Dorset Horn Sheep. 60 



The Association has established a standard of excellence for 

 the breed as follows : — 



Hams. — Bold masculine appearance, and of robust character, 

 head of great beauty, with strong and long horns growing from 

 the head well apart on the crown in a straight line with each 

 other, and coming downwards and forwards in graceful curves 

 as close to the face as may be without necessitating cutting. 



Ewes. — Appearance bright with feminine characteristics. 

 The horns much smaller and more delicate than in the ram. 



General Characteristics. 



Head broad, full and open at the nostril, well covered with 

 wool from brow to pole, face white, with pink nose and lips. 



Ears. — Medium size and thin. 



Teeth. — Flat, chisel-shaped. 



Neck.— ^hort and round, well sprung from shoulders, with 

 no depression at the collar, strong and muscular, especially in 

 the ram. 



Chest. — "Well forward, full and deep. 



Eore Flank. — Full with no depression behind the shoulder. 



Shoulders. — Well laid and compact. 



Back and Loin. — Broad, long and straight, with well sprung 

 ribs. 



Quarters. — Full, broad and deep, with flesh extending to 

 the hocks 



Ribs. — Well sprung from the back and deep at the sides. 



Tail. — Well set up in a line with the back, wide, firm and 

 fleshy. 



Legs. — Well placed at the four corners, straight between 

 the joints, with plenty of bone, well woolled to or below the 

 knees and hocks. 



Fleece. — Of good staple and qualitj^ compact and firm to 

 the touch. 



Management. 



The general management of the breed is as follows : — 

 About one to one and a half ewes are kept to the acre, and 

 the flocks vary from 150 to 1,000 according to the area and the 

 quality of the land, and the amount of water-meadow and 

 pasture attached to the farms. In summer they require plenty 

 of room, being allowed to roam the pastures, downs, or 

 " sheep walks," by day, and being folded on the arable land at 

 night. They take to the ram fully two months earlier than 

 any other breed, the rams being put with the main flocks 

 al)out June 20, and the general time for lambing is from the 

 middle of November to Christmas. In ram breeding flocks 

 the ram is put in somewhat earlier, so that the ewes start 



