Sheep breeds why?

[Aspiring Peasants]

Breeds are irrelevant. They're an artificial construct brought about when a group of people decided to categories animals by how they looked.

It's traits and genes that matter.

I think there's more to it. Different traits and genes from different breeds can combine to make something much greater than the sum of the parts. Mules are the perfect example

 

[unlacedgecko]

I think there's more to it. Different traits and genes from different breeds can combine to make something much greater than the sum of the parts. Mules are the perfect example

I wouldn't have one on the farm!

 

[CopperBeech]

I think there's more to it. Different traits and genes from different breeds can combine to make something much greater than the sum of the parts. Mules are the perfect example

Mules are massively inconsistent? Stabilising a x is one thing. Relying on hybrid vigour is basic and doesn’t carry on beyond .....

 

[andybk]

I think there's more to it. Different traits and genes from different breeds can combine to make something much greater than the sum of the parts. Mules are the perfect example

was speaking to someone last week about this , hybrid vigour drops very quickly after second cross , unless totally different genes are introduced , prob why the suff mule x charollais works well down here , where as a suff mule x suffolk wont as well

 

[Ysgythan]

Mules are massively inconsistent? Stabilising a x is one thing. Relying on hybrid vigour is basic and doesn’t carry on beyond .....

Without the mule you can’t have the queen of commercial ewes, the Texel x Welsh Mule...

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

So does that mean if you cross a mule with say a charrolais you get an extra "dose" of hybrid vigour.

I agree about the texel mule. Is that introducing another dose of hybrid vigour

 

[CopperBeech]

I let you have the welshie and the texel, count yourself lucky!

View attachment 965538

Without the mule you can’t have the queen of commercial ewes, the Texel x Welsh Mule...

 

[CopperBeech]

So does that mean if you cross a mule with say a charrolais you get an extra "dose" of hybrid vigour.

I agree about the texel mule. Is that introducing another dose of hybrid vigour

do you understand hybrid vigour ?

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

do you understand hybrid vigour ?

I'm not saying I do, that's why I'm asking the question.

 

[Al R]

View attachment 965538

Without the mule you can’t have the queen of commercial ewes, the Texel x Welsh Mule...

How many do you want to buy?

 

[CopperBeech]

I'm not saying I do, that's why I'm asking the question.

Hybrid vigour is actually called heterosis. The theory is that when populations get inbred, you get genetic depression. This alleviated by outcrossing to another breed. This is not always the case however, and can sometimes cause genetic depression to worsen. It doesn't just become a better animal than its parent because its a x.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Hybrid vigour is actually called heterosis. The theory is that when populations get inbred, you get genetic depression. This alleviated by outcrossing to another breed. This is not always the case however, and can sometimes cause genetic depression to worsen. It doesn't just become a better animal than its parent because its a x.

I.e. crossing anything with a soay or a white faced woodland??

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I get that and presumably that's why selecting which breeds when crossed give a genetic advantage is the key.

In my slightly tongue in cheek earlier post I was saying that if you have 3 or even 4 breeds in the mix, so long as they knit together well, will you not get an even greater genetic advantage and certainly better than a purebred

 

[unlacedgecko]

I get that and presumably that's why selecting which breeds when crossed give a genetic advantage is the key.

In my slightly tongue in cheek earlier post I was saying that if you have 3 or even 4 breeds in the mix, so long as they knit together well, will you not get an even greater genetic advantage and certainly better than a purebred

Short answer, yes. I'll see if I can find the table I saw that explains the percentage benefit of each cross.

 

[Al R]

I get that and presumably that's why selecting which breeds when crossed give a genetic advantage is the key.

In my slightly tongue in cheek earlier post I was saying that if you have 3 or even 4 breeds in the mix, so long as they knit together well, will you not get an even greater genetic advantage and certainly better than a purebred

Years ago you weren’t allowed to cross breeds of pigs, no idea why but it’s what’s I’ve been told by a few who had them years ago.

It isn’t always gain, cross a charollais ram with a TexelXMule and you usually get a nice animal, every so often you will get a triangular horror which is very hairless (even though all my charollais and BFL all have good hair covering on their faces) you get a bald offspring which is an extreme throwback through the charollais and BFL parentage and you get what can only be explained as a Royal Show standard BFL type looking lamb, a bald coat hanger basically that will never do. 98% are perfect though.

 

[CopperBeech]

I get that and presumably that's why selecting which breeds when crossed give a genetic advantage is the key.

In my slightly tongue in cheek earlier post I was saying that if you have 3 or even 4 breeds in the mix, so long as they knit together well, will you not get an even greater genetic advantage and certainly better than a purebred

In theory, you could end up with something better, maybe worse, but very likely inconsistent. Heterosis only works crossing a breed (or two breeds) with genetic depression together, to guarantee a consistently improved offspring. If you stabilised this x, then eventually you would potentially see a breeding genetic depression, and so would x another breed in for heterosis.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

If you stabilised this x, then eventually you would potentially see a breeding genetic depression, and so would x another breed in for heterosis.
[/QUOTE]
Is that not a reason for keeping a bigger gene pool of different breeds

 

[steveR]

A blended lesbian family. How modern.

Perfection in a flock....

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Perfection in a flock....

Don't know where next year's lambs come from though

 

[Hilly]

As long as you don't break the golden rule - can't lift it, don't shag it.

Well rules none out for you ya muckle strong hoooor ya .