[blackbelly] Black Belly Barbados/Barbado

[Bobbie Johnson]

Ok, here is my 2 cents.  I agree that the polled and horned varieties be separate.  Very similar to the AQHA(American Quarter Horse Assoc) and APHA(American Paint Horse Assoc) in horses.  Both registries deal with Quarter Horse and Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred horses.  The DIFFERENCE is color.  The "white" rule has been modified, allowing qualifying horses to be registered with both registries.  but, the AQHA only registers SOLID color horses for the most part.  The APHA will register the ones that have excessive white or at least on paint parent.  BUT the common is that the horse MUST be of Quarter Horse or 1/2 Quarter Horse 1/2 Thoroughbred lineage.  No other breeds are included in these registries.    The same should be true for our sheep.  Polled and horned.  I raise the Barbado (horned).  I don't know of any polled stock in my area.  I do have a couple of mixed breed ewe's, but I only sell their offspring as meat stock.  I band the rams.    I am trying to develop my breeding stock, culling any elf ears, white legs/tails, excessive wooliness or any deviation from the "breed" standards listed by the registries.  The only reason I am still having mixed breed offspring is that the ewe was originally a pet for my 9 y/o son and she will very likely die from old age here.   Bobbie http://www.rams-head-ranch.net