Author Topic: Inbreeding (Read 3006 times)

mebnandtrn · « **on:** April 05, 2016, 07:55:23 am »

A quick question. We have a high ratio of ram lambs, and are considering keeping one to breed from. But that means he would breed with his mother amongst others. If we can find a ram to swap him with we will, but he is a lovely lamb and we are attached to him! So is this an absolute no no or is it just not ideal?

Buttermilk · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2016, 08:56:34 am »

There should be no harm in him serving his mother. It is when you inbreed again that problems will surface.

trish.farm · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2016, 09:09:01 am »

not only will he be breeding with his mother, he will also be breeding with half sisters if you keep back any ewe lambs from the same ram he was bred from. I had a few accidents back in the days when I had no idea what I was doing, (still not a pro I must add!!) ram served its daughter and I had lambs which had over shot bottom jaws, which had to be destroyed. I also had a ram lamb who avoided ringing somehow, he tupped a couple of my ewe lambs I was keeping as replacements, weedy lambs were born with bad conformation. I now do everything possible to avoid and inbreeding. I only run about 15 to 20 ewes, so I replace my ram every 3 years to enable me to keep replacement ewe lambs.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2016, 09:46:53 am »

If he's absolutely superb in every aspect and you can keep him separate from any related females then you could consider using him on old ewes than aren't related.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2016, 10:29:55 am »

Well, I've done it and not had any problems. I wouldn't do it a lot, but when it's the odd ewe - his mum, one or two half sisters - if he's a good specimen and the basic flock isn't inbred, you should be okay, I'd have thought. I wouldn't keep on any daughters where the ewe was related, of course, nor indeed any sons.

The dangers are in reinforcing any negatives, so you do need to be extremely robust in checking him over for faults, and his mum too, I guess.

BH used to castrate a lot less than he does now, with the result that we often got an occasional early inbred lamb or few. They were always good lambs, so much so that we used to joke that we needn't be spending hundreds on bought-in tups when our homebreds were clearly just as good!

What breed is he?

OhLaLa · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2016, 11:16:25 am »

On occasion I've kept a ram lamb back just for the one following year when it's been difficult to find a replacement.
When trying to source rams (prob unbeknownst to the seller) I often get my own ram or 'line' offered back to me. This is cow country!
Keep a note in your records of his mom/sisters and if it is possible, try to sell them on first before tupping time but it's not always problem if you can't.
Good advice above.

shotblastuk · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2016, 05:44:03 pm »

Not a good idea in my opinion. Possibilities of all kind of problems down the line. There's plenty of sheep out there to prevent this. Unscrupulous dealers shift inbred stock out as breeders and then we wonder why we have dodgy animals. I personally wouldn't trust a pedigree certificate in some circumstances.

OhLaLa · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2016, 06:18:08 pm »

Quote from: shotblastuk on April 05, 2016, 05:44:03 pm

.....There's plenty of sheep out there......

Not so.
Firstly, not good to assume we can all get the ram we want when want (or even at the price we want).
And don't assume we all live local to the breed we want.
Or indeed, in the UK.