TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 247 



The general appearance of the fine-wooled sheep is very 

 distinctive. In a general way, the conformation closely re- 

 sembles that of the dairy cow. There is the same narrowness 

 of forequarters and moderate width of back and body, the 

 same muscular rather than fleshy covering, and the same ten- 

 dency to be somewhat rangy of body and long of leg. As com- 

 pared with the mutton type, there is proportionately more 

 length and narrowness of head, more length and thinness of 

 neck, less arch of rib, and less development of thigh and twist. 

 These differences are marked, so that shorn of their fleeces, 

 the two types of sheep present striking differences in form. 

 When viewed in the wool, further variations are manifest. The 

 fleece of the fine-wooled sheep is more compact and is often very 

 dark in color, the latter being due to the very heavy secretion of 

 yolk which catches dust and dirt and produces a black gum on 

 the exterior of the fleece. The mutton-type sheep has a smooth 

 skin, but the fine-wooled type has a loose skin lying more or less 

 in folds or wrinkles. Sometimes there are only a few folds about 

 the breast and lower border of the neck, while the middle and 

 hindquarters are smooth; but a large class of fine-wooled sheep 

 present a very wrinkled appearance over the entire body. 



The head should be rather short, medium wide, and well 

 defined or clean-cut in its features. The muzzle should be 

 broad and the nostrils should be large. Rams should have a 

 Roman nose with more width than ewes. The eyes of both 

 sexes should be rather wide apart, large, and clear, and have 

 a quiet expression. The forehead should be somewhat prom- 

 inent and have a fair degree of width. The ears should be fine, 

 short, covered with silky hair, and actively carried. The horns 

 of the ram should be placed rather well apart so as to give width 

 and strength to the top of the head. At maturity the horns 

 attain a strong development. They have a corkscrew shape, 

 turning backward from the base, then downward, around for- 

 ward, and up, making about one and one-half turns. The ewes 

 are hornless. Wool covers the poll, forehead, upper part of 

 the face, and cheeks, while the ears and lower part of the face 

 are covered with white hair, which should be very soft and fine. 

 The skin about the nose is often wrinkled. The head of the 

 ram should be very masculine as shown by heavy horns, wide 

 poll, Roman profile, and heavy nose, all parts being well de- 

 veloped or massive and the expression resolute. The ewe 

 should have a refined head and a feminine expression. 



