A Total Breeding Programme

Some of the nearly-pure rams were taken to three stud farms - Michael Rosenberg's Ash Farm, Ken Briggs' Bite Farm and Joe Henson's Cotswold Farm Park to carry the programme forward. In 1979 with advice from Lawrence Alderson, the Technical Consultant to the Trust, the four breeders agreed to a total breeding programme (by now only using Norfolks). Lawrence laid down strict rules in order to strengthen each group by line breeding, while the cyclic crossing minimised overall inbreeding. These original breeders, joined later by a few more elite flocks as sheep became available, moved ewes and rams all over the country at tupping time in order to achieve the matings deemed most suitable by Lawrence. The aim was to use the high percentage ewes (90% or over) to achieve a minimum 80% purity throughout the flocks. This was believed to have been achieved in 1985, but it was not until the following year that the breeders felt sufficiently confident to apply for recognition by the Trust. It was put on the Priority List, category one (critical) in that year.

From this time new breeders were able to buy Norfolks, though the numbers available were very limited. Gradually they increased in number, and the relatively high level of inbreeding appeared not to have caused any undue problems. Breeders were encouraged to notify the Trust of anything unusual so that a close watch could be kept - and this applies today. Obviously with such a small genetic base inbreeding is inevitable, and we have to be aware of it and watch for problems. The Trust, and Lawrence Alderson in particular, gave us much help and advice. We now have the computer programme ‘Geniped’ which includes a facility to ascertain (1) the coefficient of inbreeding used to work out if the influence of common ancestors is becoming too concentrated; and (2) the effective founder number - which helps to ensure all the foundation lines are effectively represented in the present population. All this aids in the selection of suitable rams. We can do imaginary matings of certain ewes with a particular ram to ascertain the inbreeding of their progeny. Inbreeding may result in a gradual decline in a flock, e.g. poor fertility, poor doers, non-viable lambs or it may show up in an above average incidence of defects eg cryptorchid, malformed lambs, parrot mouth. Geniped is held on my computer, but my daughter, Suzannah Coke does most of the work on it. She is happy to put anyone’s ewes and rams through the programme, and to look at rams pre-purchase.

A milestone for the breed was the publication of Peter Wade-Martins' book Black Faces in 1993. A definitive text on the old breed, it brought together history and photographs which soon would have been lost forever.