CHAPTER IV 

 SHEEP SELECTION 



Method of selecting or classing sheep 



SHEEP classing is a profession that requires a good deal of know- 

 ledge only to be obtained by practical experience. A good many 

 sheep classers, who are excellent judges of sheep from a carcase 

 point of view, are considerably handicapped by their scant 

 knowledge of wool. To be a thoroughly efficient classer one 

 must thoroughly understand and be able to recognize the various 

 qualities and types of wool. The average sheep farmer can, 

 however, with a little judgment, class his own sheep : it would be 

 too expensive for him to think of employing an expert for small 

 flocks. 



The main object of classing is to remove any faulty sheep, or 

 those of a type other than the pastoralist wishes to breed. Sheep 

 having any of the following defects should be culled out of the 

 breeding sheep : 



1. All sheep having kempy hairs that is, long, coarse, 

 white hairs on the face and under the fore-legs and thighs. 

 The wool on sheep of this class runs very coarse at the 

 britch, and is full of kempy hairs. These hairs very often 

 grow longer than the wool. In some cases they cover the 

 whole of the carcase. The wool is of very low value, and 

 on no account should a kempy fleece be placed in a bale 

 with others. 



2. Any very small and delicate sheep. 



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