Sheep

[John100]

By Alexander Graham bell, the inventor of the telephone.

http://livestocktrail.illinois.edu/sheepnet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=6721

I found this interesting, In theory a sheep with more working teats would rear more lambs, and with the potential of todays more prolific breeds, could raise lambing percentages up to ridiculously profitable levels?

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Interesting IK, but why mess around with nature? The sheep was only intended to have 2 nipples, its a bit like breeding cattle with 8 teats instead of 4....

 

[jemski]

Yes but more nipples does not mean more mammary glands. Also, producing more milk takes a lot more out of the ewe and a lot more feed.
I'd be happy just to get everything rearing two (with no pet lambs!!!)

 

[wr.]

And we really do need to "increase lambing percentages up to ridiculously profitable levels" in order to create a glut so that we can be hammered, once again with the old favourite about supply and demand.

 

[cheviot53]

A few people have dabbled with this in the uk and probably still do . Ewes with 4 teats are very common and sometimes 6 , rams as well . Iv'e had a few ewes that can milk out of all 4 teats . pretty sure I read about a flock in Ireland working on this . Used to a be sheep refered to as a Wheldon ( not sure of the spelling ) 4 quarter

 

[ns_sheep]

Never heard of this, but quite a few sheep have 4 teats in Nova Scotia now. It's seems to create more problems though because 2 are always small and have very little milk. Some lambs will only get onto the small ones and not do very well. I think that it was tried again in recent history with a modern prolific Canadian breed, but they gave up on it.

 

[cheviot53]

Liverpool university did a small trial in the early 90's I think with Cambridge's and they said with work it was viable . Don't think an increase in prolificacy would be the aim but ewes could rear triplets without problems

 

[wr.]

Liverpool university did a small trial in the early 90's I think with Cambridge's and they said with work it was viable . Don't think an increase in prolificacy would be the aim but ewes could rear triplets without problems

There were a few farms locally who went in to Cambridge ewes in quite a big way. They weren't into them for very long.

 

[Al R]

A few people have dabbled with this in the uk and probably still do . Ewes with 4 teats are very common and sometimes 6 , rams as well . Iv'e had a few ewes that can milk out of all 4 teats . pretty sure I read about a flock in Ireland working on this . Used to a be sheep refered to as a Wheldon ( not sure of the spelling ) 4 quarter

We bought a flock of broker Glamorgans last autumn and a few of them have 4 working teats

 

[cotswoldcs]

Well the phone was a success at least...

 

[Global ovine]

Twice the phenomenon of 4 teated ewes has been studied in NZ, both times at Invermay Res. centre. The first time by myself and 20 years later by Dr. George Davis (discoverer of Inverdale and most other high litter size genotypes). Both studies came to similar conclusions based on NZ Romneys and their derivative breeds.

• The heritability of teat number is moderate, so gains can be made in selection.
• The heritability of teat placement of the extra teats is moderate, but they can end up anywhere, even branching off the main teat.
• Most extra teats have a small volume of mammary tissue associated with them, but often not enough to sustain a lamb, but just enough to fix a lamb to only sucking that teat. Therefore a disaster.
• Very few ewes have the perfect cow udder configuration. However they rarely bred their own type.
• With milk volume highly correlated to mammary tissue weight, the extra number of teats is of little consequence.

I like to use the analogy of a pub; the amount of beer poured to patrons doesn't depend on having a pump for each patron.

Multiple teated ewes are a practical nuisance.

Ewes that wean litters to good weights are very valuable, so utilising their genetics better is a far more direct and an easier thing to do than multiple teat selection.