SHEEP 407 



Ewes should adhere very closely to the type of the 'breed to 

 which they belong, possessing in a marked degree all the breed chaiv 

 acters that are laid down in the standards of the breed association 

 Such ewes give evidence of purity of breeding through several gen 

 erations along definite lines for a definite purpose, having the breed 

 characters so fixed as to be uniformly transmitted to the offspring. 



Rough ewes with plain, heavy heads and necks, lacking in gen- 

 eral refinement and feminine appearance are rarely satisfactory 

 breeders. On the other hand, short, shallow bodied ewes with nar- 

 row hindquarters and an undersized, stunted appearance should also 

 be avoided for they lack the necessary breeding essentials of size, 

 form, quality and constitutional vigor as pointed out above. 



The Ram. The ram is the head of the flock and might well 

 be called half of it. Type and breed characters are the first con- 

 siderations in judging a ram. He should be a pure-bred and possess, 

 to a high degree, all the characters of the breed to which he belongs, 

 as in the case of the ewe, because this indicates prepotency. He 

 should have plenty of size, and as opposed to the ewe, have a strongly 

 developed forehand and a decidedly masculine appearance, indicated 

 by general burliness of the head, thickness of neck, general mas- 

 siveness, with a bold, energetic outlook, a bright, clear eye, much 

 quality, and a brisk movement, denoting vim and vigor. He should 

 nave widely distended nostrils, a thick, heavy loin, twist and crops, 

 broad, full chest and brisket, a level, strong back, hips well laid in, a 

 straight, deep, level flank, and a fine, long, dense fleece of good qual- 

 ity. Such a ram will leave his impress indelibly on the offspring. 

 An effeminate ram is a decided objection because he usually lacks 

 prepotency and is rarely a sure and strong breeder. 



The Merino or Fine-Wool Type of Sheep. The purpose of the 

 Merino or fine-wool sheep is essentially different from that of the 

 mutton type. The former is bred almost exclusively for its w y ool 

 while the latter is bred principally for mutton with the wool as a sec- 

 ondary consideration. The general conformation of the Merino may 

 be compared to that of dairy cattle. It lacks fullness of breast, 

 breadth of back, and general thickness throughout, with a leg of 

 mutton that lacks fullness, and has a rather long neck and legs. An 

 angular, muscular development of the entire body prevails rather 

 than the smoothness and heavy fleshing of the mutton type. How- 

 ever, the head is short and should be broad at the muzzle, with large 

 nostrils; the nose short and inclined to be wrinkled, and somewhat 

 Roman shaped in the ram. Horns occur on most males of the fine 

 wool type and on the females of some breeds. They have a more or 

 less cork screw shape and should have a waxy, dense texture denoting 

 quality. The neck is rather long and thin in the ewe but should 

 show decided strength and masculinity in the ram with more or less 

 throatiness. Although the shoulders are narrow they tend to be 

 prominent with sharp withers. The breast and chest are narrow but 

 should gain capacity by depth. Crooked legs coming together at 

 the knees, with the toes spread out are objectionable, indicating as 

 they do a narrow chest. The body usually carries a narrow back and 



