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THE SHROPSHIRE. 



The Shropshire is the most cosmopolitan of all the Down breeds. 

 It is noted for symmetry and quality of carcase, hardiness of 

 constitution, value for crossing, and adaptability to different soils 

 and climates. It has a fairly heavy fleece of fine bright wool ; 

 and a superior quality of mutton, accompanied by darkness of the 

 hair of the face and legs. It has been crossed with success with 

 sheep of almost all .pure breeds, and with the common mongrels 

 which constitute a large proportion of the sheep flocks of the world. 



Over 2,000 registered Shropshires were exported in the great 

 export year, 1906, and they went to the following countries : 

 Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Japan, Canada, United States 

 of America, Argentine, Uruguay, Chili, Brazil, Jamaica, Demerara, 

 Natal, South Africa, Algiers, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, 

 Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. 



Origin of the Breed. One of the parents of the breed was a 

 black-faced or brown- or spotted-faced horned sheep which grazed 

 on Morfe Common, near Bridgnorth, and produced wool of a 

 superior quality. This Morfe sheep was said by Youatt to resemble 

 the Ryeland in many points, or to be a variety of it. Can- 

 nock Chase, in Staffordshire, carried a heavier type of sheep, from 

 which many of the Staffordshire Shropshires were descended. It is 

 usually agreed that the improved Southdown ram was employed to 

 develop the various original slow-maturity foundation breeds (which 

 also included the Longmynd blackfaced horned sheep) into the 

 modern hornless early-maturity Shropshire. The two pioneer 

 breeders were Samuel Meire, of Berrington, and George Adney, of 

 Harley, the blood of whose sheep is present in " nearly every flock 

 of repute at the present day." 



It was not till 1859 that the Shropshire was admitted into the 

 Royal Society's prize sheet and recognised as a distinct breed, 

 though specimens were exhibited at the show in 1853 at Gloucester. 

 This gave a strong impetus to further development, which went 

 steadily on till at the Shrewsbury Royal Show in 1884 there 

 were 875 Shropshires presented to the judges. Sixty exhibitors 

 hailed from fifteen counties. 



Wide Distribution. The irregularity of type which at one time 

 existed has now disappeared from the Shropshire, and its out- 

 standing merits have led to the driving out or . the reduction in 

 numbers of many of the native breeds of the country. 



Characteristics of the Breed. The Shropshire Sheep Breeders' 

 Association and Flock Book Society was formed in 1882, and a 

 historical notice of the breed appears in Volume III of the Flock 

 Book, from which the following distinguishing points have 

 been extracted : " The head and the face (which should not be too 

 long) should be completely covered with fine white wool ; the face 

 and legs a nice soft black in colour ; the ears also dark and small 

 or medium, fleece very dense, fine and of medium length ; the 

 body and legs covered Avith an even quality of wool coarse wool 

 about the thighs, or light and thin wool on the shoulder points being 

 a great fault, as also are patches of black or grey wool. The skin 



