SHEEP SELECTION 27 



3. Sheep growing very light, mushy wool which lacks 

 density ; also any sheep growing hard, black-tipped wool 

 of the Vermont type. 



4. All leggy sheep that is, sheep with long legs and a 

 carcase not in proportion to them. 



5. Patchy-woolled sheep. These sheep may have ex- 

 cellent wool on the shoulder and brisket, while it will 

 fall away in length and density about the extremities and 

 belly. 



6. All hollow, or hump-backed, and other deformed sheep. 



7. Sheep growing patches of black wool. 



When classing Merino sheep some classers will reject a ram 

 because his wool is rather strong, though otherwise he is a perfect 

 sheep. I think this is a great mistake. A sire should be of a 

 bold, masculine type ; why not allow a little of it in the wool ? 



The American Vermont Merino is a very wrinkly type, the 

 folds extending all over the carcase, and growing a weighty 

 fleece of very heavy-conditioned and low-yielding wool. This 

 breed is fast going out of favour with Australian sheep -breeders. 

 A typical well-bred Merino ram should be short and thick in the 

 neck, and free from dewlap. The carcase should be round, and 

 free from folds or wrinkles on the body. The back should be 

 even and straight, and not too long. The legs should be on the 

 short side, with wool down to the hoofs. He should have plenty 

 of width across the shoulders and loins. The horns should not 

 be too close to the head, the first curve being not less than 

 one inch from the cheek. Poley rams are rejected, as they lack 

 masculinity. The head should be in proportion to the body and 

 covered with wool. The face should be fairly broad with a good 

 width between the eyes. The wool around the eyes should be 

 clipped occasionally, so that it will not interfere with the sheep's 

 sight. The wool grown by the ram is most important. It should 

 have a long, sound staple, containing plenty of clean, healthy 

 yolk, and it should not be dingy or discoloured. The ends 

 of the staples should be free from black, hard tips. The 



