Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Norma Sutton" <sweetspringfarm@gmail.com>]

I think so Paul.  The more modernized breeds of livestock are so genetically specific that they loose a lot of the qualities that the older types have.  I don't know if that if because so many of them are being bred for the show ring where a certain look is trying to be obtained with line breeding, etc or if it is because by breeding for certain traits is doing it.  The shetland sheep have a very appearance and fleece acceptance.  The Navajo angora's do as well.  The more modernized angoras are being bred for a certain look and fleece.  I think that when the breed is modernized they loose a lot of the "common" sense traits that our ancestors bred for.

Norma

 

On 8/8/07, TradingPostPaul <tradingpost@riseup.net> wrote:

Interesting. That reminds me of a question I've been meaning to bring up.
There's a belief that heirloom vegetables stand harsh conditions with
better results than modern hybrids. Can this be the case with livestock as
well? I know nothing of old breeds. My dad had registered herefords in the
50's and nothing else. Now Barb wants poultry but I don't want a lot of
problems with whatever breed we get.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 8/8/2007 at 9:34 PM Norma Sutton wrote:

>Paul,
>I have Navajo style angora goats.  They seem to do better than the more
>"improved" ones, in this area anyhow.
>Norma
>
>
>On 8/8/07, TradingPostPaul < tradingpost@riseup.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> We've haven't heard enough about livestock that do well without the high
>> energy inputs like grain. Yet part of sustainable living on the land is
>> animals, whether for work or food. We can learn so much more about what
>> breeds and methods work well in different climates and locations. This
>> isn't a special interest of mine since we're not handling any sheep,
>> goats,
>> horses, or poultry, but it's important isn't it. Some time back I
>> mentioned
>> the Navajo Churro sheep that live on scrub land where others would
>starve.
>> Isn't someone on this list raising the Churro? Let's hear more, folks.
>
>



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