Genetics

catchall for all things genetic

RBST-registered purebred Soay sheep for sale: update

RBST-registered purebred Soay sheep for sale: update

We usually list all our sheep for sale on the big farm website, but that requires Steve to be inside at his desk and right now he’s busy outside getting ready to set our breeding groups, so here goes. We have two adult ewes for sale, both of whom lambed this year for the first […]

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Important notice for users of the Open Flockbook Project online database

If you participate in the Open Flockbook Project or are interested in starting to participate or are wondering what on earth the OFP is, please be aware that we have made an important change in the way we maintain the online database. In a nutshell, instead of entering data piecemeal as it arrives by email, […]

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Starter flocks: what they are and how to choose one that is right for you

Starter flocks: what they are and how to choose one that is right for you

So you’ve decided you want to start a small flock of Soay sheep and you have, or can put together, the infrastructure to support your new flock: pastures or a barnful of hay, secure fencing, water and shelter, and predator control appropriate to your location. But what about the starter flock itself? How many sheep […]

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Soay lamb gender split, 2015 edition

Soay lamb gender split, 2015 edition

Regular readers will remember that I went through lambing last year in self-absorbed agony, tracking the percentage of ewe versus ram lambs on a daily basis, reporting weekly here, and generally fussing over something entirely out of my control. Talk about unproductive fretting! Did I learn my lesson? Nope. But this year the results started […]

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What will my Soay lambs look like when they grow up?

What will my Soay lambs look like when they grow up?

Kate, a first-time Soay breeder, called me excitedly the other day to announce the arrival of her very first British Soay lamb and sure enough, she wanted to know what the furry little creature will look like when it grows up. Has any new Soay breeder not wondered what her lambs will look like as […]

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Annual Soay sheep horn growth revisited

Annual Soay sheep horn growth revisited

Every year at the winter solstice, usually December 21st, sheep horns (and for that matter all heritage sheep and other mammals’ horns as far as I have been able to determine) begin growing, a process that lasts for about three months and then tapers off through the spring and stops until the next December. To […]

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