To me this issue relates completely to habitat and the lack of government will to provide any kind of habitat management. The age structure problem of the rams speaks to a population of sheep at the limit of the carrying capacity of their winter range not of something hereditary. As Giest says, rams from a population that has exceeded the range capacity show generally slow growth rates and old age structure. I think that they are trying to muddy the waters rather than deal with the issue of habitat. They cannot possibly be that stupid not to be able to put 2 and 2 together. It must be to costly or cause to much of a public uproar to do any kind of management. If they followed their own guidelines on habitat management this would be a non issue. Changes are coming and I hope it doesn't come down to a draw.
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