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samples from several of the sheep as part of a program that aims to preserve the genetic material of animals significant to
American history. Because Hog Island sheep resemble the small, short-fleeced sheep that would have been raised in colonial farms for meat and wool, they (or a cross between them
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The Hog Island sheep is not commonly used in modern agriculture, largely because of its endangered status and because more modern breeds have been bred for other characteristics, including maximum size and fleece yield. It is nevertheless considered important to preserve because of the insight it may
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Because the Hog Island sheep population is so small, the preservation of the breed through a pure, inbred line would threaten the breed's health by an increased risk of pairing of "bad genes". Stillbirths and atypical-looking sheep have been reported by some breeders. In response, some breeders have
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Hog Island was colonized in the 17th century. The sheep that colonists would have been using at the time would have been the contemporary
English breeds, but Merinos were known to roam the barrier islands, having swum ashore from Spanish ships that wrecked along the coast. The colonists would have
166:
or other
English breeds. The sheep is relatively small but tough and hardy. Rams weigh on average 125 pounds (57 kg) and ewes 90 pounds (41 kg). Lambs are born with spotted or speckled fleece; about 90% of adults have white fleece and 10% black. Both males and females can have horns, and
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researchers studied the sheep to determine why they were relatively free of parasites; the researchers concluded that the sheep had no special resistance to parasites but were simply isolated from them by their habitat. The sheep were then sent to institutions such as
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The breed is preserved by various organizations because of its relevance to
American history and its resemblance to historical American sheep. It also possesses some traits that have been somewhat lost in more modern breeds.
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in the 18th century. During the 1930s and 1940s, storm conditions forced the island's residents to evacuate, leaving some sheep behind. These sheep adapted to the environment free of human intervention, becoming
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As an island, Hog Island had open space and lacked predators, therefore the colonists allowed their livestock to roam free, rounding them up only to mark them or to use them for meat or wool. In 1933 a
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The Hog Island sheep is a feral breed, descended from sheep abandoned on Hog Island in the 1930s and 1940s. It is believed that the breed was descended from the
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sheep, and then bred the offspring with pure Hog Island sheep, producing almost pure Hog Island sheep except for the addition of some genetic diversity.
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destroyed most of the island; the inhabitants abandoned the settled areas and many sheep were left to fend for themselves, reverting to a feral state.
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give into
American history and the traits it has that modern sheep might lack such as its toughness, foraging skill, efficient use of food, and easy
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262:, a combination called "American Site sheep") are used in exhibits to recreate the look and feel of a historical farm.
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When the Nature
Conservancy bought Hog Island, most of the sheep were bought by private owners. Some were taken to
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208:. The breed is extremely rare today; with fewer than 200 registered animals it is listed as "critical" by
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352:"Hoarding Faded Genes: Feds & Non-profits Team Up to Store Rare Breed Remnants for Future"
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for preservation and increasing public awareness of endangered livestock breeds. The
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bought the island in the 1970s, rounded up the sheep, and removed them to prevent
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The
Encyclopedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds
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Most Hog Island sheep are white, but there are black individuals.
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583:"National Colonial Farm: Heritage Breed Livestock Conservation"
614:"Collaboration Brings Colonial Sheep Collection to Colorado"
943:
Conservation
Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
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crossed Hog Island sheep with other breeds, including
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used some combination of these sheep in their flocks.
358:. Wisconsin: Countryside Publications. Archived from
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A young Hog Island Sheep at the
Accokeek Foundation
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52:
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705:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
326:(Summer 2007). Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
687:. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016
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938:Sheep breeds originating in the United States
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479:"Hog Island Breed: Goats In Sheep's Clothing"
216:Research and conservation (after rediscovery)
8:
756:Sheep breeds of Canada and the United States
94:most individuals white (about 10% are black)
19:
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477:Colombraro, Rosemarie (March–April 2004).
320:"Rare Sheep from Hog Island and Leicester"
25:
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243:National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park
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137:descended from animals first brought to
537:Dept. of Animal Science. Archived from
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247:United States Department of Agriculture
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662:. Yale University Press. p. 143.
587:Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park
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167:about half the total population do.
162:breed, among others, possibly the
14:
251:National Animal Germplasm Program
388:Moyer, Laura (August 17, 2003).
685:"Hog Island Sheep Association"
656:Vorwald Dohner, Janet (2001).
350:Harman, Alan (May–June 2011).
231:George Washington's birthplace
1:
625:US Department of Agriculture
561:"Conservation Priority List"
563:. The Livestock Conservancy
390:"Rare sheep with a history"
964:
762:
535:Oklahoma State University
456:The Livestock Conservancy
210:The Livestock Conservancy
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102:white with black speckles
31:Hog Island sheep kept at
24:
716:at George Washington's
627:: 20–21. Archived from
74:125 pounds (57 kg)
589:. 2016. Archived from
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202:The Nature Conservancy
188:
81:90 pounds (41 kg)
621:Agricultural Research
324:Colonial Williamsburg
268:
239:Colonial Williamsburg
186:
154:Breed characteristics
139:Virginia's Hog Island
797:Canadian Corriedale
531:Breeds of Livestock
507:on November 4, 2016
437:, pp. 142–143)
435:Vorwald Dohner 2001
395:The Free Lance-Star
45:Conservation status
21:
787:Bell Multi-nippled
527:"Hog Island Sheep"
497:"Hog Island Sheep"
448:"Hog Island Sheep"
402:on 23 January 2013
362:on October 6, 2011
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189:
164:Improved Leicester
920:
919:
822:Gulf Coast Native
669:978-0-300-08880-9
634:on April 25, 2012
612:McGinnis, Laura.
452:Breed Information
276:Gulf Coast Native
128:
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53:Country of origin
33:George Washington
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852:Outaouais Arcott
772:American Karakul
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714:Hog Island Sheep
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503:. Archived from
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398:. Archived from
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288:Santa Cruz sheep
131:Hog Island sheep
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20:Hog Island sheep
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255:collected semen
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133:are a breed of
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812:Delaine Merino
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767:American Jacob
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678:External links
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623:(March 2009).
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593:on 11 May 2020
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501:SVF Foundation
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483:Sheep Magazine
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356:Sheep Magazine
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16:Breed of sheep
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56:United States
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933:Sheep breeds
847:Newfoundland
722:
718:Mount Vernon
689:. Retrieved
658:
650:Bibliography
636:. Retrieved
629:the original
620:
607:
595:. Retrieved
591:the original
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577:
565:. Retrieved
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543:. Retrieved
539:the original
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521:
511:November 15,
509:. Retrieved
505:the original
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460:. Retrieved
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404:. Retrieved
400:the original
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366:November 15,
364:. Retrieved
360:the original
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328:. Retrieved
323:
272:
260:Dorset sheep
235:Mount Vernon
219:
194:
190:
169:
157:
148:
130:
129:
117:
37:Mount Vernon
691:January 31,
330:October 20,
318:Crews, Ed.
206:overgrazing
927:Categories
912:Willamette
892:Santa Cruz
827:Hog Island
807:Debouillet
638:9 November
545:31 January
406:31 January
294:References
222:Blacksburg
119:Ovis aries
99:Face color
91:Wool color
887:St. Croix
877:Romeldale
837:Montadale
198:hurricane
882:Romnelet
832:Katahdin
802:Columbia
701:cite web
462:June 29,
282:See also
241:and the
224:, where
79:Female:
48:Critical
907:Warhill
902:Targhee
867:Polypay
597:9 April
567:29 June
179:History
173:lambing
857:Panama
666:
458:. 2015
160:Merino
72:Male:
66:Weight
61:Traits
39:estate
782:Ancon
632:(PDF)
617:(PDF)
299:Notes
144:feral
135:sheep
112:Sheep
707:link
693:2008
664:ISBN
640:2011
599:2020
569:2015
547:2008
513:2011
464:2015
408:2008
368:2011
332:2011
258:and
253:has
817:DLS
249:'s
35:'s
929::
703:}}
699:{{
619:.
585:.
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481:.
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416:^
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306:^
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734:v
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
