WHICH BREED? 



Start a Bunch of Sheep on Your Farm or Improve the Ones 



You Have 



The breed you choose is not so important as to have good speci- 

 mens of the breed. Any of the breeds do well in a small bunch. 

 Merino, Dorset and Tunis ewes mate earlier in the fall than other 

 breeds and for that reason are well suited to raising winter lambs 

 for early markets. The large mutton breeds are heavy feeders 

 and must have abundant feed. The Merino is hardiest of all and 

 better adapted to hilly land and where large numbers are kept 

 together. 



The Medium Wool Breeds 



Figure 1 The Shrop- 

 shire is the most popular 

 breed of mutton sheep in 

 the United States. This 

 breed is so well known 

 that it needs no descrip- 

 tion. Its conformation is 

 next to the Southdown 

 in perfection. The Shrop- 

 shire matures early and 

 is almost completely cov- 

 ered with thick wool of 

 medium length. 



Fig. 1 Shropshire Ram, owned by Geo. 

 McKerrow & Sons, Pewaukee, Wis. 



Figure 2 Southdown 



sheep originated in Sus- 

 sex, England, and are one 

 of the oldest breeds. 

 Southdowns are the near- 

 est perfect mutton type ; 

 are short-legged, symmet- 

 rical, smooth, and com- 

 pact and are deceiving in 

 weight. They often weigh 

 as much as some of the 

 larger-looking, more up- 

 standing breeds. South- 

 downs have brown faces and legs and medium weight fleece. 



75 



Fig. 2 Southdown Ewe, owned by Chas. Leet 

 & Son, Mantua, Ohio 



