|
RAM REGISTRATION 2008
Ram registration will not require an inspection this year. Inspections were introduced 11 years ago to avoid the embarrassment of removing
unsuitable animals prior to sales and secondly to maintain the quality of rams generally when many new members with limited experience of keeping sheep were joining the Society.
The Llanwenog breed has great commercial qualities of high prolificacy and the ability to thrive on grassland but neither of these
qualities are apparent to the eye.
There has also been the other longstanding objection to the inspections being held at only two centres, which discriminated against more
remote breeders, further exacerbated by escalating travelling costs, As a result some important genetic material is being lost. We now face Blue Tongue disease and the inherent movement restrictions. So this year,
we return to the old system. The sale ring has always been a great test of quality and the Society, through its Inspectors, will continue to ask breeders to remove animals from sale pens if any gross fault is
apparent.
Notes for guidance are given below. The Working Committee hope that breeders will use these standards when selecting rams for registration
from their ewes that also display superior commercial qualities and are free from genetic faults. This last point merits emphasis.
We also hope the guidance will aid prospective new comers.
|
|
Type of Excellence
|
Faults
|
|
Head
|
Fine and hornless. Black and free from speckles
A small tuft of wool on forehead. At times this tuft extend in a thin line to join neck wool immediately in front of ears, but a distinct break is preferable._____
|
Excessive or dark wool on head.
Brown or white patches of hair on face.
Bad mouth with overshot or undershot jaw.Definite horn on either sex (scur permissible).
|
|
Ears
|
Short and thin, set at elevated angle of about twenty (20) degrees.
Distance between ears comparatively narrow.
|
Very large and low set.
|
|
Body
|
Compact with a fairly short neck, well sprung of ribs, strong loin and full thighs.
|
Poor size or weight for age ratio. Weak behind the shoulder. Males - uneven or very small testicles.
|
|
Legs
|
Black and free from speckles.
|
Poor feet and low pasterns. Legs crooked or turned in or out. Excessive wool on legs and white spots of hair
|
|
Wool
|
Rather short, dense and of fine texture, free from kemp and black fibres (broglo). Weight of fleece - two to two and a half
kilos (2- 21/2 kilos)._____________
|
Loose or open fleece.
Black or brown wool on body.
|
|
Tail
|
Docked, in line with the minimum specified in current Animal welfare Regulations._______
|
Docked too short.
Black wool in stump of tail.
|
Weights
Although not mandatory, it is considered that the weights of rams at the time of registration should be: Lambs 35kgs
Yearlings 70kgs
2 year olds 85kgs
Registration Rams
1. Application for registration of lambs, yearlings and 2 year old rams should be lodged with the Secretary on the appropriate form between 1st - 7th July annually. No late applications will be entertained. Forms can be downloaded
by clicking on the following links
H Registrations
J Registrations
K Registrations
2. The registration fee to be £20-00 per ram.
3. Genotype testing of all rams to be compulsory before registration for 2008. A copy of certificate to be produced
|
