Live Stock Sheep New LelceJIer or DiJJiley Breed Defcription of. 



-rco bf:r.i .-&quot;) r.lwjj ; M U,!.i ^\\L 



:breeder of this fort of flock is to aim at in the improvement of his fheep, hav-. 



ing proper regard to the feveral other properties that have been already- men 

 tioned. 



The New Leicejler or &quot;Dijlily heed is diftinguifhed from the other long-woolled 

 creeds by having fine lirely eyes, clean heads without horns, ftraight broad flat 

 backs, round or barrel-fhaped bodies ; finefmall bones; thin pelts, and a difpofition 

 to make fat at an early age ; to which may be added a fuperiority in thefinenefs of 

 the grain and flavour of the mutton to that of other fheep of the large long-woolled 

 .kind. The weight per quarter in ewes three or four years old from iSlbs. to 

 26lbs. ; in two year old wethers, from 2olbs. to 3olbs. ; the length of wool from 

 .fix to fourteen inches.* 



The advantage of this breed isfuppofed to confift in its producing a better profit 

 to the farmer, in proportion to the quantity of food confumed, than mofl others ; 

 in being more perfectly formed, and confequently more difpofedto fatten quickly ; 

 in containing a much larger proportion of meat on an equal weight of bone ; in 

 thriving well on fuch paftures as would not fupport other forts of the fame fize; in 

 being capable of being kept or fattened in larger proportions to the acre than other 

 breeds of the fame fize of carcafe ; Ln the wool being more valuable, though lefs in 

 quantity; in their being ready for the butcher in the early part of the fpring inftead 

 of the autumn, by which there is a confiderable faving in the fummer s grafs ; and 

 in the mutton, from the clofenefs of its texture, keeping longer than that of other 

 *qual fized breeds. 



The principal objections to this improved breed have been made on the grounds of 

 their fattening too much, and the mutton in confequence becoming lefs delicate 

 in its flavour than in that of other breeds that require a greater length of time in the 

 procefs; on the deficiency in the quantity of wool which they produce; and on their 

 not being calculated for the fold. It is, however, unqueftionably a valuable breed 

 on particular forts of pafture that are adapted to it, as is evident from its rapidly 

 making its way into different districts.-)- 



It has been further objected to this breed by fome, that the fheep are too fmall, 

 and that, from thethinnefs of their fkins or pelts, they may not be fo capable of 

 bearing cold ; but experience does not feem to fupport fuch conclufions. 



& Cullfy on Live Stock. i Annals of Agriculture, var. loc. and Lincolnfhire Agricultural Report. 



