JUDGING MUTTON SHEEP 277 



clean, bright, and placid. The muzzle should be broad and 

 open, indicating feeding capacity. The neck should be thick, 

 short, and set well into the shoulders. 



Forequarters 7 Per Cent. The shoulders should be com- 

 pact on top, well covered with flesh, and of the required 

 smoothness to give good form. The brisket should be neat 

 and extend well forward. The breast should be wide and 

 full, indicating health and a vigorous constitution. 



Body 20 Per Cent. The chest should be wide, deep, and 

 full, and the ribs well sprung to give plenty of room for the 

 development of the lungs, heart, and digestive system. The 

 back should be broad, straight, of good length, and thickly 

 fleshed, and the loin should also be thick and broad, for in this 

 region is located some of the highest priced meat. 



Hindquarters 16 Per Cent. The leg of mutton, which repre- 

 sents over 40 per cent of the value of the mutton carcass, 

 is located in the hindquarter. For this reason a good de- 

 velopment of this portion of the animal is highly desirable 

 from the butcher's standpoint. The rump should be long, 

 level, and wide, thighs full and deep, twist plump, and legs 

 straight, short, and strong. 



Wool 12 Per Cent. The wool should be of good length, 

 dense, and evenly distributed over all parts of the body. A 

 dense fleece is desirable because it produces more wool and 

 affords greater protection to the sheep. The condition of 

 the fleece should be good. It should be well supplied with 

 yolk or oil, although too much is not desirable. It should 

 be soft, light, and free from dirt and trash. The skin under 

 the fleece should have a bright, pink color. A bluish tint is 

 not desirable, as it indicates lack of vigor and health. 



