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The Hebridean Sheep Society Four Horn Working Group
As part of the Society's commitment to ensuring that multi-horned Hebridean sheep are properly recognised and promoted, you are invited to take part in a survey of the 2010 lamb crop to ascertain the prevalence of the split upper eyelid defect within the breed and any correlation it may have with horn type. A report on the 2008 survey appeared in issue 26 of the Black Sheep, the yearbook of the society, and is well worth reading.
It is important that we collect as much data as possible from all members who keep multi-horned Hebridean, Manx Loaghtan and Jacob sheep and, therefore, hope that you will take part in this survey. The survey includes all of this year's multi-horned lambs before any culling decisions are taken. Members with two horn sheep are welcome to send in their data too if they find any lambs with eyelid scores of 2, 3 or 4, as described in the Four Horned Leaflet.
Dr Richard Small has offered to analyse the data again. The statistics produced may help us understand more about the complex genetics of the multi-horned characteristic and its relationship to the split eyelid defect and, hopefully, form a basis for sound and sensible breeding advice to members. You are not obliged to provide any registration details if you do not wish to do so; the information provided will be confidential and will only be used for this survey and for further research that may arise from the analysis of the results.
The Hebridean Four Horned leaflet provides guidance on identifying the different eyelid categories and horn types and angles referred to in the data collection sheet. The notes on the data collection sheets explain how to enter the data. Please return completed data collection sheets to Helen Arthan, preferably by 31st August 2010. Details of Helen's address can be found in the Hebridean Members Handbook and her email address is:
the4horngroup@hebrideansheep.org.uk
This email address will put you in direct contact with our 4 Horn working group contact Helen Arthan. This is intended for you to send survey reports to etc.. If you prefer to email your data as a spreadsheet, using the same columns as the form, please do.
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Membership is open to all who
support the aims of the Society. Membership information can be
sought from the membership secretary : membership@hebrideansheep.org.uk
or telephone +44 (0)1908 611092. |
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