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- #1,141
Margali
Herd Master
Panda has a tiny pair of horns! They are firmly attached.
Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
Some man-made breeds that are hornless often develop vestigial horns. It is a remainder of the genetics from the original horned ancestor breed that went into their development. At his age Panda won't grow them out any more than those nubs. Sometimes they will knock them off fighting or butting objects. Axtel had large (4"x6") curved bone projections on his head. He eventually knocked them off fighting with the other rams. They never grew back. One year I had half a dozen ram lambs start to grow little horn buds around 3 months. Since they went to auction, I don't know if they ever developed further but I doubt it since true horn buds show up by a week old. By 3 months old true horns would be several inches long.
Baymule
Herd Master
That’s good to know. I’m glad they won’t get any bigger.
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- #1,144
Margali
Herd Master
Thanks for the info @Ridgetop! Katahdins are preferred polled and I want to keep that feature.
So far Snickers and Panda are getting along. The iffy point of evening grain is going okay with both being tethered to their own feeding station. I'm slowly decreasing Snicker's grain since he isn't on duty.
So far Snickers and Panda are getting along. The iffy point of evening grain is going okay with both being tethered to their own feeding station. I'm slowly decreasing Snicker's grain since he isn't on duty.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Isn't Panda a wether? Scurs on him should not be a problem, right?
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- #1,146
Margali
Herd Master
Oreo is my keeper ewe from this year's breeding. So trying to judge risk of Oreo developing horns or passing on trait.
Panda is triplet with Snip that sired Oreo. Snip went to market last November so I don't know if he developed scurs/horns.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
No worries about ewes developing horns. Usually only the ram lambs on whom I have ever seen any indications. And they don't really develop into true horns.
I had polled Dorsets years ago and bought an older horned Dorset ram since I couldn't find a good polled ram. (Both horned and polled are allowed in the same studbook, just noted as either.) Horned Dorsets were one of the breeds used to develop many polled new breeds because of their excellent meat carcass, fertility, out of season breeding, etc. I never had any lambs out of him that developed horns. Also, if you look at pix of horned breeds, the ewes have much smaller horns. Your ewe lambs out of polled parents won't have any horns.
I had polled Dorsets years ago and bought an older horned Dorset ram since I couldn't find a good polled ram. (Both horned and polled are allowed in the same studbook, just noted as either.) Horned Dorsets were one of the breeds used to develop many polled new breeds because of their excellent meat carcass, fertility, out of season breeding, etc. I never had any lambs out of him that developed horns. Also, if you look at pix of horned breeds, the ewes have much smaller horns. Your ewe lambs out of polled parents won't have any horns.
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- #1,148
Margali
Herd Master
So much rain! It's good except I need to move the ram night pen. Joy, another thing on the list.
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- #1,149
Margali
Herd Master
I walked 2.4 miles today working on fencing. The central ram paddock is fenced with 3 wire electric fence except on side where ram pen is currently located. I need husband help to move junk plastic tank and the bigger sections corral pannels. I'm going to make a mini bridge to cover the drainage gully in front of ram pen gate. The swampy area starts just past blue barrel waterer.
Panda and Snickers are in the small half of shed for the night.
Panda and Snickers are in the small half of shed for the night.
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- #1,150
Margali
Herd Master
The AC pan slope is temporarily fixed leggos and sealed gap with packing tape. Sigh.
Still no word on fixing AC leak and damage. The sub-contractor of AC install states they had a 1year parts and installation warranty. They will not answer further phone calls. I'm going to inform my homeowners insurance Tuesday. Silly me hoping that my 5yr warranty on overall house would be honored. Atleast we have AC sump overflow coverage.
Still no word on fixing AC leak and damage. The sub-contractor of AC install states they had a 1year parts and installation warranty. They will not answer further phone calls. I'm going to inform my homeowners insurance Tuesday. Silly me hoping that my 5yr warranty on overall house would be honored. Atleast we have AC sump overflow coverage.
