228 FITTING SHEEP 



to the inexperienced to distinguish a thick-fleshed sheep 

 from one excessively thick in "spine" fat, is that the fat 

 is sometimes so solid and firm that it requires the most 

 delicate "touch" and acute judgment to discriminate be- 

 tween the two conditions. 



You may ask how I manage to determine the difference 

 myself? My answer is, although I do pretend to know, I 

 cannot find words to properly explain just how I do dis- 

 tinguish between the two conditions. Where two sheep 

 may be selected of the same weight, from the same flock, and 

 fed in the same manner, one of which may be of the un- 

 profitable, thin-fleshed class, and the other one of the de- 

 sirable thick-fleshed class, there is a difference in the "touch" 

 of the animal which is readily recognized by the practiced 

 butcher. As before mentioned, to be able to distinguish 

 this difference one must have a very sensitive "touch" and 

 much practical experience in handling sheep. Discord or 

 harmony of touch tells whether we are handling a tub of 

 tallow or a wealth of flesh. How very liable judges the 

 world over are to err in making their awards in fat stock 

 classes is often and amply proved by the results of the 

 block test. 



I wish it to be understood in the above paragraph that 

 I do not wish to go on record as saying that animals to be 

 profitable to the butcher must not be fat, for I well know 

 that an animal to produce really good, sweet, tender and 

 luscious meat must be fat or "ripe." But what I wish to 

 convey is that fat animals are desirable only when carrying 

 .a wealth of flesh in proportion to and in harmony with their 

 degree of fatness. No one will, I think, question my conten- 

 tion that the flesh from fat animals is far and away superior 



