90 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



found in most show flocks : these involve an exceptional outlay 

 as they are required by others who intend to compete for prizes, 

 and they are a speciality for which a higher price is paid than a 

 farmer ought to expend. On the other hand, the inferior sheep 

 of a flock are not likely to do so much good as those which possess 

 some slight fault which precludes them from the show -ring but 

 will not be seriously apparent in an ordinary flock. Cross-bred 

 sheep do not breed so reliably to type as those which have been 

 kept pure for a long time. The ram should show vigour, and a 

 masculine character. This is usually indicated by a strong, though 

 not necessarily coarse, head and a thick neck. The skin is an 

 important feature, as poorly-bred ewes are, as a rule, inferior in 

 this respect. The skin should be soft, pinky and bright in most 

 breeds. From such a skin wool will generally grow closely and 

 fine. In breeds descended more or less directly from horned 

 breeds, signs of horns should be avoided. A ram should stand well 

 on his legs and move freely. 



As a rule a shearling ram is preferred. However, the Hamp- 

 shire breeders, who have been very skilful in developing their 

 sheep, prefer a ram lamb ; and they attach much importance to 

 this, as they have found that the use of ram lambs has had a great 

 effect in developing early maturity, for which the breed is so justly 

 famous. A ram lamb should not be mated with more than fifty 

 ewes, and he then will be fit to serve as many as eighty in the next 

 season. If overworked, his successful career will be of short 

 duration ; and if a high price is paid for a good ram lamb, at least 

 two season's work should be got out of him. A specially good ram 

 may be used for several seasons hi fact, so long as he is active. 

 After two years, however, there is risk of inbreeding, as his offspring 

 may have been brought into the flock. Where the ram is used 

 for more than two years the ewes should be selected so that mating 

 with his own blood may be avoided. Sometimes, however, in- 

 breeding to a slight extent may be needed to secure fixity of type, 

 or to tone down coarseness, which may have been brought about 

 by injudicious mating or by the soil some soils having a tendency 

 to make the sheep run coarse. 



Number of Ewes. A shearling ram will take eighty ewes. It 

 is important to purchase a ram in good health, and a ram with foot- 

 rot should be avoided, as it will convey the disease to the flock 

 with which it is put. Should a ram affected with foot-rot be pur- 

 chased, it should be isolated until all traces of disease have dis- 

 appeared. If very lame he may be incapable of service for the 

 mere want of locomotion. 



A ram requires to be in good condition at the time of service, 

 but should not be over fat. When got up for sale, rams are often 

 soft, and rapidly lose flesh when turned on to poorer food and put 



