The Painted Desert Sheep Society was invited this past April to showcase our Painted Desert sheep on Texas Agriculture Matters, hosted by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, in a new weekly show on RFD-TV.

RFD-TV is the Nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine, and the rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment.

This is the first time Texas Agriculture Matters has done a show, on sheep, of any kind. The PDSS was honored that they picked our beloved breed for their first show ever on sheep. After seeing the Painted Desert Sheep, Commissioner Sid Miller labeled them “the Texas Longhorn of the sheep world.”

Brent Neighbors of Tejas Ranch and a PDSS Advisory Board Member hosted the film crew at his ranch in Yantis, Texas. The film crew took video and asked questions regarding Painted Desert Sheep for the segment at Tejas Ranch. Brent Neighbors traveled to the RFD-TV studio in the Ft Worth Stockyards to do an interview with the commissioner.

Thank you so much Brent for taking this on for the Painted Desert Sheep Society, the breed, and its members!

Segment information:

Texas Agriculture Matters S4 E4: Painted Desert Sheep NEW!

Watch the full episode online. First Aired: Tuesday 06/22/21 7:00P ET

It will air again Friday 06/25/21 7:00A ET

https://www.directv.com/tv/Texas-Agriculture-Matters-UTVCbHFwS1IvL09Gby9GckxSaXJvUT09/Painted-Desert-Sheep-Snk5RFpIR0MxamZ5cTQveFpkSXc4Zz09

You can enjoy RFD-TV on these platforms:

AT&T (Channel 568 & 1568)

Charter Spectrum

Comcast

Cox

DIRECTV (Channel 345)

DIRECTV NOW

DISH (Channel 231)

Mediacom

Sling TV's Heartland Package

Suddenlink

To find out if RFD-TV is available in your area https://www.rfdtv.com/find-us

RFD-TV schedule https://www.rfdtv.com/schedule

We will also be posting the video later on all our PDS groups and pages. Feel free to share this exciting news to your fellow breeders and friends!!!

Eventually the episode will be here: TEXAS AGRICULTURE MATTERS - TV FINALS - YouTube

The 2021 PDSS Calendar is now available at the Calendar Store. I believe folks have until 12/15/2020 to order it for delivery by Christmas.

~Lily Brown~

Lazy Bottom Ranch

(https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/2021+Painted+Desert+Sheep+Society-7258844598)

8/21/2020

2021 CALENDAR!!

Time for photo submissions!!

Photo submission rules:

*You must be a current member with the Painted Desert Sheep Society or Trophy Hair Sheep of America.

*Sheep in the photo must be PDSS or THSOA registered. The only exception is a lamb or a flock photo. Include name and number of sheep.

*Please, no wooly, shedding sheep, bloody newborns and dams, or cluttered/dirty backgrounds.

*Photos should be high resolution. Do not crop. Lily will do the cropping as needed.

Please email submissions to Debbie at outdoorsizbest@hughes.net

This year we have seen lots of changes in regular daily life and the registries themselves. The great Irish playwright & political activist Bernard Shaw said, “Progress is impossible without change…” As members of the PDSS and THOA we have had our fair share of change this year.

At the end of March this year Anita Garza, founder, retired after 23 years of service to the creation, maintenance and growth of the PDSS and THSOA. At the time of her retirement, Anita appointed Monica Spaulding as her successor for the registries. In April, the registry rolled out the new digital copies of the registration papers for the registries, along with a new digital database for record keeping and email submission. At the end of April to beginning of May, the new registrar updated several of the forms to allow for digital submittal of applications, online payment, and a new certification called the ‘Recognition of Merit’ for outstanding genetic contributions by a single ewe. By the end of June, the registry was able to announce that we have reached the registration record number of F-5000 in the stud books, which has been a 23-year mission for Anita Garza.

Now with the number 5000+ in the stud books, it is an honor to be able to announce that the PDSS will be going from an open to partially closed stud book at year’s end.

So, what does this mean for the registry and its members?

Since the registry was founded in 1997 by Anita Garza, we have had an open stud book. An open stud book means that the registry accepted sheep for registration based on a establish breed criteria and inspection process regardless of unknown history. Sheep were recorded into the stud record and assigned a registration number after the inspection process and if it met the detailed breed criteria set forth by the registry. The registry has met a milestone and is now ready to look to the future by becoming partially closed.

After several discussions with the registrar and the advisory board members, it has been unanimously voted to partially close the stud book. Wait, What? What does a partial close mean?

A partial close of the stud book means that the sire of an offspring must be registered for the offspring to be registered and recorded in the Stud Book. The decision to require the sire to be registered is based on looking at the genetic contributing factors within a flock. A flock can have 90% of the sire’s genetic makeup over time, hence why the decision was made that the sire (ram) must be registered for the offspring to be eligible for registration. How can a flock sire be more than 50% of the flock’s genetic makeup of its offspring?

Over time, the herd sires will be the main contributing factors to the flock. A ram contributes 50% of the genetic makeup to EACH generation of its offspring. Most shepherds retain replacement ewes, which contain over 75% of the genetic factors of the previous two herd sires. The third generation will have ~88% of the genetic DNA and by the fourth generation ~93.75% sheep in the flock will have the DNA genetic makeup of its previous sires. Hence, based on the estimated transmitting ability of the flock sire in the gene pool of the breed, to retain the goal for superior standards, only offspring with a registered sire will be eligible for registration. How do we track the percentage of “purity” within the registry once it closes?

The registry has created a calculated percentage for registration recording based on the 31/32 mathematical average of genetic contribution calculation with the minimum percentage being 50% or 2/4 as its minimum baseline. This means that the sire must be registered for the offspring to have a 50% genetic or 2/4 minimum baseline.

Here is an example: Jeff purchases a first-generation registered ram (meaning that ram was the first to hold registration papers) and purchases two ewes without registration papers (ewe A and ewe B). Ewe A lambs a single ewe and ewe B lambs twins. Jeff has defied the odds and all 3 lambs are ewes which he plans to retain to grow his flock. Since the sire was registered, the lambs, A1, B1, & B2 are registerable at 50% or 2/4 purity. The second breeding season Jeff brings in a new registered ram called C as his flock sire. Jeff breeds to A1, B1 & B2, ewe A and ewe B to ram C. Now the offspring of A1, B1 &B2 are considered 75% pure or 3/4 pure. See Table A. The percentage grows each generation of registered offspring until the 5^th generation. Using the 31/32 genetic calculation, the 5^th generation is considered pure or fullblood at 96.875% for registration purposes.

Just like Jeff, I will bet you want to know why doing a partial close on the stud book is beneficial to its members and the breed in general.

There are several reasons for the registry to close the books; one is breed recognition and purity. The open book on the stud records allows in sheep of unknown parentage to become registered based on a certain process, allowing unknown lineage into the record book. This gives the impression (and rightly so) that the Painted Desert Sheep is not a true sheep breed but a mutt breed. Let us compare it to the American Kennel Club (AKC), they do not recognize certain breeds of dogs like the designer doodles (labradoodle, cocker doodle, etc.) because they consider them crossbred dogs. Sadly, in the world of sheep, our beloved Painted Deserts are considered crossbred sheep or mutts. Closing the books changes that and, as a breed, we will have more control over the way the breed in general is viewed.

Another reason for closing the stud book, and setting up additional eligibility requirements, is the hope for more youth involvement in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) 4-H, County Fair, etc. Closing the books will help our breed meet some of the guidelines in exhibiting and showing our sheep. As breeders, we need to look at the future for our breed and start to get more youth involvement. In order for that to happen, we need conformity within the breed. Eliminating the open book will help move us in that direction. It is the board’s hope that a partial closing of the books will enable our youth to take more of an active interest in our beloved breed, and through them, our breed will increase in desirability in all industry outlets.

Once the desirability increases, as well as the geographical distribution of breeders, the value and marketability come into factor. The higher the demand, the higher the price. As the registry grows and expands into new avenues, financial marketability increases. The breeder who has registered sheep from a partially closed book has a better base for selling than another breeder who lacks the historical data that the registration papers provide. As breeders, fanciers, and members, we all know the value of the Painted Desert Sheep. Doing a partial close on the stud records is a major step toward gaining respectability in the sheep breeders associations and increasing desirability among other breeders.

Now onto what changes you will see in the recording of the sheep.

The registration certificate will experience minimal changes to its current template. Previous registration record numbers were labeled beginning with F-###, which stood for foundation stock. H-### for hardship, and BK-### for breeding stock. The new registration number will be labeled with the prefix of P-### for permanent/pure, N-#### for hardship/non-color and L-### for breeding stock/limited. For questions regarding foundation, hardship, or breeding stock classification, please review the registry’s website. There will also be a new column on the front of the registration papers that states sheep’s fullblood or purity percentage. For the sake of the registrar and its members, the registry is moving forward with the mathematical 31/32 calculation or 96.875% minimum classification as purebred or fullblood Painted Desert for their recording purposes. This will be displayed on the registration certificates.

Now to address the registration records that were issued prior to the partial close of the registry.

While the books are open, as mentioned earlier, all sheep that meet the criteria for breed standards are recognized as foundation, hardship or breeding stock pending inspection. This is not changing until December 31, 2020. Once the stud book partially closes, those sheep will remain foundation stock and will remain classified as such. They will retain all classification rights as foundation stock.

Clear as mud, right? The simple explanation on a partial close is that to be eligible for registration and recording, offspring must have a registered sire within the registry. After 4 generations of registration lineage, the 5^th generation, for all purposes, will become pure, or fullblood, with regards to the Painted Desert Sheep Society studbook.

As with any growth, there is always change. The registrar and advisory board feel that for the Painted Desert Sheep Society to reach its full potential within the shepherding world, we need to partially close the stud book on December 31, 2020. As John F. Kennedy stated, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the registrar at pdss.thsoa@gmail.com

Reference:

Estes, Roberta, “Concepts-Calculating Ethnicity Percentages” 11, January 2017, 2 July 2020, https://dna-explained.com/2017/01/11/concepts-calculating-ethnicity-percentages/

Hillis, David M. “Selecting a Herd Sire for Texas Longhorn Herd”, Double Helix Ranch, 7 July 2020, http://doublehelixranch.com/herdsire.html

6/3/2020

The PDSS & THSOA registry would like to officially announce its newly selected Advisory Board members.

Monica Spaulding, Acting Registrar

Anita Garza, Founder

Joni Puckett

Jan Rogers

Michael Brent

Dustin Day

Debbie Saxton

The advisory board mission is to assist the registry in the following:

-Create, debate and decide on registry programs and policies

-Aide in strategic planning and decision making for the betterment of the registry and its members

-Contribute input and feedback to the acting registrar regarding the registry and its members on a whole

-Assist in registry development, new member recruitment, and code of ethic/conduct violation consulting.

The board meets routinely and constantly to discuss registry matters for the Painted Desert Sheep Society and The Trophy Hair Sheep of America. The board members were selected by Anita Garza and Monica Spaulding after careful consideration and the selection of board members were done with due diligence.

Please note that all questions, concerns, paperwork and registry matters will still be given to Monica Spaulding, acting registrar. Monica will bring all topics that fall within the advisory boards scope to the members of the board. Board members are not contact points on registry matters at this time.

3/14/2020

Anita Garza, founder and registrar for the Painted Desert Sheep Society and the Trophy Hair Sheep of America, will be handing over registrar duties for both registries to her successor Monica Spaulding.

After 23 years since founding the Painted Desert Sheep Society, Anita is retiring from the duties associated with the registrar of the Painted Desert Sheep Society and Trophy Hair Sheep of America. However, Anita Garza will still be an active consultant for both registries for the new registrar, Monica Spaulding.

Monica Spaulding has a degree in Accounting and Information Technology from the University of Texas. She owns and operates Green Gate Farm located in Melissa, Texas. Monica has been editor for the Shepherd’s Voice newsletter since 2015. She has been a moderator or admin on the registries’ social platforms and a consultant for both registries since early 2019.

The registries will be rolling out a new registration certificate for new applications. The benefits of this new registration certificate include a digital format, transfers of ownership included on the certificate, and the ability to file new applications online along with the fees associated with transfers, membership, and applications. The new digital format will not take place of the physical copy of registration certificates it is an added feature.

The new registrar is working on implementing a few new digital resources for active members of the Painted Desert Sheep Society and Trophy Hair Sheep of America including promotional marketing material, Co-Op advertising in printed publications, a classified section on the registries’ website for active members, and a few other member only resources that will be announced as they become viable.

For the Official Social sites for the Painted Desert Sheep Society and Trophy Hair Sheep of America, click links below:

9/26/2019

Due to the recent FB policies, the Painted Desert Sheep Society and Trophy Hair Sheep of America official SALES sites have moved to MeWe. If you are looking for sheep or in search of sheep, please use the MeWe groups for advertisement.

The MeWe app can be located under "Links"