THE SUFFOLK 609 



In examining Suffolk sheep the observer is struck with the blackness of 

 the face and the general absence of wool upon the head or between the ears, 

 which is so characteristic of the Hampshire Down sheep. This is the principal 

 characteristic difference in appearance between the two breeds. 



The size of the Suffolk is nearly equal to the Hampshire and is 

 greater than the Shropshire. It is stated that mature rams of 

 Mr. Sewell weighed from 200 to 240 pounds, while one of the 

 imported yearling ewes of Mr. Streeter weighed 290 pounds, and 

 a ram lamb nine months old 195 pounds. From figures given by 

 Henry and Morrison l the average weight of forty-nine yearling 

 wethers shown at the Smithfield Fat-Stock Show, between 1895 and 

 1912, at six hundred and forty-eight days of age, was 291 pounds, 

 the heaviest of any breed but the Lincoln ; while 76 wether lambs 

 averaging two hundred and eighty-seven days weighed 201 pounds 

 and showed an average daily gain of .70 pound, the best record 

 of any middle-wool breed. Shaw and Heller credit the rams with 

 200 to 240 pounds' weight and the ewes 150 to 200 pounds, 

 while Coffey places the rams at 250 affd the ewes at 165 pounds. 

 The breed standard makes no reference to weight, but good exam- 

 ples weigh distinctly heavier than the Shropshire. The author has 

 seen some Suffolks in American shows that were poor types of 

 the breed and would find no favor in England. 



The Suffolk as a mutton sheep holds high rank in its native 

 country, evidently possessing superior qualities from Southdown 

 inheritance, the fat and lean being in good proportion and the 

 grain and flavor of the meat excellent. In the British mutton- 

 carcass contests the Suffolk has won a place of the first rank ; in 

 fact, at Smithfield it has held first place on various occasions. 

 Again quoting Henry, the Smithfield-show figures given by him 

 bring out the fact that in twenty years the yearling Suffolk dressed 

 64 per cent carcass. 



The Suffolk as a feeder also ranks well. It has been kept under 

 conditions of moderate grain ration with considerable grazing, 

 showing fair feeding returns. In experiments on fattening wether 

 lambs at the Iowa Experiment Station the Suffolk gained rather 

 faster per day than the Shropshire or Southdown in each trial, 

 averaging .55 pound and .40 pound daily gain in two trials. They 



1 Feeds and Feeding, 1915. 



