What is "ancon sheep"

Ancon \An"con\ ([a^][ng]"k[o^]m), n.; L. pl. Ancones. [L., fr. Gr. 'agkw`n the bent arm, elbow; any hook or bend.] (Anat.) The olecranon, or the elbow.

Ancon sheep (Zo["o]l.), a breed of sheep with short crooked legs and long back. It originated in Massachusetts in 1791; -- called also the otter breed.

Ancon sheep (also called "Otter" sheep) are a grouping of domestic sheep with long bodies and very short legs, with the fore-legs being crooked. The term is generally applied to a line of sheep bred from a single affected lamb born in 1791 in Massachusetts, USA. The breed was artificially selected and maintained for its desirable inability to jump over fences. It was allowed to go extinct in 1876 when it was no longer required.

The name "Ancon" has also been applied to other strains of sheep arising from individuals with the same phenotype, such as a Norwegian stock bred from a single individual born in 1919, and a Texan, USA stock bred from a single individual born in 1962. These lineages were also allowed to go extinct after scientists no longer needed them for genetic research.

Excavations in Leicester, UK have also revealed metacarpals, metatarsals and phalanges characteristic of Ancon sheep that date to approximately AD 1500, thereby demonstrating that the phenotype has arisen independently at least four times.

The unique features of ancon sheep are caused by a recessive dwarf mutation, which often results in crippling. The specific effect of the mutation is to cause chondrodystrophy.