BLUFF COUNTRY SHETLANDS BREEDING PROGRAM

*This page is going to updated with new photos and the results of several more years of breeding for HST markings. Watch for the updates! *

We have decided to focus our breeding plans on producing, not only show/breeding quality Shetlands, but also on breeding for a specific pattern of markings that we refer to as "HST" ~ HEAD/SOCKS/TAIL ~ We found ourselves quite impressed by the flashiness of our spotted lambs, but I definitely prefer solid body colors for handspinning fleeces. The obvious conclusion was to breed for HST. We get the eye-catching flashiness of spots and the convenience of a solid colored fleece!

"BLUF COUNTRY APOCALYPSE" (PACO) is an excellent example of what we are trying to achieve. He demonstrates the flashy white markings on his head, all four legs and his tail. Yet his body (fleece for handspinning!) is mainly one solid color. Paco also has very nice conformation and lovely, soft fleece.

IT ALL STARTED WITH A RAM NAMED ZORRO

In 2001, we were lucky to be the ones to purchase, from Nancy & Jerome Larsen, of Sheepy Hollow Shetlands, an adorable, spotted ram lamb who looked like a Holstein calf! "Sheepy Hollow Zorro" is a striking Black & White ram with Yuglet/Sokket/Bielset markings and excellent conformation. Zorro has a very fine, uniformly crimpy single-coated fleece. Zorro represents what I would rate as a '5' of my scale of HST markings: yuglet or smirslet head markings, 4 white legs and a white tail. Many of Zorro's offspring have not displayed the full range of markings, but I (and others) have found that if you breed them to a known spot carrier, chances are excellent for producing an HST marked Shetland. I will explain the scale that we use to identify HST markings and the sheep that carry them...

THE HST SCALE...

A Shetland sheep does not need to SHOW spots to carry the genetic capability to produce spots. For example: BLUFF COUNTRY ZEST (dam to Apocalypse) is a solid, moorit daughter of Zorro. Zest would be a '0' on the HST scale. '0' signifies no visible white markings, but carrying spots.

ZEST produced APOCALYPSE when bred to another known spot-carrier ('2' on my HST scale), SKITTLES.

Next on the HST scale would be '1' A sheep that I would rank '1' on the scale would have a 'splash' of white on it's head, at birth, that would probably fade.

"BLUFF COUNTRY SYMPHANY" is an example of a black Shetland ewe-lamb that I would rate a '1'...

Another lamb that I would rate a '1' is: BLUFF COUNTRY ZAHARA. ...ZAHARA's white marking will fade as he lightens to Musket. But the spotting genetics it symbolizes will still be there to pass on to future generations!

BLUFF COUNTRY SKITTLES (BLACK/KRUNET)is a good example of a '2' on the HST scale. Although his markings would lose some of their 'pizazz', he still shows his krunet marking,

even as an adult...

A '3' on the HST scale would be a sheep with white anklets on one or more legs, krunet or bleset marking on head and, possibly, a white tip to it's tail. I really don't have a photograph of this marking, so you will have to use your imagination... ;-)

'4' on the HST scale could be represented by "BLUFF COUNTRY ZARIA".

ZARIA has yuglet markings on her head, white hind legs and a little white on each front foot, as well as a white tail. Zaria's dam is another solid moorit who was bred to a '5' on the HST scale (ZORRO).

THE HST LAMBS...

Representing a '5' on the HST scale is "BLUFF COUNTRY ZHA-ZHA MIKAELA" (now owned by Bill Stearman of Canada). Zha-Zha is a black & white smirslet/sokket ewe with a white tail. The skin under the black areas is black ~ under the white areas it is pink. This indicates that the markings will not fade. There is something SO striking about seeing those white legs and tails, as well as flashy white marked heads cavorting around the pasture with all the other lambs...

One of the things we like the most about our breeding program is that, because our first emphasis is on conformation, our lambs are of consistantly good quality, regardless of markings. This is important to us because it allows us to find good homes for the lambs that don't exhibit the higher numbers on the HST scale. They are still excellent quality Shetlands and many carry spotting genetics. We have a variety of fleece types from ultra fine & crimpy single coats, through intermediate (long, but fine & well crimped), to primitive (long, double coated).

In July, of 2005, we added two new Shetlands to our breeding flock. We have decided to try breeding HST to HST in order to increase the odds of getting the exceptionally marked lambs that we so desire. Meet the newest memebers of the Bluff Country family:

"WINDSWEPT BRAVO" (photo at 4 months)

...and

"SHELTERING PINES DIVA" "

Up until this time (2005) all of the HST lambs that we have produced have been the result of mating solid (but carrying spots) colored ewes to HST rams, or offspring of HST Shetlands to another spot carrier. In an attempt to increase the chances of getting HST lambs, we will begin breeding HST's to HST's in 2005. Stay tuned for updates!!!

DISCLAIMER
Although our GOAL is to produce show/breeding quality sheep, with HST markings, not every lamb born at Bluff Country Shetlands will be show quality, nor will they all have HST markings. Individual prices vary depending on the conformation, fleece and markings of each sheep. For the record...I do not claim to be any type of "expert" at genetics or markings. I am going by my own (limited) experiences and input I've received from other Shetland breeders regarding the progression of spotting. I do not claim to know nor do I have the 'secret' to predicting or producing any type of spotting in my Shetlands. I am simply making it a point to try to breed toward a specific type of marking and documenting my breeding groups & their results to see if there IS any kind of predictability involved...time will tell ;-)

For more information, photos or prices on any of our sheep,
please call, write or e-mail us:

DON & NANCY KROHN
BLUFF COUNTRY SHETLANDS
11512 HWY. 4
HOUSTON, MN. 55943
507/896-2487

E-MAIL US AT: nkmajik@acegroup.cc

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