BSBA purebred Babydolls

How can sheep be registered as BSBA Purebred Babydolls?
A sheep breed is not created instantly. It needs a vision for what the breed will be (the breed standard), choice of the genetics to be used as a base and then careful, selective breeding to produce sheep that fulfill the vision. Babydoll Sheep Breeders Australia (BSBA) records this process in our registry.  You can be sure that sheep registered as BSBA Purebred Babydolls have been through a rigorous process to achieve that status.

Babydoll Sheep Breeders Australia has a two tier registration system: EM Babydolls (EM is for Emerging) and Purebred Babydolls. Sheep can only move from EM Babydoll to Purebred Babydoll registration after a rigorous inspection process.

Grading up
Purebred Babydolls in the BSBA registry are produced by breeders who employ a technique known as "grading up". Grading up is a systematic breeding process used to enhance a flock's quality by selecting and breeding with animals possessing superior qualities or particular genetic backgrounds. It allows for introduction of new traits that are permitted by the breed standard such as coloured wool. Through careful selection and continuous improvement, this method gradually transforms the flock, making it more uniform in terms of desired traits, and aligning it with the characteristics of the desired purebred sheep breed.

Grading up is sometimes referred to as "appendix flock breeding” with progress measured in grades (D, C, B, A or similar), generations (F1, F2...) or percentages. It is useful for introducing new traits such as coloured and patterned wool that are permitted by the breed standard. It is not as useful for increasing genetic diversity unless done on a huge scale.

Getting started with the first BSBA Purebred Babydolls
The Babydoll breed was first named, described and registered in North America. Due to quarantine restrictions and conditions, importing North American Babydoll genetics into Australia would be complicated and expensive. We have wonderful Southdown genetics to use in Australia to develop a Babydoll breed, just as Babydoll sheep in North America were based on Southdown genetics.

For the BSBA system, a sheep with Southdown genetics in the pedigree can be introduced into the BSBA registry and registered as EM Babydoll. This includes sheep that have been registered in other registries (ASSBA Babydoll, AABMGS Babydoll or ASSBA Southdown). We trace their pedigrees back to their Southdown ancestors to calculate a Breed Percentage.  A purebred Southdown would be 100%.

Upon the breeder's request, a BSBA inspection team conducts formal inspections to determine if a sheep can be upgraded from EM Babydoll to Purebred Babydoll registration. To be considered, the sheep must have a Breed Percentage over 93% and already be registered as EM Babydoll. The sheep can only pass inspection if, overall, their traits match the BSBA Babydoll breed standard as outlined in the BSBA Babydoll Breed Type Matrix.

A sheep that passes inspection becomes part of the BSBA Purebred Babydoll population and is reallocated a Breed Percentage of 100%. The first BSBA Purebred Babydolls were registered in 2024.

Offspring from two parents that are registered as BSBA Purebred Babydoll are automatically registered as purebred. Through this transparent and inclusive process, our BSBA Purebred Babydoll population has been established and is growing.

What happens to the sheep that can't be BSBA Purebred Babydoll?
Sheep that do not meet the criteria for upgrade to Purebred Babydoll registration retain their EM Babydoll status. We recognise that they can still be useful in a Babydoll grading up program. Their Breed Percentage  tracks where they are in the breeding up process.
 
We eagerly anticipate the results of the outstanding efforts of our breeders in developing this remarkable breed.