EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 577 



THE UNIVERSAL SHEEP— A SCHEDULE OF ITS REQUISITES AND 

 MANY ADVANTAGES. 



Howard A. Chandler. 



Every farmer or breeder has his own ideas about the sort of live stock 

 he admires. All who are acquainted with the sheep industry have pictured 

 in their minds an ideal sheep. Through exhibiting at the fairs and 

 meeting all sorts of buyers both there and at our farm, we find that the 

 general trend of ideas is toward much the same sheep. In speaking of 

 "The Universal Sheep" we do not mean the sheep that is raised every- 

 where, but rather the sort of sheep that would be bred if all breeders 

 could nearly approach their desires. Such a sheep, we think, would be 

 of rather exceptional size, with a straight back and wide hind end, heavy 

 bone and a dense fleece of good length. That would be very close to it. 

 Experience is the teacher that gives most farmers their lessons, and it is 

 a good teacher, too. 



Size is to be desired for several reasons. On most farms the flock is 

 let have the run pretty well all over and in the autumn or winter the 

 lambs are sold. Sheep which will mature to a greater weight during 

 that length of time are the ones which the farmer will want to produce. 

 There is plenty of grass, weeds, etc., and even though the larger sheep 

 does consume more feed, he is the right one. For "The Universal Sheep" 

 perhaps there are more farmers who would choose the rather too large 

 sheep than there are farmers who would choose the sheep with under- 

 size. A good big sheep is all right and we all admire him, but there is a 

 limit and other things must be considered. The straight back is desirable, 

 but there are other things about it to consider. We do not want an 

 arched back like in the hog. This will bring back the subject of size. 

 When we find the exceptionally large sheep, as a rule, they are coarse. 

 The back may be straight, but it is bare, even though the sheep is fat. 

 The large sheep has bareness throughout. What is wanted in the packing 

 house are the lambs with large amounts of natural flesh; well covered 

 with lean meat all over. Get this desirable covering of flesh and then 

 what size you may wish for. 



HOW TO EXAMINE SHEEP. 



The way to determine the amount of flesh upon the back, loin, etc., is 

 to take the hand flat and commence on top of the shoulder. Pass down- 

 ward and ascertain the covering on the shoulder. Bring the hand along 

 the back and besides learning the flesh covering you will know of the 

 atraightness. After passing the loin take both hands and find the width 

 of loin and also ascertain the depth. Also notice how w«ll the general 

 width is carried back to the tail-head. Passing on down to the hind 

 quarters, with your hands learn the filling of meat there. Remember that 

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