14 FITTING SHEEP 



of course, being plainly visible, at once condemns them as 

 show animals. Some unscrupu^us exhibitors have been 

 known to do some pretty sleek "jockeying" to hide these 

 defects. There are instances in which ten cents worth of 

 dye has been known -to be the means of a sheep that was 

 utterly disqualified for show purposes on account of defects 

 of the fleece winning a premium to which another animal 

 was justly entitled. Sheep having traces of black or discol- 

 ored wool are very apt to transmit them to the offspring, 

 hence the importance of at once turning down a specimen 

 carrying these defects. Down sheep with long coarse fleeces 

 should not be selected as candidates for the show ring, no 

 matter what other good qualities they may have to recom- 

 mend them, neither should sheep with the least trace of 

 "kemp" in its fleece, as it cannot possibly win under a judge 

 that is worthy of the name. Kemp is usually found on sheep 

 carrying a light, open fleece. It is most prominent on the 

 breech of the animal, more so than on any other part of its 

 body, although it is usually found disseminated entirely over 

 it. Some authorities claim this to be a disease. The writer 

 has always considered it more of a freak of nature, as some- 

 times lambs from the best bred flocks, both males and fe- 

 males, will be found to be "kempy." In no case is it advisable 

 to use an animal that has the least trace of "kemp" in its 

 fleece for breeding purposes. A show sheep of the Down 

 breeds should be covered from the "nose to the toes" with as 

 compact, dense, and fine a fleece as is possible to procure in 

 an animal that has all the other qualities that go in the 

 make-up of a really good show animal. When examining the 

 fleece in selecting candidates for exhibition purposes great 

 attention should be given to the condition of the "breech" 



