Horn/poll phenotypes- Mature rams and ewes.

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For our purposes here, a "phenotype" is the external features we observe when we look at an animal, or measure them in appearance. The following phenotypes will be useful when attempting to classify our horned/ scurred/ polled sheep.    All information is from Scott Dolling's book "Raising Merinos". I have summarized it here, as Dolling's book is out of print, and this information is not readily available anywhere else on the net.    For descriptions of what these words mean, please visit the horn/poll terminology page HERE.                      Follow red colored links to photos... Ram phenotypes: Phenotype "A": A depression in the skull                                  Phenotype A is PP                                   Phenotype  "B": A depression, with a bone knob in the depression Phenotype "C": A depression, with a scur less than approx. 1/2" long in the depression. Phenotype "D": A depression, with a scur more than approx. 1/2" long in the depression. Phenotype "E": A short scur, without a depression. Phenotype "F": A long scur. Phenotype "G": Aberrant horn.                 Phenotypes D through G may be either Pp or Pp' Phenotype "H": Large, coiled horn.                           Phenotype H is either pp, p'p, or p'p' Ewe phenotypes: Phenotype "J": A depression in the skull. Phenotype "K": A depression, with a bone knob in the depression.                Phenotypes J and K can vary, from PP to p'p. Phenotype "L": A depression, with a short scur in the depression.                        Phenotype L can vary from Pp to pp. Phenotype "M": A bone knob, without a depression. Phenotype "N": A short scur on a bone knob, without a depression.                       Phenotypes M and N are pp or p'p Phonetype "O": Full horns.                       Phenotype O is either p'p or p'p'