| ST. THOMAS HAIR SHEEP BREEDERS OF NORTH AMERICA |
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FAQ
| A DELIGHT FOR THE EYE |
| To subscribe to the OPEN FORUM ST. THOMAS |
| Est. October 2004 Created to help with any of your St. Croix, St. Thomas and... crossbreeding interests. A FREE DIALOG for Breeders. |
Make checks payable to: SC-ST Hair Sheep Breeders of N. Am. ( U. S. FUNDS ONLY ) |
YOU'RE #
Thank you for visiting with us today.
| REGISTRIES... ARE ALWAYS . . . |
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:
PEDIGREE DOCUMENTATION [PLEASE...no drawings]
...This is TO AID IN DOCUMENTATION...as well as noting the color potent lines.
STANDARDS (same as for the purebred St. Croix...with adjustment...ONLY to include all colors)
GENERAL APPEARANCE
It is of moderate frame in size with a long muscle pattern type and a well sprung barrel.
The coat ranges from solid white, to include any amount of color, and is shed each year.
SIZE
Moderate size; adult females weigh about 150 lbs and the rams weigh about 200 lbs.
Birth weight is an average of 6-7 pounds.
HEAD
Both sexes are naturally polled with no visible scurs. An attractively distinct profile with the males
exhibiting a "Roman" styled nose. Ears should be fine textured neither upturned nor drooping,
giving the appearance of alertness. The eyes are large and clear. The head should be carried in
an upright manner on a long graceful neck.
TOP LINE
The neck should join smoothly to the shoulder. There may be a dip in the top line immediately after
the wither; the back then continuing in a lengthy manner to the point of the hip at which the croup drops
at a relatively acute angle to the tail head. This angle is believed to facilitate the ease of lambing
common in this breed.
BODY
The body should be symmetrical, deep and long when profiled from the side. St. Thomas sheep are of
moderate size and build when viewed from the front or back. The hips should be broad.
LEGS
The forelegs should be straight with feet placed squarely underneath. The hind legs should not evidence
"cow hocking" and the pasterns should be strong and upright.
MUSCLING
St. Thomas have a moderate volume of muscle. Muscling should appear long and well tied-in at the joints.
Heavier muscling should be encouraged but not at the expense of overall breed type.
UDDER
Ewes should have well formed even udders with two good teats.
SCROTUM
Rams should have two large, even, well developed testicles.
COAT
The St. Thomas is a St. Croix of color. They should show evidence of a true shedding coat. However,
a softer wool undercoat on younger animals should not be penalized. Rams should have a mane of long
course hair, extending from the back of the neck to around the shoulders, even reaching the knee at
maturity. There may be a dark pigment around the eyes, nostrils and lips...as well as a color coat; solid,
spotted or even multi-color.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: NO PROVEN PEDIGREE, Monorchid or Cryptorchid,
HORNS or large visible scurs, any evidence of shearing or body clipping.
PEDIGREE DOCUMENTATION [PLEASE...no drawings]
...This is TO AID IN DOCUMENTATION...as well as noting the color potent lines.
STANDARDS (same as for the purebred St. Croix...with adjustment...ONLY to include all colors)
GENERAL APPEARANCE
It is of moderate frame in size with a long muscle pattern type and a well sprung barrel.
The coat ranges from solid white, to include any amount of color, and is shed each year.
SIZE
Moderate size; adult females weigh about 150 lbs and the rams weigh about 200 lbs.
Birth weight is an average of 6-7 pounds.
HEAD
Both sexes are naturally polled with no visible scurs. An attractively distinct profile with the males
exhibiting a "Roman" styled nose. Ears should be fine textured neither upturned nor drooping,
giving the appearance of alertness. The eyes are large and clear. The head should be carried in
an upright manner on a long graceful neck.
TOP LINE
The neck should join smoothly to the shoulder. There may be a dip in the top line immediately after
the wither; the back then continuing in a lengthy manner to the point of the hip at which the croup drops
at a relatively acute angle to the tail head. This angle is believed to facilitate the ease of lambing
common in this breed.
BODY
The body should be symmetrical, deep and long when profiled from the side. St. Thomas sheep are of
moderate size and build when viewed from the front or back. The hips should be broad.
LEGS
The forelegs should be straight with feet placed squarely underneath. The hind legs should not evidence
"cow hocking" and the pasterns should be strong and upright.
MUSCLING
St. Thomas have a moderate volume of muscle. Muscling should appear long and well tied-in at the joints.
Heavier muscling should be encouraged but not at the expense of overall breed type.
UDDER
Ewes should have well formed even udders with two good teats.
SCROTUM
Rams should have two large, even, well developed testicles.
COAT
The St. Thomas is a St. Croix of color. They should show evidence of a true shedding coat. However,
a softer wool undercoat on younger animals should not be penalized. Rams should have a mane of long
course hair, extending from the back of the neck to around the shoulders, even reaching the knee at
maturity. There may be a dark pigment around the eyes, nostrils and lips...as well as a color coat; solid,
spotted or even multi-color.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: NO PROVEN PEDIGREE, Monorchid or Cryptorchid,
HORNS or large visible scurs, any evidence of shearing or body clipping.
Excerpt from the St. Thomas Bylaws:
ARTICLE II, Section 2: The corporate organization shall foster humane animal husbandry
in general, development of the natural color diversity of St. Croix designated as St. Thomas,
and establish acceptable breeding quality standards to produce the best St. Thomas possible.
A diversity of gene pool is not assisted by inbreeding and should not be considered as standard
animal husbandry. To this end an effort to maintain a diverse gene pool is to be encouraged.
Full paperwork of purebred registration is required, with a work up proving the parentage and
pedigree of those animals to be considered for registration, as evidence of their being purebred
St. Croix of color (Class A) to be designated separately as the St. Thomas hair sheep breed.
Color, solid or markings, shall be recorded and shall be allowed all the way down to solid white.
Once designated as St. Thomas there shall be no return to St. Croix for any of the descendants.
The St. Thomas Crossbred Program shall allow for up to fifty (50%) percent other designated
hair sheep breeds and will be a registration. The Crossbred Program will be for all those of
less than 100% St. Croix, or St. Thomas, and shall be designated as Class B.
Restriction: No wool breeding of over twenty (25%) five percent to be accepted for inclusion
in the St. Thomas Hair Sheep Crossbred Program at the registration level. Recording level
may allow up to fifty (50%) percent wool. The Crossbred Program shall have the goal of
increasing the less than one hundred (100%) percent and to track the benefits of crossbreeding.
ARTICLE II, Section 2: The corporate organization shall foster humane animal husbandry
in general, development of the natural color diversity of St. Croix designated as St. Thomas,
and establish acceptable breeding quality standards to produce the best St. Thomas possible.
A diversity of gene pool is not assisted by inbreeding and should not be considered as standard
animal husbandry. To this end an effort to maintain a diverse gene pool is to be encouraged.
Full paperwork of purebred registration is required, with a work up proving the parentage and
pedigree of those animals to be considered for registration, as evidence of their being purebred
St. Croix of color (Class A) to be designated separately as the St. Thomas hair sheep breed.
Color, solid or markings, shall be recorded and shall be allowed all the way down to solid white.
Once designated as St. Thomas there shall be no return to St. Croix for any of the descendants.
The St. Thomas Crossbred Program shall allow for up to fifty (50%) percent other designated
hair sheep breeds and will be a registration. The Crossbred Program will be for all those of
less than 100% St. Croix, or St. Thomas, and shall be designated as Class B.
Restriction: No wool breeding of over twenty (25%) five percent to be accepted for inclusion
in the St. Thomas Hair Sheep Crossbred Program at the registration level. Recording level
may allow up to fifty (50%) percent wool. The Crossbred Program shall have the goal of
increasing the less than one hundred (100%) percent and to track the benefits of crossbreeding.
| IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.... St. Croix Hair Sheep exhibit all colors and markings, but early on it was decided to study and register only those of the all white coloring, due to the theory that this was the coloring that would do best in the hot climate of the Middle East. In an effort to not lose these natural genetics our 'parent'...St. Croix Association...has now chosen to acknowledge this diversity... for the "St. Croix of color", now designated as... ST. THOMAS, "Virgin Island Hair Sheep". |
| ST. THOMAS has two SEPARATE CLASSIFICATIONS |
CLASS "A"
CLASS "B"
- PUREBRED ST. CROIX OF COLOR
CLASS "B"
- CROSSBRED PROGRAM
| ONLINE SINCE DEC 2004 Last Updated: 28 SEPT 2007 |
| AS ALWAYS - PHOTOS WANTED and...ENJOYED ST. THOMAS, both CLASS A and B WE NEED YOUR HELP... WEBSITE COMMITTEE |
ST. THOMAS... BREED STANDARDS
A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
BIRTHDAY GIRL! ST, Class A, pending The little girl in the photo, seen here with her SC Mama, was born in central USA. |
| PHOTO donated by: JILL SLAWSON California |
St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders International Association, Inc.
|
| Registrations and Transfers PO Box 1439, Goldendale, WA 98620-1439 Please 'snail mail' all applications for registration. ONLINE PDF FORMS - to be found via REGISTRAR PAGE.
|
| FIVE GENERATION PEDIGREE CERTIFICATES |
| AMERICAN LIVESTOCK BREEDS CONSERVANCY ENDANGERED - THREATENED - WATCH - RECOVERING - STUDY |
| THE... ST. CROIX... [and therefore the ST. THOMAS]... HAIR SHEEP BREED IS CURRENTLY ON THE ALBC's.... "THREATENED" SPECIES LIST |