59 6 



TYPES OF THE BREEDS. 



MERIXOS. 



For size of carcase the sheep owner must study his locality, for 

 though by giving a deal of room to each individual, large framed 

 sheep may be raised, it is often done at a disadvantage. It must 

 be borne in mind that it is not the return per individual that leaves 

 the profit, but the return per acre. It may occur that a medium 

 sixed, or a sheep on the small side, will show a better profit on the 

 area occupied than where large and more attractive sheep are raised. 

 Much depends on the shape of the sheep. Hitherto it has been 

 the general opinion that the merino is an unshapely animal, as com- 

 pared with what are known as the mutton breeds, but this is not 

 necessarily so. Though the merino will in all probability never get 

 the shape of the South-down or Shropshire, they can be raised 

 showing excellent points for mutton. Chief among these is a good 

 back and shoulder ; a narrow shoulder and ridge back should be as 

 much avoided in a merino as in any other sheep. These points are 

 often accompanied with good wool growing qualities, and a good 

 backed merino with a well sprung rib is less likely to become 

 open-woolled under a hot sun than a sheep that has a narrow ridge 

 along the back. The points of a merino sheep are usually drawn 

 up relating almost purely to the fleece, but now-a-days the carcase 

 is of no small importance. A good backed and chested sheep is 

 more likely to have a good strong constitution and to be a 

 better doer than a narrow-chestej, ridge backed one. The 

 merino, particularly the ram, should have large pronounced folds of 

 skin on his neck, with good \vool on them and between them. The 

 wool on the back should be close, not falling open. A broad thigh 

 down to the hock, and the arm well woolled ; the merino should be 

 woolled to the fetlocks, not for the value of the wool grown thereon, 

 but as a sign of breeding. A long staple should be avoided in a hot 

 climate, Length of staple gives wool no extra value, and it has 

 a strong tendency to become open and let in dirt. A medium 

 staple if bred for density will give a heavier weight of fleece and as 

 good a price per pound. The first thing is to get merinos with 

 good backs, both in form and fleece, and work up the other good 

 points after by careful breeding. It is well to have the under parts 

 of the sheep well woolled, but the shape of the body and the other 

 parts of the fleece should be attended to first. Very fine wool, once 

 so much admired by the owners of merino sheep, is now seldom 

 seen, even in Tasmania, formerly the home of line woolled sheep. 

 A robust description of wool has been found more profitable than 

 very fine wool, but the robust wool should have character, i.e., the 

 crimps or waves in the fibre should IK- well marked, even, and extend 

 from the skin to the tip. Straight, wiry wool is an abomination in 

 a merino. The fleece throughout should be free from kcinps, that 



