212 LIVE STOCK MANAGEMENT. 



should not be subjected to it later than six or seven weeks 

 before the show season opens, because it matters little how 

 the operation is performed it injures the fleece more or less, 

 thus detracting from its beauty. 



Coloring of the fleece is advocated by some very prominent 

 authorities, while other up-to-date flock masters condemn it. 

 Olive oil, yellow ocher and burned amber make a suitable 

 mixture to use, but unless the shepherd is an expert at color- 

 ing and can experiment on one of the common members of 

 the flock, it is advisable to dispense with the coloring feature. 

 It is a fact that some sheep in the show ring are sometimes 

 daubed with a greasy mixture until they are nothing short 

 of filthy. 



Show sheep should be blanketed so that the fleece may be 

 kept clean, compact and smooth. Blanketing also serves for 

 other purposes, such as keeping off flies and keeping the 

 sheep warm. It is a good plan to keep the blankets on the 

 sheep at the show until they are passed upon, so that visitors 

 will not destroy the fleeces. Blankets may be made of various 

 kinds of materials, such as duck and burlap. Duck makes 

 the most serviceable blankets for show purposes; however, 

 burlap or even bran sacks will suffice for home use. 



During the summer or considerable time before the show 

 season starts, every flock master should make application for 

 catalogues and entry blanks of the shows at which he in- 

 tends to exhibit. In making entries care should be exercised 

 so that mistakes and confusion may be avoided the judging 

 day. When the time to start for the show arrives it is ex- 

 pedient to ship plenty of the same rations as the sheep have 

 been accustomed to, because usually it is impossible to obtain 

 well cured clover hay, turnips and cabbage at reasonable 

 price, if at all. In addition to feed one should equip himself 

 with a trocar, blue vitriol, castor oil, shears, blankets and 

 bedding for his own use. If the exhibit is small and you 

 are the only exhibitor from your locality, it will not be ad- 

 visable to hire a whole car, but instead it will be much 

 cheaper to ship by weight or rather by the hundredweight. 



After arriving at the exhibition grounds the sheep will often 

 be very tired, especially if the journey has been a long one. 

 If such is the case one should not worry though the animals 

 refuse to eat or stand up. It is better to allow them to re- 

 main in the pens undisturbed than to entice them to eat 

 while they are tired or exhausted. In order to avoid tiring 



