LECTURE NO. 9. 



DORSET HORN SHEEP ORIGIN AND HISTORY, CHAR- 

 ACTERISTICS AND PRINCIPAL POINTS. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



I. The Dorsets are an ancient breed of sheep, 

 which, in large numbers, inhabited certain of the 

 midland and southeastern counties of England dur- 

 ing previous centuries. 



(1) They had substantially the same characteristics, but 

 some minor differences existed, largely due to variations of 

 climate and food. 



(2) In nearly all of those districts their identity has been 

 obliterated through crossing with other breeds. 



II. The central home of the breed at present 

 is in Dorsetshire and Somersetshire, where they have 

 been bred from time immemorial. 



(1) The leading flocks in Dorset are found in the south 

 and west with Dorchester as a center, and in the isle of 

 Purbeck. 



(2) In Somerset it is claimed that they are more numer- 

 ous than in Dorset and are somewhat larger in frame. 



III. The original sheep of Dorset and Somer- 

 set compared. 



(1) The sheep of Dorset were rather small and light of 

 carcass, black of nose and lip, wide of horn, light and low in 

 the shoulders, long but not coarse of limb, and ragged in coat, 

 but they were broad and somewhat deep of loin. 



(2) The Somerset Dorsets were larger and more lank in 

 form, had pink noses, longer wool, and produced larger lambs. 



IV. Breeding characteristics of the original 

 Dorsets. 



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