LECTURE XLVI. 



JUDGING FAT SHEEP. 



Type Required by the Feeder. The feeder and the butcher 

 are two distinct individuals. It is quite true that the butcher 

 must procure his animal from the feeder; but would have it 

 such a form as would supply only valuable cuts of meat; 

 while the feeder must look for an animal with vigor of con- 

 stitution and other characters that indicate to him that the 

 animal will eat large quantities of food and make the very 

 best use of it at the earliest possible age. In order, then, 

 to produce the fat sheep, it is necessary to know the type of 

 lamb to select for the feed lot. 



In a previous lecture we took up the selection of steers 

 for the feed lot. As the low set, blocky type gives the most 

 satisfactory gains with steers so it is with lambs. And it 

 has been shown as well at this station and others that the 

 younger the lamb the more economical are the gains made. 

 Also pure bred or high grade lambs put on flesh more econom- 

 ically than do scrubs. 



Head a flock with a ram that is a good individual both as 

 to type and constitution. Not all his get will be like him- 

 self, but a large proportion will take on his form and apti- 

 tudes. An excellent illustration of value of a good ram 

 might be seen at the International Live Stock Show of 1903 

 in the Wisconsin exhibit. The champion wether was the 

 product of a Southdown ram on a scrub native ewe. 



A lamb for the feed lot must, in the first place, possess 

 health and vigor, indicated generally by a bright, clear eye, 

 pink skin and elastic, springy condition of wool. His head 

 should be short and broad; neck short and evenly blended 

 with the shoulder at the neck vein. His brisket should be 

 prominent and he should have good depth from top of shoulder 

 to bottom of chest, which should also possess good width. 

 There should be no depression behind his round, compact 

 shoulders, either on top or at the sides. The fore ribs should 



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