HANDLING THE SHEEP 



87 



After finishing with the thighs, the judge may either examine 

 the rump or pass one hand along the entire top of the sheep to get 

 an idea of its levelness and covering. The first movement in judg- 

 ing the rump is to grasp the dock with one hand and note its size 

 and fullness. A wide, thick dock is taken to indicate deep, strong 

 muscling along the spine (Fig. 49). A good filling of fat on either 

 side between the dock and the rump indicates high condition ; hence 

 a great deal of importance is attached to this part of the investi- 

 gation. The next thing is to determine the width at the hips and 



Fia. 46. Determining the amount and firmness of the filling at the twist and the depth 

 from the top of the rump to the lower boundary of the twist. 



the evenness with which this width carries back. This is done by 

 pressing one hand on either side of the rump from the hip points 

 to the dock (Figs. 47 and 48). 



(2) The Middle, Including Loin, Back, and Ribs. The loin is 

 examined for width and thickness by placing one hand straight 

 down on either side of it. This movement is often difficult for be- 

 ginners, who are unable to hold the hands straight and who have 

 considerable difficulty at first in correctly estimating width. Ex- 

 perienced judges often get an idea of width and thickness of loin by 

 reaching across it with one hand. The covering of loin is judged 

 by placing the fingers flat over the spine and noting whether the 



