of some of the lambs every year. Nothing can prepare you though, for such an extraordinary colour, even now I find it hard to take my eyes off him , he looks more like a fawn than a lamb! Of course his colour will fade and soon he will return to being just a white sheep with only the tiniest trace of what his birth coat was like.
Interesting to note that his colouring has the same pattern as mouflon............I will be experimenting with what I consider to be an incremental allele at extension to see if it is at all possible to make the progression from phaeomelanin to eumelanin *and* retain the pattern now that would be fun!
Will I get a darker lamb?
Will I get a darker lamb that retains the mouflon pattern or goes solid?

If Louarnig is E+ then all I should get is a red lamb after red lamb, if you believe as I do that already he shows signs of a variable allele at extension ( I will go into the reasons behind this in another post) then I should be able to build on this. Only another 12 months to wait.................and counting.

Spered Breizh Louarnig - Little Red Fox

Make no mistake this is a white lamb but when experimenting with colour and pattern this is one that I was hoping for. At last!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Considering that last year this garden was left to fend for itself it hasn't come up too badly this year. One or two holes with plants lost to be replaced but its starting to look mature. Help! I feel the urge to make another bed................as if I haven't got enough weeding to do.
After a weeks worth of rain the plants and the sheep are ready for some sunshine and its arrived just in time. Preperations are in hand for the open day at the end of the month, for the sheep of course but its nice if the garden doesn't look like a wilderness.
This really is such a great time of the year. In a few weeks the crisp bright greens will have faded a little, I will have difficulty telling the lambs from the adults and spring will have passed into summer lets hope its a good one my neighbour however is never slow to remind me of another proverb round here. I have no idea if its a local one or more widespread. Thirteen moons in a year makes for a bad summer and guess what? the last two years there have been thirteen moons in the year. No matter who I speak to they predict another bad year, they just shake their heads and say "thirteen moons in a year".......................... enjoy the weather whilst you can!

Open Day

Todays To Do List

After a rude awakening, I got to work finding myself some breakfast. Mum was pretty good at supplying all the daily essentials.

Then settle down for a nap. It has been EXHAUSTING. Its a good job mum's around, The perfect umbrella, sunshade, breakfast bar, later I may checkout the neighbourhood but only if mum says its ok.
Tomorrows To Do List much the same as today........................

Amélie X

Daddys Little Girl

At long last, after a succession of ram lambs, César's finally had a little girl. Laora was just licking off a little black lamb when I arrived first thing this morning. Everyone is doing well, she's tiny Laora is a good mum and I'll post some photos when the sun has dried her off and everyone is settling into their new life. New borns on a clear sunny morning ( again) life is good:-)

Now Look What's Happened!

Soélie and Soizic
I took my eye off the ball for just a few minutes and they start growing up! Almost as fast as the weeds that I've spent the last week trying to get to grips with. A bit of sunshine and everything goes to pot! Right, I'll be back to blogging very soon, I got a little side tracked with the weather. The tally so far is eight ram lambs and only three ewes Sigh! I have only two black ewes left to lamb here's hoping they are both girls and if I'm not mistaken Laora won't be far away.

Just for the sheer joy of it here's Loeiza at two and a half weeks.

The Life of Riley

Actually, Josse and Ronan

Josse now a dad and hopefully sire to a second lamb to be born here in the next couple of weeks. Ronan, I'll know in the next few days if he has managed to sire a lamb this year. Its not a bad life really a few days work chasing the ladies and the rest of the time they have very little to do except look good of course:-)
Its been almost a week since the last lambs born, I am quite grateful for the break. The lambs are forming groups or tribes and spend their days charging around generally causing havoc and mishief.
Next to come are the ewe lambs they will be less predictable but if the notes I took for the dates they were mounted are anything to go by it will be a couple of weeks before things get busier.

All Fluffed Up

Loeiza a couple of days on. I have to say this years lambs are just fab, don't worry I will post about something else very soon. Loeiza isn't what I expected, both César and Gwen, her parents look like little thelwell ponies, as solid and as stocky as they come, their lamb is definately a bit of a surprise. That said I am loving being able to compare them with others of comparative ages noting the differences and similarities.

What a Week!

It's been non-stop since Monday evening and every evening after that, with not one ewe choosing to lamb in daylight hours. This is very unusual for me when they have always lambed either early am around 7.00 or late afternoon starting to scratch up around 4.00pm. I am EXHAUSTED late nights and early mornings are not good for me I need my sleep! However it has all been worth it the lamb count is good, everyone doing well, mums included, so, I am a very happy bunny.
Today the sun has been shining, I fully expect more lambs in the next few days but this afternoon I took some time to enjoy the sunshine and the new ouessant lambs, here's some snapshots.

Kaelan

Soélie

And Otis, his little face just says it all:-)

Spered Breizh Loeiza

Less than twelve hours old, sleepy in the sunshine. Césars first lamb and Gwen's too.

Spered Breizh Kaelan

This is Ciska's black lamb out in the daylight. Who knows what colour he will end up, his name is gaelic and means uncertain, I thought it apt.

The Midnight Hour

After quite a protracted labour, Ciska produced a ram lamb just after midnight last night. There has been plenty of planning gone into the lamb and his potential colour. Sired by Koudou a white ram known to at least carry colour modified Ciska also carries colour modified. Does he look black to you? Hard to tell in the flash light if he carries the colour modifier but he could do. It will be very interesting to see how he turns out. He is definately a carrier for Brown ( BBBb) and will of course be a keeper so more photos along the way to document his progress.

Bienvenue Parmi Nous

This little girl was kicking up her heels when I arrived at the field this morning. No wonder Oanez wanted Mevanwi's lamb, her maternal hormones must have been right at their peak. Spered Breizh Soélie, such a little sweetie already she looks feminine and sired by Koudou right size, right shape for the best of starts. Out of three matings I am hoping for one solid coloured lamb from Koudou, Ciska won't be long in lambing surely my chances are greater now? Ciska isn't saying. Loïc has already decided Soélie is his favourite, he won't leave her side.

Loïc's New Playmates.

Spered Breizh Soizic, born this morning, this little lady will be staying. Sired by Josse and out of Mevanwi, she is black carrying brown ( BBBb) , Strong and healthy, the pregnancy was tough on her mum who is an older ewe. I may decide not to breed her next year and retire her off.
Spered Breizh Otis, so called because really, this is the most laid back lamb I have had , I'll have to get a better photo in the next day or so. I had a fifty/ fifty chance of a solid colour lamb from this mating. I still have a fifty fifty chance with the other two ewes Koudou was bred to. Out of Olivia and sired by Koudou. A beautiful clear white and he's inherited his fathers pink nose! He really is a very attractive lamb with some prescence hard to define in a lamb but people are drawn to him already.

Not bad for 24 hours. Oanez was definately very keen to pinch Soizic, I suspect it won't be very long at all until her lamb arrives. There are still a couple of ewes who also don't look very far off.

Wow I am very pleased and still so excited, there is more to come!!

148+2 makes one

Yes, only a couple of days after the ram arrived Olivia must have fallen pregnant. Yesterday evening she delivered a healthy bouncing baby boy! You'll have to wait for the photos typically my batteries are flat. There are a couple of ewes who look quite close to lambing so things should get interesting and Loïc will finally have friends for lamb races;

Loïc is Bored!

Loïc spies a potential playmate arriving.


Those couple of days with a bottle have made him equally at home with people as sheep. Will you play with me?


This is Olivia, she's spent all today resting under the hayrack. .............................Hmm maybe she'll produce a playmate for Loïc.


Please will someone play with me?? Little Loïc is just itching for some fun ..............

Not long now Loïc, not long now.

Lamb Watch Update

Well i'm going to stick my neck out and say that I think Olivia may win the race to lamb first but don't quote me LOL! Judging by her shape I would also say not too much longer to go maybe even tomorrow, but don't hold your breath. aaarrggh the suspense is killing me!!

Sheer Brilliance:-)

Lamb Watch

It's official I am on lamb watch duties. I checked my lamb birth date calculator and the earliest possible date I can expect lambs is from tomorrow. I don't count Lilli's lamb she wasn't in the planned breeding groups.
In truth its not likely that many, if any, ewes were mated on the day the rams went in but even so I can't help having an extra little sense of anticipation, the ewes are so close to lambing but no one is giving anything away.

So far on the ouessant forum a few births but including two sets of twins!! For those with normal sized sheep this may not seem like a lot, but believe me for mini sheep people, twins IS a rareity.

Some of the girls seen here infact most in the picture are not that far along, I am taking guesses on who will be the first to lamb I would put my money on Twiglet and or Ciska only because they both seem large but as with sheep, time will tell!! I will try not to lose anymore sleep over it than I will already with early and late checks to make sure everyone is ok. OK time to step on the roller coaster for an emotional ride! Hang on tight!

Horn Genetics in Ouessant Sheep

Its always interesting watching and looking at the variety of horn shapes and sizes that seem to crop up in Ouessants.

Above is a photo of Ivo taken at almost two years of age. His horn growth is poor. Below the white ram is his sire and the white ewe his dam.

Cotton

Polognaise

Both sire and dam have normal phenotypes for horns in Ouessants. That is the ram is horned with a good growth and the ewe doesn't have any horns ( hornless). Is it possible to have predicted Ivo's poor horn growth and is there an inheritable factor that can be used to predict any potential for future problems?
Yes, although there is plenty that isn't explained or fully understood, but we can at least make some beginings to prevent a horn growth problem within the flock.
Firstly you can't tell just by looking at either the sire or the dam if they are carriers of a potential problem but it is likely in this case that it is the ewe that is responsible for the horn problem in Ivo and not the sire.

Horn growth in ouessants is sex linked, that is even if ewes have the genetics for horns they don't have any, they are said to be hornless. Occasionally you get a ouessant ram born that doesn't develop horns, he is said to be polled ( not hornless) this is because he lacks the genetics for horns. It is an important difference. If you think of ewes as not producing horns but having the genetics for horns then you can start to understand how it is possible for a ewe to carry polled genetics, the result in the ewe is the same, she will not have any horns but she can pass the genetics to a ram lamb and it is only when the rams horns start to grow or don't, that you will see the effect of the polled gene the dam has passed on.

I have referenced a few sites to get to grips with understanding the basics of horn genetics. This site gives the best breakdown of the genetics and nomenclature but in terms of relating it to Ouessants I found it somewhat difficult to interpret. I have found this site to be extremely helpful in explaining the basics although some may say it limits a full interpretation.

The polled gene P is incompletely dominant. That is to say in a ram where he has two genes one for horns and one for polled genetics you may still see a horn ( as with Ivo) or a scur but it is unlikely to be as full a horn growth as most. In some cases it may actually be hard to tell that there is a polled gene there and in others it may be considerably more obvious.
A fully horned ram will be pp and a hornless ewe with the genetics for horns will be pp

However if the ewe was Pp or even PP she has the potential to pass polled genetics to any lamb but it won't be obvious until you get to a ram lamb.

I have not included any genetics for horned ewes whilst small scurs are allowed in ewes this is not considered true horns and would still be p, if you have a ewe with full horns it would be considered outside the breed standard and should not be bred from.

For Ivo I have kept two ewe lambs from his first breeding. As his genotype is probably Pp he has the potential to pass on the P or incompletely dominant polled gene that he inherited from his dam. Both ewes are from ewe lines where I am already fairly certain of the horn genetics both dams having previously produced good horns in their ram lambs I will be watching the offspring and in addition to following the colour genetics keeping an eye on them to ensure that any potential for passing on polled genetics isn't going to cause a problem within the flock. If you are having a problem within your flock with a number of scurred or polled lambs then it is not the ram that is likely to be the full problem as his genetics are usually more apparent but the problem may well lie with the ewes. If I am careful only to keep ram lambs from Ivo's ewe lambs then I can have a visible marker for where his horn genetics may have gone, if I was to keep ewe lambs this may go on to increase the polled genetics within the flock without me realising it, until the number of polled or scurred lambs became more of a problem. The more obvious choice may have been not to have bred from Ivo however there were a few other reasons why in this case I did, time will tell if it was a wise decision.

Loïc Growing Up

Just a day or so under two weeks old.

Moles and Pasture Preperation

Some people have a problem with moles....... I don't:-). No really, they don't bother me one bit, endless traps, devices, time and money are spent on keeping those moles at bay, why???? They make mole hills, it is great for helping with drainage. So it takes a bit of time and effort to level them out probably about as much as shopping for and installing those anti mole devices , relaaax live and let live.
Here's my solution

This paddock was levelled about ten days ago. I have taken the time to clear anything out of the area that has been causing me a problem, check and tidy up the fencing, apply a selective weed killer in those areas that have given me problems ( more on that later) and in a couple of weeks I'll seed and leave to germinate. If a couple more hills pop up I'll just level them off. I have watched grown men be reduced almost to tears at the sight of a mole hill in their pristine lawn ( believe me my grandfather used to make us kids take off our shoes to walk ( not run) on his lawn. Life is too short to get that short tempered over a fascinating little creature.

Here's one I did a couple of days ago. The grass is growing it won't be long before they will be a dim and distant memory.

There now, doesn't that feel better;-)


Second stage, bring in the tough guy. I have tried, really I have, to be as eco-friendly with my thistle problem but I have to admit it has defeated me. The sight of waving stands of lovely thistles is enough to make a grown woman despair! Those little spikey leaved things that get in the sheeps fleece and also give them thistle prick, really are tough to get rid of. I admit I baulked at the idea of digging nearly a hectare out by hand and opted for the SELECTIVE WEEDKILLER. I am truly very sorry, it is simple quick and effective and at 40 euros for a bottle whilst not cheap it was a price worth paying to have no more thistles! Last year I got on top of the problem late, by the time I conceded defeat, they had already risen to great heights above my head, in some cases. I am hoping that this year a short spot treatment of any that are foolsih enough to rear their heads will be enough. However with a two week withdrawal on putting the sheep on, it will be a constant battle to keep the sheep moving around to fresh grass and be able to treat but I am determined to get on top of it. So having levelled the mole hills, I am treating with Garlon Pro but only in the areas where there is a problem and not blanket spraying. Following on with reseeding some areas that need improving. The selective weedkiller shouldn't affect the grass growth so its not due to applying weedkiller but more about improving a pasture that has had very little done to it for a long time. I used the same mix on a very small scale with great results last year so this year have enough to hopefully make a difference for the comming years

I also confess I bought it in the UK. My hunt through local agri merchants and garden centres here, didn't throw up anything so customer friendly, I am easily overwhelmed by the vast choice of various rye grasses etc and just needed something which said what it did on the label.
I'll see what this years work brings to the paddocks before I decide if any more work needs to be done.

Chez Loïc

Out and about in the big wide world they are both doing well:-)

Fleece Histograms and Testing

Click on the images to enlarge
Following on from my previous post on fleece and to get some empirical evaluation to be able to reach some conclusions on ouessant fleece, I decided to get my sheep tested! Heres one of the results. What it tells me I'm not sure.................it needs some more working on.
In all I got five sheep tested and am putting together the results and also where possible other breed histograms to make some sort of comparison . At least things will be straighter in my own mind.


I have been able to find a histogram of a modern shetland that pretty much comes into the considered ideal for a shetland and whilst the two look on the face of it roughly similar in degree of bell curve when you start to evaluate the figures you realise there is quite a difference. I hope to be able to put up another couple of breeds histograms to compare them with.

I will also post on the diferences that come up within the flock and particularly if its possible to look at the fleeces of those ouessants considered to be as far as possible from original bloodlines and those with a much more recent input. I will also try to take a look at the differences between a rams fleece and a ewes fleece I got some interesting info on this from a shetland breeder.

I have to say a huge thank you to Garrett ( Ramsay Farms) who has patiently answered my questions ( there may be a few more on the way;-) and helped me through interpreting the histogram.

Other related posts

Fleece and Breed Origins

Spered Breizh Loïc

Well the really good news is that Both Lilli and Loïc are doing better than expected. Here they are photo taken this afternoon, Loïc took two days to work out how to suckle from Lilli on his own so in the meantime I kept him going by helping him suckle from mum and supplementing him with a bottle. As a result although he is bonded to Lilli ( and she to him) everytime he sees me he comes running!! Getting a photo of him other than at my feet has proven quite difficult.
It will probably be the weekend before I put them out the weather forecast for the next couple of days isn't good but after that he will be out in the field like all good lambs with his mum I am so pleased he won't be a bottle baby. Oh I do love a happy ending:-))

Pregnant Pause

Ciska in lamb to Koudou....................she says its all fleece;-)


Gwenn and Twiglet in lamb to César I imagine the girls are discussing the baby shower.

And the first lamb of the season to be born here. He looks like hes done several rounds with Mike Tyson............. well nearly, he had a very traumatic birth mainly due to his head being twice as large as Lilli was able to pass and having tried and realised very quickly I wasn't going to lamb him, I took Lilli to the vets he tried including forceps:-(( and still couldn't manage it. We did a caesarian for Lilli's sake, everyone being convinced by this time that any lamb had zero chance of survival but he is as tough as old boots and came out screaming. Lilli has suffered equally and is still not out of the woods I have my fingers crossed, infection, exhaustion and trauma won't overcome her.

Err not a pregnant ewe but the adorable Izard who just wanted his photo taken :-)

Solaia ( Billes) at Spered Breizh

Finally managed to get a half decent picture of this little lady, shes now almost a year old! Shame about the background but she's at last looking at the camera! What you can't tell from a photo is her character. Despite her petiteness she has always been very robust and just skips along, you can almost hear her humming to herself. I suspect she may also be pregnant. I would be quite happy to wait another year for a match with her and César but if its this year I will keep my fingers crossed everything goes according to plan.
Waiting for the first lamb seems to be interminable. I know it is likely to be at least a month unless Lilli decides to produce between now and April but the days are getting longer, the girls are spending more time just relaxing in the warm air and the birdsong is deafening ....................at last spring is in the air and everyone knows it.

Early Bird Award!

Congratulations to Out in the Country Flock of Ouessants based in North Devon UK, with the first Ouessant birth announcement on the forum. Heres the little girl herself.

Shes adorable, daughter to Mimi as yet unnamed. I am sure the first of many the good weather seems to have sparked off quite a number of newborn lambs at the moment.

Fleeces and Breed Origins

Extract from the breed standard from Gilles Delorme site.

"Etendue :
Toison garnissant le front, une partie des joues, revêtant tout le corps et descendant au moins jusqu’aux genoux et jusqu’aux jarrets.

Couleur :
Noire, brune, marron, blanche.
La pigmentation doit être homogène dans toute la toison.

Texture :
Toison semi-fermée de bon tassé, mèches de 8 à 10 cm pour une pousse de 12 mois.
Présence de poils et hétérotypes, fibres possédant un canal médullaire. Localisation : gorge (cravate), surtout accentuée chez le bélier, nuque, bas de cuisse. De même nuance que l’ensemble de la toison, ces poils peuvent être plus foncés."

Finesse moyenne : 27 à 28 microns.


I have been thinking about posting an article on the subject of fleece and the various types for some time mainly inspired by the fleece above but also by the apparent variation in fleece types.
The fleece above is from Ivo my black ouessant ram. It is noticeably different to most of my other sheep although other variations in fleece types do exist between many of them, so which one is the "correct" fleece and how does the breed standard help us interpret the correct fleece type?
To be honest I was just going to do an article outlining the different types I had and leave it at that but then I came across this link primitive european sheep today. It makes so much of what the standard alludes to and also other statements by Gilles Delorme, make sense, that I can only think that it has been seen and read before but sadly then reburied. It is a mind blowing text because it seeks to determine the origins of the various breeds of north european short tailed sheep through examining and comparing their fleeces! Far more than just determining the fleece type for one breed. It seeks to provide a route map of sorts as to how the various types developed and how this can be used to determine their various lineages.

Someone pick me up off the floor!

It needs a lot more reading and research before I think I could reach any conclusions of my own as to which way I want to go but there are several points that need to be pulled from it.

From the paper published in 1981 by Ryder. The origins of the group of north european short tailed sheep lie in as far back as the iron age, with a multi coloured ( vari-coloured ) sheep with a mixed or primitive fleece. Each breed subsequently has gone on through selection to develop their own often individual and identifying characteristics. Fleece type and make up can then be used as an indicator as with other measureable factors such as colour genetics in determining origins.

I need to understand better the different fleece types, hair, heterotype fibres and kemp with a medullary cavity are not readily interpreted by your average ouessant sheep breeder and those who wrote the standard may have understood what they meant, I am still scratching my head a little to pick out the various types and subtle differences ( skew?) from my current flock of sheep.

Now back to Ivos fleece. it is clearly long with locks in loose soft waves or curls. To touch, it is for the most part ( hes now reaching his second growth of fleece) hair, this is borne out by the fact that it is also relatively black.
Most woollier fleeces ( I will need to check if i'm talking about fine hair or heterotype fibres) tend to sun bleach or fade readily at the tips.

To follow some of the differing fleeces from within my flock I have used only black fleeces although as you will see Ryders confusion over black or brown ouessants is easily made, on a cursory glance the fading blacks really do look brown if you just look at the fleece.

This is a first fleece so in truth it should be the softest and finest but this one has felted easily and faded extensively


A black ouessant ewe she's three years old so has a mature fleece. You can clearly see the areas of woolier fleece and those hairs or kemp at the nape of the neck along the spine and also over the shoulders and flank. I would regard this as more typical of many ouessants although even within this type of fleece there is great variation in the average micron count.

This is a first fleece from a ewe lamb her sire is Ivo and her dam is one of my favourite ewes who always produces a great soft loose wool fleece. You can see the locks are quite open and the colour hasn't faded as much as some suggesting it has a significant hair content. I will be watching this one closely as she has a fleece which is lovely and soft to the touch and it will be interesting to see how it grows in in its second year.

Césars fleece, quite dark although some age greying now. Its quite a hairy fleece but is nicely open and not too prone to felting. It will be interesting to see how it gets passed on to his offspring.

Interesting points to pull out of Ryders paper and perhaps significant discussion points for the future.
Each breed carries by its fleece type and colour quite characteristic traits. It is notable for example that the two breeds thought to be involved in the current move to Agouti grey ouessant sheep the Romanov and the Heideschnucke see tables 5 and 7 and fig 4 have significantly coarser/ different fleeces.

Plenty to get to grips with I think, I may need to do some micron counts to see where I'm at and get a more imperical idea of the fleeces before I make any more decisions but one thing is certain there will be more to come on this topic.

Other related articles
1976 paper alluded to in Ryders work by JJ Lauvergne.

Origins of the Ouessant Sheep click on le mouton breton

New Members - Welcome to the Fold

Ok no lambs due yet, this is from a couple of years ago twins Bella and Beau but I did want to post on the milestone reached by forum members, we are up to over a hundred members now. There are currently requests on the board for people looking for ouessants in France, Ireland, Belgium and the UK and the breeders directory is growing but if you haven 't posted your details yet then please feel free to do so.

We are all keen to hear more news on the arrival of the first ouessant crosses to be born in the US ( from AI with imported semen). There are a number of forum members from the USA, so if you thought it wasn't possible to get ouessant sheep in the United States, then watch this space. The aim is to breed up the ouessant sheep to pure bred over successive generations.

Current hot topics of discussion include size and genetics. Should you breed from your ouessants if they are oversized, they still may have the potential to produce smaller offspring................? If you have a view or point to make then please add your thoughts .

Everyone is watching their ewes expectantly!! It won't be long before there is a flurry of birth announcements, look out for photos and more.

Fibrecraft, more news is hoped for on the coated ouessants experiment and one member has posted another beautiful hand spun hand knitted shawl in ouessant yarn. So much for their wool not being of any use!

Thanks to everyone who has participated and I hope to see the forum continue to grow and provide a useful meeting place form breeders and owners of these little sheep from all over.

Look forward to seeing more of you in 2009

Growing Horns

I have very deliberately never discussed the topic of " the correct " ouessant sheep on this blog, except to quote or translate the breed standard, mainly because I think it serves very little purpose each opinion is subjective and rarely if ever objective. That said I will be addressing the topic of horns but not in terms of good or bad but in terms of what you can expect to happen to those funny little knobbly bits of the top of your lovely new rams head!

It won't be long now before the newborn lambs start coming into this world often you can tell from a distance if you have a ram lamb, two little or sometimes not so little whorls of hair on the top of the head are a good sign, get closer to have a feel and there is a distinct little horn bud just waiting to burst through.

So here in pictorial form is the life of one set of horns from little spikey ones through to a years full growth. I may well add to this next year with the same set of horns through to maturity. I have picked Josse why? Because he was born here it makes the photos in the begining easier. I don't have a definative picture at all of the perfect set of horns far from it I do believe that the overall prescence of a ram and final picture is in that certain "je ne sais quoi" that is so rare and virtually impossible to capture yet once seen instantly recognisable.
Josse Day One

Little buds just begining to show through

The very horn tips at this stage are quite fragile and can easily get knocked off, it does alter the end appearance of the horn and I try to treat the rams horns as delicate. I avoid wherever possible handling a ram by its horns although sometimes it is the easiest handle to grab hold of.

In this series of pictures you can also clearly see the develoment of colour. Josse's sire is in shetland terms a red moorit that is a noisette with a high red factor. From a deep brown birth coat he is going through the breakdown of the red factor on the tips of his fleece leaving first a yellow and then a paler colour as he matures; His colour is heightened by the fact that he is also a carrier for colour modified genetics.

Oh dear hes going through that gawky adolescent stage!!

By now there is about six months growth and its possible to get a far better idea of the direction things are going in although by no means certain horns have a mind of their own at times and nothing is ever guaranteed even if they look promising.

At this stage if your ram is compliant its good to get both a full on head shot and a profile. With the full on head shot a lot can be missed if its taken to one side or the other and full direct face will give you a much clearer picture. From these pictures you can start to see the circumference of the profile too narrow, insufficiently angled etc one thing that will affect the final outcome is the rate of growth and that is hard to predict and hard to envisage as it will continue to develop even at this stage.
Full face you are looking for absolute symmetry as well as the spread and height of the horns even so there is still more development to come. what you will begin to see in the comming photos is that the first years horn growth is different to the second and subsequent years;
Final photo before winter sets in at this stage his horn growth has all but stopped. You will notice that the first year of growth the horn tip is generally smoother has less ridges and is sometimes narrower in general width that the second years growth.

Winter has come the breeding season is over and there is a distinct ripple in his horns, the first year of growth leaves an indent subsequent years leave a similar indent as the horn growth stops during the breeding season. You will be starting to see the final impression of the horns still not yet complete but on their way.

The triangular section to the horn becomes more clearly defined, at this stage whilst the horns are in a flush of growth you may find as the rams either butt each other or bash them against fences or trees that they can bleed. It has been known for rams to lose a promising set of horns due to injury there is little that can be done if that happens.

Getting full face and a profile shot is never easier but it is the best way to appreciate the finer points of the horns often they are moving too fast to really give you time to study them.

I will post an article on photographer cheats or ways to give a different impression of your rams horns. It is amazing how much the angle of the picture can change the dimensions of the horns.

Planning 4 Lambing

Just some of the kit I may be using between now and the first few days following lambing assuming all goes well of course. Daunting if you're not used to it all but most is fairly self explanatory however a little forethought now will save you problems in the long run.
Not the best photo I'll see if I can get a better one. Vaccines and vaccinating. I prefer to vaccinate my ewes for chlostridial diseases. this includes tetanus and a whole host of nasty bugs that can lead to new or young lambs have debilitating and life threatening bouts of gastro-enteritis. If you have a small number of sheep you may feel its not necessary. The vaccine is available in a bottle of 25 doses so you can see a small number of sheep means a lot of wastage but it can also be supplied in vials of two doses although costwise a bottle is more effective, maybe now is the time to ask your neighbour if they would like to share a bottle.

So when is the ideal time to vaccinate? Ideally for the ewes about a month before they are due to lamb. However this year there is an added complication in that Blue tongue virus vaccine is also needed to be given, the reccommendation is that they shouldn't be given at the same time and ideally a month between vaccines this will mean that planning to get it all fitted in and not over handle or stress the sheep and keep everyone happy is going to be a bit problematical . I am still trying to get a date for vaccinating my sheep from the vet for Blue tongue. I can at least plan the miloxan vaccine as I know when my ewes are roughly due to lamb.

When they do get vaccinated I will take the time to give them a good look over check their weight, feet and trim if necessary; remove dirty and soiled fleece particularly around the vulva that may cause a problem during lambing. Check the udder and nipples for signs of any problems with inflammation or infection I would expect if I was doing this about a month before they are due to lamb to see some signs of mammary development but they should not feel hard lumpy or painful to the touch.
By this time the weather may be warming up and if not fully covered for blue tongue by the vaccine they I may also need to use a pour on fly preventative such as Butox or Versatrine.

Having checked everyone over carefully and ensured the ewes are in good condition and hopefully spotted any potential problems before they have really taken hold I can be fairly confident that the run up to lambing should be fairly free of any problems. It is unusual for ouessants to have many of the problems associated with commercial breeds they are designed to be fairly self sufficient, twin lamb disease, uterine prolapse and some of the problems that seem to dog breeds producing multiple lambs are far less likely to happen.

The next stage is the few days priro to lambing and the happy event itself I'll post more details on what to watch for and how to prevent problems before they happen in another post.

Blooming Lovely

From now on I am in seventh heaven. Watching the ewes bloom during their pregnancy is delightful. There is something so captivating in watching motherhood and nature at work. I expect Lilli to be one of the first to give birth possibly as early as March.

Lilli who was put with Ronan I am expecting a white lamb ( slight possibility of a black but unlikely) and its possible the lamb will be born showing heavy phaeomelanin.

Twiglet my first lamb to be born here, no longer a lamb and heavy with the next generation. She is in lamb to César. She also appears to be quite far on, she has carried twins once before I don't think shes carrying twins this time but we'll see. I expect the lamb to be black.

Centuries Apart

With huge thanks to John Ushant a photo from his private family collection of his great grand mother. This photo was thought to be taken circa 1900 on the island of Ouessant. A tantalising glimpse into the history of the island. As was the tradition the sheep would be moved onto fresh grazing tied in pairs.

Over a hundred years later and photos taken by the lady in the photos' great grandson on the island where he lives still today.

The size type and colour are interesting, still some black is present even after all this time. Is the black of ouessant sheep truly recessive or is there some dominant black in the population?

Gone is any resemblance to the primitive north european short tailed breeds replaced by a commercial faster maturing heavier sheep more appealing to todays meat market.

Annual General Meeting GEMO 2009

Ronan at Spered Breizh

The date for the next Annual General Meeting of GEMO (the French Ouessant Breed Society) will be Saturday the 18th of April.

There will as usual be a number of issues on the agenda but I think for me the highlight has to be a presentation by Prof JJ Lauvergne on the subject of the genetics of colour in wool. Later followed by a further discussion during a visit to Paul Leducs flock of prize winning ouessants. I can't wait and I look forward to meeting some new faces at the meeting and after. Should you wish to attend the meeting all members of GEMO will be notified by mail of the details and how to register their wish to attend in a letter to be sent out shortly If you are not already a member of GEMO it may be a good idea to subscribe.

How to Join GEMO

OPEN DAY SUNDAY 31ST OF MAY

I am always happy to meet and talk to people about this little breed of sheep. This year I have decided to offer an invitation to those who would like to come and talk ouessants, there will be an open door and warm welcome for you on Sunday the 31st of May. Doors will be open from 10.30 am and remain so until around 16.30 pm.

I will be shearing one of my sheep in the morning and again one in the afternoon so that people can get a chance to see how I do it, which may not be by the book but it works for me:-). Other basic health care such as how to age a sheep, feet trimming etc. Of course you are welcome to take a look at the sheep, there should be a reasonable number of lambs and if I am lucky a good variety of colours.

I would hope that early afternoon from about 14.00 there will be a good group of people and it would be great to be able to open a discussion for those who have questions. You are welcome to bring some lunch to picnic, if you would like to stay from the morning and tea and coffee will be available in the afternoon.

There are undercover facilities if the weather is bad.

If you would like to visit then please contact me for futher details, directions etc.

Feast or Famine?

Feeding sheep at this time of year can be a bit of a problem. Ideally we would all have sufficient pasture to be able to keep them on grass alone but even then with sub zero temperatures and the ground frozen solid it isn't so easy to ensure sheep aren't going hungry or indeed being overfed on concentrates.

I would love to be able to feed my little lot on soley ad lib hay but getting hold of consistantly good quality suitable hay has proven to be a bit of a problem, with a couple of dodgy summers to boot I have finally found a solution that works for me albeit that it may cost more but in this inclement weather I can't afford to let the sheep take their chances on getting enough from the pasture or hay.

There are several reasons why the traditional ( round here) avenues of either aliment pour brebis ( ewe nuts) or rolled barley are not my first choice. I keep a number of wethers and concentrate can pose them a similar problem to that of male neutered cats the mineral content can be quite high and alter the pH of the urine causing small crystals to form in the urine and may cause kidney stones, ask any bloke whose had to pass one of these what the pain of passing a kidney stone is like! Not pleasant. Equally for any sheep over feeding can cause a digestive upset there is little fibre content and the digestive process is pretty rapid leading to loose stools, not to mention the sheep need to drink significant amounts of water. Any grain brings with it the risk of over feeding and acidosis a potentially fatal complication in sheep. For this reason I try not to feed any grain and add ewe nuts only during the late stages of pregnancy and as a supplement to ewes that are nursing and who don't have access to good pasture.

I have found through trial and error that one feed works extremely well and at this time of year with non- existant grass and my meagre hay supply not really up to the job it is essential to keep the sheep fed.


Alpha - A is sold as a horse feed a quick check of the ingredients and you will see its constituents are Alfalfa chopped quite short with beet and mollasses. A far higher percentage of fibre and roughage, for a more normal diet. The additional of beet and molasses do mean that you have to be careful not to over feed but as a good boost during this inclement weather or if your pasture is not up to the job this is a far better alternative to upping the quantitiy of ewe nuts.
If you do decide to feed this type of supplement make sure its still in date and relatively fresh from the factory it should be green not yellow and ideally soft, slightly sticky to the touch. Once its been sealed in the pack if its left too long on the shelf it has a tendancy to dry out and become very dry even longer and it loses its colour and is no where near as good as a supplement. When ever you introduce a new feed take care to do it slowly over a few days as any change to the feed will upset the delicate balance of a sheeps rumen.

So how can you tell if your sheep are well fed, over fed or simply too thin? You should be feeling your sheep on a regular basis to see what body condition they have. The correct term is condition scoring and I admit I took quite a while to get to grips with this being more used to checking out dogs no fleece to contend with and I find I actually use a different place and method with the sheep altogether than the dog.

I have found this site gives an excellent description and easy to follow method for findng the right place and judging the condition score of sheep.

Condition scoring in sheep

It can take a while to get the feel of things but don't stop trying. Just a quick check of your sheep as they are feeding or whilst they are penned for other things, as under a full fleece you will not be able to judge accurately how well they are doing.

Getting it right in the long term will save you over feeding and therefore feed costs, fat ewes and overly large lambs can lead to problems with lambing and conversely thin ewes and loss of condition can lead to health problems or poor and weak lambs.

Don't forget when feeding any supplement sheep will probably drink more than expected and so aways make sure there is plenty of fresh water available and in this very cold weather one tip I have yet to try, to stop the drinking water feezing is to mix in a small amount of sugar it helps to reduce the freezing point of the water and so prevent it freezing, it might work who knows.......

Ouessant Sheep For Sale

Spered Breizh Josse

Currently being advertised on the forum Ouessant Sheep there are Ouessants available for immediate sale in the UK and also Northern France. In-lamb ewes, a nice young ram and seperately a breeding trio looking for pastures new. You'll need to log in to get all the details but If you are looking for ouessants they may well suit your purpose.

Ouessant Sheepskin

Well here it is back from the tannery. For a first effort I'm quite pleased with the result although definately room for improvement. Size wise I guess it would be equivalent to a traditional lambskin so ouessants certainly aren't going to make huge floor rugs I have a nice little spot on a chair back for this one. I had hoped that I had left the fleece long enough after shearing to give a good length to the fleece but in fact you can still faintly see where it was shorn several months previously. I will have to experiment with timming to get maximum meat and also to get a good length of fleece and not run into the problem of woolbreak, it definately needs a bit of thinknig about.

This is the underside, not the softest of leather but still a nice backing. For the next one I may try doing the tanning myself I'll post whatever I decide to do.

previous posts on this subject

Rearing a Ouessant Sheep for slaughter

Ouessant Sheep not just a lawnmower

BONNE ANNEE!

2009 wow time really flies! Have a great New Years celebration and I hope that inspite of all the doom and gloom, everyone has something to look forward to in the coming year.

Conceptions and Misconceptions

There is such a lot to say on this subject I don't really know the best place to start. When I first got some sheep I started with one ram. It was simple he ran with the flock the whole year round. Despite warnings he might not be able to stay with the ewes it all went well even in late pregnancy and during lambing. Paternity was never an issue of course the one ram had sired all the lambs.

Since then my interest has grown. I have acquired a couple ( or so) more rams and I no longer leave the ram running with the ewes year round. When looking at others who keep sheep to see what their arrangements with rams etc were, it became clear there was a great deal of variation and differing reasons for why one system was used over another.

There is a lot of information on the net as to when is a good time to breed or for the ewes to conceive, alot of it conflicting or possibly not relevant as it addresses issues in commercial flocks. So my first experience with the first ram dispelled one myth. He didn't arrive with the flock until the 7th of Jan until then I had had only ewes. I understood it was likely they wouldn't get pregnant or not all of them as it was leaving things a little late. I need not have worried every ewe fell pregnant within three weeks of him arriving and five months later the lambs started arriving.

The following year I had chosen a young ram lamb to serve the ladies. He ran with the flock all summer and at the end of August I removed the other ram lambs and any castrates to give him as much oppertunity with the girls. I expected a protracted lambing the following year, with births at various intervals but infact all the ewes were pregnant and lambed within a two week period of each other. The first two weeks of December was a busy time! This may have been in part due to the ram lamb being quite young and not very forward but nonetheless the ewes were clearly all cycling at a similar time.

I decided to keep several small breeding groups this year. Mainy because I am interested in colours but also because one ram doesn't necessarily suit all the flock or all the ewes various traits ( horns fleece conformation etc) all need to be taken into consideration. Having made the decison to work this way timming and lambing dates etc also needed to be thought about.

I prefer to lamb outdoors I believe its the most natural and least stressful for ewes and lambs. It can be a little more stressful for me, the scenario of a ewe with a lamb stuck and not being able to catch her does come to mind........... I hope I have taken steps to reduce this as a problem as far as possible.

So datewise for preference no earlier than the begining of April and ideally a little later. Breeding groups were put together on the whole on the 1st of November with the earliest lambs expected at the begining of April. The groups were broken up mid December with the ewes going back to joining the flock a week or so later when the main ram is still running with them he will act as the clean up ram incase they weren't caught during their time in the breeding group.

There are as many different variations on how to ensure a good rate of pregnancy in ewes, some will put in several rams particularly when you are running large flocks as there are only so many ladies a ram can cover efficiently. The difficulty with this is establishing paternity.This may of course not be an issue except when breeding for conformation, fleece and / or colour this can make any conclusions or future planning a little difficult.

It is actually possible to DNA test sheep to establish with a good degree of certainty paternity, in practice this is rarely going to be necessary. With sheep of the same breed the issue is going to be of colour or conformation. In conformation you are looking for two things the conformation of the sheep infront of you and the genetics behind that breeding. In colour if paternity is mis-assigned future colour matings could throw up some surprises.
The inability to establish for certainty paternity is one reason GEMO doesn't keep a flock book even though any ouessant that conforms to breed standard is eligble for competition.If it looks like a ouessant it is...............but it may not breed true of course keeping a record of previous matings and genealogy would give you a far better idea of if its likely to breed true to type...........................hmm some interesting thinking there!

The difficulty with operating small breeding groups can be the risk that the ewes aren't mated during the short time they are with the ram hence the use of a clean up ram; by meticulously watching your dates you should be able to sort paternity without any problems.
I chose to leave the rams in with the ewes for a six week period. This on average allows the ewes to cycle twice whilst with the ram its not a certainty but by leaving it until November ( I may even go for a little later next year) I can be reasonably sure the ewes are cycling and that the ram will hopefully catch the first if not the second cycle.

It will be very interesting to anaylse the results of the lambing dates re any recorded matings I have seen.

So far, frustratingly most ewes appeared completely oblivious to the ram and the ram likewise. Although César is very on the ball constantly checking his girls daily. I believe Chloe who was in with Josse missed her first mating and came on heat a second time.I also think that Melita who was seen being served by César also missed and recycled as she was seen being mounted for a second time about four weeks later.

I'll post the acutal lambing rates and dates of birth after the event and hopefully will be able to time the whole breeding cycle a lot better next year.

Having tried breeding groups this year the biggest draw backs were having the flock split up for six weeks. It was a pain as it meant lots of gates and much ferrying of feed hay water etc to make sure everyone was catered for. It also meant that rams who were particularly unhappy about other rams next door, spent some time charging fences. To an extent I had catered for this with double wiring all the fence posts, by putting a roll of fencing on both sides to give added support. Of course the one fence I didn't do this to took the most hammering and will need to be redone for next year however lesson learnt and it will be double fenced. Others I know use a roll of light sheeting to screen off the rams from each other. I don't think it will be necessary but we'll see.

Would I use this method again? Yes its the only way I can really play with colour and whilst having one single ram serve the whole flock does has some advantages. I am now hopeful the majority of my lambs will be born during a six week period and not strung out over a couple of months or more. I can time their births to ensure the grass is already growing and the weather unlikely to be too inclement and I can with a high degree of accuracy be sure who the sire of each lamb is and also use have the added advantage of effectively being able to plan colour matings to the nth degree. I can also test out a new ram on a small number of ewes to see what hes likely to throw before risking him on my entire flock.

Mérinos imported into the UK!!

Mérinos des Lutins du Montana
Yes! after quite some planning it has finally happened. Mérinos has left for a new life in England The first french champion ouessant ram in the UK. In the current climate of the blue tongue virus and new EU directives seemingly being issued every day I am very pleased to be able to say that he has health tested clear, including negative for the prescence of blue tongue viral serotypes one and eight. This was not a requirement of transport but a responsible precaution. The transport dossier which was several pages of attestations and test results I took as a personal challenge to ensure it was completed exactly to requirement. Fortunately my day job as a professional companion animal transporter means I do have the experience and the contacts to be able to get the right information and find the right people to talk to.
It was also important to keep costs and transport stress to a minimum, in this instance Val was able to use her own vehicule without any additional licencing meaning she could move him door to door with the minimum of stress and travel time.

I know Mérinos will be a valuable introduction into the UK ouessant population which has need of some new blood. If you check out his pedigree ( click on the link under his name) you will see he is a carrier for brown, as his dam was brown and also may carry the genetics for grey or colour modification. I wish Val and Mérinos all the very best for the future and look forward to hearing more of his exploits in the years to come. I would also like to thank Dominique his breeder for allowing me to acquire Mérinos on Vals behalf and for being so generous with his experience. I was chuffed to bits to have been able to take Mérinos to Champion at this years GEMO show and I know that is down to many years solid breeding behind this fella.

Nearly Christmas Already.....................!!!!!

There I was thinking I had plenty of time and as usual things have just passed me by!. Christmas is always a very busy time of year for me so apologies to those who have been hoping for some more sheep stuff I have been trying to keep on top of everything.......honest.

click on the image to enlarge
I really wanted to post this pic its a map of the ISP locations of all the visitors since March this year. WOW nice to see you all here!!! In total over 5000 unique visitors in that time. Thanks for dropping by I hope you found it interesting and heres wishing you all a great christmas ( substitute your own festivity) and a FANTASTIC new year. Did I mention I LOVE this time of year? Please feel free to add your festive message to the end of this post, it would be good to hear from you. I have plenty of sheepy news and some exciting stuff comming up in the next few days I will be sure to post about but for now the quick news update is that the breeding groups are all broken up I left the ewes in with the rams for six weeks and I'm fairly certain they have all taken but for good measure left them without a ram for at least a week and have then put them all in with César who now thinks hes some sort of superstud with all these girls to himself. He has been so very diligent in his duties I am sure if there is anyone not caught he will take care of them.

I am so looking forward to lambs, there may be one or two early ones some time in March but the bulk should be born starting sometime in April lets hope the weather is reasonable.
Wishing everyone the best for a successful and fruitful lambing. I should be able to catch up on some posts over the christmas period so I'll try to be a little bit more forthcomming with my posts.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EWE

Frosties

Every season has its beauty. This morning the sheep were serene, most had chosen to sleep out under the stars, as they rose with the warming rays of the sun you could see warm patches in the frost each one the outline of a little sheeps body. There is something about sheep which only those who keep them will appreciate. You can't help but feel their very calmness and on a still frosty morning it is a wonderful feeling.

Perfectly insulated, their body heat has no effect on the frosted fleece.



Nuff said.

Le Retour de Mérinos

A good few weeks ago now I was invited to visit Paul Leducs flock of ouessant sheep. Did you catch my dust?! We spent quite some time just leaning over the fence talking about his sheep and ouessants in general, his detailed knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious.
Pic of some of his winning plaques from the last few years. His success year on year is an enviable record.

Some of this years waiting to go up.

It was an absolute delight to spend time with him and his flock His set up is ideal and his care and attention is clearly reflected in his sheep.

Since arriving at the GEMO show Paul had shown a keen interest in Mérinos, he had much admired his dad Ouranos too. So it was decided that it might be mutually beneficial for Merinos to spend some time with some of Pauls ewes.

I am thrilled to say that Merinos's little sojourn is over and he has returned to the fold. Un Grand Merci à Paul et sa mere for their attentive care, Mérinos looks fantastic and I hope his duty has been served. We are all looking forward to the patter of tiny hooves in the spring.

This fella is pretty special too, more of him another day.

2008 GEMO 20th National Show Results

Paul Leduc with his prize winning Yearling Black Ram. Paul pretty much swept the board winning or being placed in virtually every category. Well done to him and all the other participants!


CATEGORY - WHITE OUESSANT SHEEP

Béliers Adultes et Antenais / Yearling and Adult Rams

Prix d’Honneur R HEMMING Height 45 cm
1er Prix PARC d’ARMORIQUE Height 47,5cm
2ème Prix H VAILLANT Height 44 cm

Brebis Adultes / Adult Ewes

Prix d’Honneur P LEDUC Height 43 cm
1er Prix P CARRÉ Height 41 cm
2ème Prix P ROYER Height 43 cm

Jeunes Brebis (Antenaises) / Young Ewes (yearlings)

Prix d’Honneur P LEDUC Height 42 cm
1er Prix H VAILLANT Height 41 cm
2ème Prix PARC d’ARMORIQUE Height 43 cm


CATEGORY - BLACK OUESSANT SHEEP

Béliers Adultes / Adult Rams

Prix d’Honneur P ROYER Height 45 cm
1er Prix P LEDUC Height 45 cm
2ème Prix R HEMMING Height 46 cm

Jeunes Béliers (Antenais) / Young Rams (Yearlings)

Prix d’Honneur P LEDUC Height 45 cm
1er Prix P CARRÉ Height 44 cm
2ème Prix ÉCOMUSÉE de RENNES Height 45 cm

Brebis Adultes / Adult Ewes

Prix d’Honneur P ROYER Height 41 cm
1er Prix ÉCOMUSÉE de RENNES Height 42 cm
2ème Prix P LEDUC Height 42 cm

Jeunes Brebis (Antenaises) Young Ewes (yearlings)

Prix d’Honneur P LEDUC Height 40 cm
1er Prix P ROYER Height 41 cm
2ème Prix C BILLES Height 42 cm

CATEGORY - OUESSANT SHEEP OTHER COLOURS Grey/ Noisette

Béliers / Rams

1er Prix C BILLES Height 42 cm

Brebis / Ewes

Prix d’Honneur P ROYER Height 43 cm

CATEGORY - OUESSANT SHEEP CHAMPION ALL COLOURS

Brebis / Ewe

Grand Prix d’Honneur H VAILLANT Height 41 cm

CATEGORY - OUESSANT SHEEP BEST GROUP

Prix d’Honneur P LEDUC
1er Prix P ROYER
2ème Prix H VAILLANT

CATEGORY - SPECIAL MENTION

Qualité de l’organisation B CHASTELLIER
Diversité des types H VAILLANT
Qualité de la présentation R HEMMING

How to Join GEMO

Working Ouessants

Alliance Bergère is an association for the promotion and training of working shepherd dogs ( all breeds) .


The dog pictured here is a pyrenean shepherd dog ( Berger des Pyrénées) sometimes referrred to as a Labrit in order to prevent any confusion with a pyrenean mountain dog. A very different type of dog altogether.

This association founded by its President Jean Jacques often uses ouessant sheep when running training days or demonstrations and mostly rams, they make a spectacular sight.
I guess Talia is never going to make a sheep dog! It also puts paid to any concerns about not being able to herd Ouessants.

For more info on training days and where you can see more demonstrations visit the site

click on the photo for a link through

Merci à Catherine for details and information

Do Sheep Bark?

No really, my dog is convinced they bark! I was reading this article the other day. All about the instinct a dog has or rather doesn't have to protect sheep. It mentioned that most dogs ignore or have little interest in a flock of sheep a rather odd statement I thought, as if anything I thought dogs would be likely to chase sheep. I have never allowed my dogs to mix with the sheep mainly because I wasn't really sure of eithers reactions, the dogs would be far too likely to chase them with ewes taking flight and the rams .........well would they try to charge the dogs?

Since moving a couple of rams right next to the house the dogs and sheep have had the chance to interact through the fence but never in together. The rams have become very used to the dogs and will graze right alongside them without a care in the world, even when a guest dog tries to charge at them through the fence. I wondered what would happen if they met, so today I tried it. I let Talia my rescue dobermann ( link dobermann en detresse) in with the two boys. Dobes have a high chase drive although Talia is not the most courageous of dobermanns I was more worried the rams would probably charge her.

Heres what actually happened.

Talia is now convinced sheep bark. We won't tell her it was one of the kennel dogs! Too funny, she spent the rest of the time actively avoiding the sheep and I wasn't even able to get a photo of the sheep and the dog in the same frame. So I guess the article was right!

Breeding groups - having fun with colours.

I thought it might be fun to illustrate my predicted or hoped for colour breedings for this year.

So here goes

César ( black ram) will be mated to

Rosie ( Black ewe)

Twiglet (Black ewe)

Brianna (Black ewe)

Laora (Black ewe)

Solaia (Black ewe)

Melita (Brown ewe)

From all these matings I can expect only black lambs It is possible César carries the grey colour modifier but none of the above ewes do, so any modifier inherited will be carried and not shown. This should give me 6 black lambs one carrying brown.
The other two ewes he is running with are

Gwen (White ewe) depending on her genotype I have a 50:50 chance of a white or black lamb or no chance of a black and only a white lamb.
Easy so far isn't it.

Then it gets more interesting

Tiramisu (kind of patchy coloured) eventually I hope to be able to continue the pattern progression that has already started with Tiramisu to a full blown agouti grey such as this.

but first I have to get a good established breeding group showing the same pattern characteristics as Tiramisu or even further towards a full agouti grey. So the aim in putting her to César is to produce a lamb that has the same degree of colouration as Tiramisu if it goes wrong ( ie not what I am hoping for then I will get a solid black lamb) or I could get something which resembles more a white sheep with a few darker patches.

lets hope I get another Tiramisu.

Josse's Group
Josse is a brown ram who also carries one copy of the colour modifying gene so instead of being like this



his colouring is actually more


Subtle diference isn't it. In this breeding group it won't make any difference. I have put him with

Mevanwi (Black ewe)

Chloe (Black ewe)

They should both have black lambs carrying brown, as its recessive it isn't seen and neither of them carries the colour modfier so they can only have inherited one copy from him possibly.

Koudou's group is potentially the most interesting.

Koudou is a white ram He carries the potential for many colour variations but until hes been bred I won't know exactly what he carries.

I have put him with

Ciska (Brown ewe) carrying colour modified

Olivia ( Brown ewe) carrying colour modified

Oanez (Black ewe)

So firstly he has a known fifty percent chance of producing a white lamb with each of the three ewes. If I get lucky I will have solid coloured lambs. With Oanez it would be black. With Ciska and Olivia it could be any one of
Black

Black ( one copy colour modifying gene so no visible difference)
Grey (Either black carrying brown or two copies of black but also two copies of the colour modifying gene)

Brown( no colour modified)

Brown (one copy colour modified)

Brown (Fawn two copies of colour modifying genes)
Dark brown this is definately the most interesting and possibly the least likely. Dark brown is a black sheep carrying brown and one copy of the colour modifying gene but for some reason it's influence brings out the brown and you get a very dark brown in a black headed sheep!

Amazing to think a white ram could produce such a potential variety of colour.However it is all a game of chances and its how the dice falls as to which colour eventually comes out.I have increased my chances by putting him to two ewes who compliment his potential colour genetics well but I could still end up with a lot of white lambs!

Solaia (Billes) at Spered Breizh

She's the little one ! I still can't get a decent shot of her face.
Shes been in the breeding group with César. It was not an easy decision to leave her in she is very small and I have very mixed feelings about mating ewe lambs. I have had one problem birth with a large ram lamb to a ewe lamb and I resolved not to mate ewe lambs because of it however Gwen has made me reconsider ( more of that in another post! ) Having spoken to an number of breeders they are all of the opinion if they get pregnant its because they are ready to.
So I decided to leave her in as the alternative was to keep her on her own. Yesterday César who has been very diligent in his duties was looking interested in her. Today I found Solaia screaming round the field with César in hot pursuit, poor girl not a moment to stop and eat or take a breath. I decided she needed to come out. I broke up a breeding group last week and it will be another week before they rejoin the flock so for the moment shes in with them. She certainly stank, so there is quite the possibility that César has already mated her, at least she gets to rest until he calms down, if not she will be back in heat in three weeks, we'll see. It was Brianna or Laoras turn to be mounted yesterday( I always have trouble telling those two apart) and with Melita the day before things seem to be going according to plan.

I decided to measure her not having done so since she arrived I haven't needed to she is very small, thats all I need to know but curiosity got the better of me and today she measures 37cm.
Yep she is small, it makes César at 43.5cms look like a giant next to her. I have never been interested in breeding very small or the smallest ouessants but I have been careful not to bring in ouessants in general that are close to the limit. Solaia is certainly a surprise, shes so small but she does come from a breeder with good small sized ouessants and so next year I hope she will give me a lovely lamb with César. Keep your fingers crossed if shes already pregnant this year there won't be any problems.

Stolen Ram

Grey ( schimmel) Ram Registration Number NL 1046300/792
Stolen in Germany

It is thought who ever took him knew what they were taking. If you are offered for sale this distinctive ram then please contact me

Testing, Testing 1,2,3

I get asked alot about what's needed to keep within the required regulations for keeping sheep. Many have just got a couple of sheep and want as little red tape to wade through as possible. Whether you have one sheep ( which would be cruel, sheep need other sheep) or many there are a few things you need to do to be legal. This is important particularly at the moment with the rampage of Blue Tongue Virus across Europe.

Assuming that your sheep are tagged, and that you have looked into BTV vaccination (which is now compulsory in France) there is one test you might need to get done, if in doubt check with your vet, each department has its own interpretation of the regulations ( life is never simple here!)

However I am lucky in that in my department they seem to be on the ball and at the begining of this year I received a notice to ensure all my sheep were brucellosis tested. The administration in the department picks up the cost of the testing and most of the vet visit cost.


Click on the photo to enlarge.

This is the testing from some of the flock. One was re-tested as the sample of blood had haemolysed in transit to the lab. Having got the tests done and the paperwork to prove it. I can now happily do no more testing for three years as my sheep have already been tested on two seperate occasions at least six months apart. This gives me the status of officially free of brucellosis.
The difference in brucellosis tested and officially brucellosis free is an important one, if you intend to attend any shows, export sheep etc;

So thats it right? You don't need to do anything else................? Well no and yes if you want to.
This year I took the opportunity to get my flock faecal sample tested for internal parasites. I do have a regular worming routine but its no guarantee that you are worming effectively ie not all wormers are active against all types and forms of worms, there are other parasitic infections such as coccidia that need to be considered and there is also the possibility of wormer resistance when the wormer you use no longer is effective against the worms its supposed to erradicate as they have developed a resistance. I wanted to know for certain how effective my worming routine was and if there was anything I should be aware of .

I took fresh faecal samples from as many sheep as I could and from both paddocks the sheep were on at the time. Its not important to know which sample is which, its much cheaper to send in one mixed sample for testing .If one comes back positive you are going to worm them all anyway; So a fresh sample of faeces was sent off to the lab for testing for internal parasites cost 15.00 euros.

click on the photo to enlarge
As you can see the sample came back negative. I confess I was a little surprised I had taken the samples just before the sheep were due to be wormed ( at the time their worm burden should be highest) and had assumed to have at least a low level of parasites. A low level is not a real problem as it does encourage sheep to develop some of their own resistance to worms.

I can be pleased that the worming routine I have in place is effective, I can afford to look at if I can reduce the level of worming used and it is likley that next year I will re-test and try to look at finding a balance between maintaining a good level of parasitic control and not over worming my sheep and running the risk of increasing the risk of wormer resistance in parasite populations.

Any more tests? Well yes I also have started to test my flock for their scrapie genotype. This isn't essential and I have covered in a previous post the reasons for considering this a useful tool for breeding and within the flock. So I'll just add that the cost was 20 euros per sheep. I don't intend to weed out those that have tested ARR/ARQ but I will avoid using a ram with an ARQ/ARQ genotype

click on the photo to enlarge.
Link to previous post on scrapie and genotyping.

There is at least one other test that I would like to get done but will wait for that for another time.

Sheep Demonstrating in Paris

Well technically I don't think the sheep have been doing the demonstrating, they are but innocent pawns with French militancy at its best.

Day Trip to Paris

And if you want to know more about their demonstrations and where some more can be found this site explains it all.

Brebis. Fr

French News

Never one to sit and take the inevitable French sheep breeders have formed an alliance and have an agenda of action but I'm not sure what it is they want??? More subsidies.......... Better price for their product?? Who are they targetting?

Perhaps I missed something somewhere, great photo shoot, fun day out and I bet the sheep did loads of shopping but I am left a little bemused by it all. After Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls successful UK campaign to persuade shoppers to buy more free range, organic and quality reared chicken CHICKEN OUT maybe he could do a few public appearances in France? On the other hand I'm not sure the French would get Hugh!!

Could we just send them Gordon Ramsay anyway.................?

Snapshots from this week

César and his little group of girls: Next to him is Tiramisu, then the tiny Solaia, Gwen whose backside is as large as ever ( I am hoping pregnancy will help her lose weight!) Rosie my old lady and first ouessant ewe. The brown ewe is Melita my surprise lamb, and in the rear Mandi , Twiglet, Brianna and Laora.


Josse gets to play with two new brown girls.


Esmi and Solaia. Esmi one of the largest breeds of sheep, a cotentin ewe alongside the tiny Solaia born in March of this year. Funnily enough the tiniest of sheep were always to be found at Esmi's side. Her benign benevolance despite her great size meant the sheep always felt safe close to her. We joked Solaia was Esmi's teddy bear.

Champion Champignons - the Curious Ecology of the Island of Ouessant

Champion Champignons in MHAD style, or for those whos french maybe a little weak I'll try to explain.

If someone knows the translation of lépiotes into English please let me know otherwise you'll have to take a guess. These edible mushrooms grow on wood. Except on the Island of Ouessant where there is no wood. Yet curiously enough the mushrooms grow in abundance and to a greater size. There is however an explanation and it has a lot to do with sheep or more precisely sheep poo. Yes, that natural fertiliser promotes the growth of this tasty mushroom and Mhad, as mad as ever is an avid mushroom collector. It seems Ouessant is just full of surprises!


MHAD's Blog is an eclectic mix of cuisine, art or should that be Art and a close affinity with the Breton people and places. Well of course................Truly Mhad!

Fantastic blog Mhad and thank you for the permission to post the artwork. I look forward to more pics and exploits. Your sense of humour is sublime.

Herding Ouessants

I was told that as a primitive breed of sheep it was virtually impossible to herd ouessant sheep as they have a very poor flocking instinct. I admit I have never tried I don't have a herding breed of dog and in truth I have no need to herd the sheep I find them pretty easy to move around without a dog.
This video shows that despite several people telling me to the contrary it is possible.

Herding Ouessant Sheep Video link

Great stuff! that dog was working very well. As I don't have sound on my pc at the moment I can't tell what voice commands the dog was working to but it looked pretty good to me.

If you want to hire out your very own ouessant sheep spectacle ( maybe for the next GEMO show? ) everything is possible. Come to think of it it could have come in quite useful for the ones at the show that got loose!

Loudann and his Ouessants

Esmi - A Very Special Sheep

There is another pristine fluffy white cloud in the sky.

We will all miss you.

I hope your field is always full of clover, that the windfall apples are abundant and you are as at peace as when I last saw you snoozing in the autumn sun.

Sleep tight. XX

Some of the Girls

This is Tiramisu, what I hope you might be able to get a little idea of is how spotty she is. Not spotted as in obliterating white spots hiding colour underneath but lovely dark greyish brown freckles pretty much all over. The wool has faded out to a degree and the best photo would be when she has been shorn but for now you can just see them lurking under the fleece. I have decided to put her to a solid black ram. I don't know if she is hetero or homozygous for what ever you want to call her genotype. If I am lucky I should have a lamb with similar pattern and darker maybe even black, legs and head. I hope to keep the spots and I hope they will be as widespread. What I don't want is a solid black lamb that doesn't fade. Then I'll have to wait another whole year to try again.

This Years Rams

Finally, I think I have it all worked out. I have five rams being used this year, each brings their own different set of qualities and attributes. I have chosen to use more than one ram as I just have too many colours I want to play with:-)
First

César des Lutins du Montana ARR/ARQ Height 43.5cm (This is what I measure him at and I can't get him any taller:-)

Heres his pedigree
He brings above all type and size, as solid as a rock and beautifully square set. I am also interested to know if he has inherited the "grey" gene this won't be apparent for a couple of generations but I will bear it in mind for future matings with known carriers.

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Spered Breizh Josse ARR/ARR

Link to his pedigree This was one of this years ram lambs so he is getting an early shot, mainly due to his colour I hope to introduce a number of heterozygous for brown, lambs into the flock. this means that later on I will be able to bring it back out. His grand dam was also homozygous for colour modified and he is heterozygous. Are you begining to see a theme? He is very balanced lovely lines and this, along with his colour is a positive point and despite him being on the larger size I am happy to use him on a select number of ewes

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Koudou des Lutins du Montana ARR/ARR

Link to his online pedigree Oh how I love this little fella. if you look at his breeding I have put him in as homozygous for brown in fact this is wishful thinking on my part but I have a reason to suspect this I'll explain in a later post. Hes also definately heterozygous for "grey" and possibly homozygous . So despite being a white ram I have options on possible brown or brown carrier lambs and colour modified. He will be another bringing good size and type, really, he does have the whole package.

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Ronan


Well Ronan is going to remain an elusive mystery for the moment. Hes definately a trial and see what happens kind of guy. I'll say no more for now.

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Mérinos des Lutins du Montana ARR/ARR Height 44cm

Link to his pedigree Mérinos has a mystery appointment with a whole group of ladies. There will be more to post on this topic.

So today they all got to meet the ewes. César lead the charge, going in like a lion, the girls were playful and coquetish. On both size and type I am lucky to have some really lovely rams and with the added bonus of a great mix of colour genetics I am hopeful. With this selection I have the possiblity of grey, dark brown and carriers for colour modifieds as well as fawn( homozygous colour modified brown) also as a possibility. I should also have a fair number of lambs who will be heterozygous for colour modified and / or brown plus the breeding of Tiramisu and her curious colour will in time I hope explain alot more about the agouti grey genetics I am certain are locked in there. Only five months to wait.............................Arrrggh the suspense is killing me!