The Icelandic breeders have successfully propagated seperate polled strains, as have the Merino and Dorset sheep. This is an option that Shetland breeders should have available.
Why breed for a polled line of shetlands? Here are some reasons...
-Good rams won't be lost to fatal horn growth. It is very frustrating to buy or sell a young ram and have the horns grow into the face.
-One cannot always tell how the horns are going to grow out by the time a ram is ready for breeding. Sometimes those horns take a year, sometimes two years, before it is obvious they are growing in. So that ram may have been used extensively for breeding, and that trait may now be inherited by your lambs.
-Time and resources (feed, vaccinations, space, etc.) can be wasted for months or even years waiting to see how horns are going to turn out on a potential breeder.
-Horns can easily get tangled in fencing or with another ram's horns. Every year I hear of rams being killed by getting their horns tangled in electric fences.
-In my experience, polled rams cause less damage to housing, fencing, and other sheep.
-It is not uncommon for horn to break off, bleeding profusely, and the horns can grow back looking uneven. The blood attracts flies and can cause flystrike.
-Large horn buds on ram lambs can cause a hard delivery.
-Horns are beautiful to look at, and many Shetland breeders love their horned rams (and horned ewes). But some folks flat-out don't like horned animals, and won't have them on their property. These people may choose another breed of sheep to raise. I am hoping to reach these customers and expand shetlands in North America. This will benefit all Shetland sheep breeders.
-It is easier to mix rams from different age groups, even after post-breeding group introductions.
-Breeding groups can be set up side by side, with minimal fence damage compared to horned rams.
-I find it hurts a lot less getting rammed by a polled ram than one with horns. (Been there!)
We have an active message board for polled shetland sheep on yahoo groups. The message board includes extremely educational photo albums, horn studies, polled/scurred Shetland classifieds, links, and a database of carriers of polled/scurred Shetland genetics, both "domestic" and UK imported semen. Please join us, we'd love to have you! To sign up, click HERE.