Fitting Wethers for Shows. 209 



now fed in the morning after the grain is given and 

 before they go out to pasture. The wethers now re- 

 ceive a third trimming, after which they need only 

 be kept smooth, as their form has been shaped at 

 previous trimmings. At each trimming the weth- 

 ers are carefully handled and their condition 

 studied, so that their grain ration may be increased 

 or decreased in view of the time when they are to 

 be shown. About October 1 rutabagas are ready to 

 be fed, and as excessive cabbage feeding may tend 

 to make the wethers a little soft in handling, each 

 wether receives about two pounds of rutabagas 

 each day chopped up with a root cutter. The 

 amount of cabbage is reduced at this time to one 

 pound for each wether, making two pounds of 

 roots and one pound of cabbage for each wether 

 daily. 



This ration is continued until November 1 when 

 cabbage is abandoned and the same amount of 

 roots, two pounds, still fed. The aim from this 

 time on is to feed them mostly on grain and hay, 

 so that they will become firm and hard and be solid 

 in handling, which is the main point in the ring 

 as well as on the block. If time permits they are 

 given another trimming about the middle of Octo- 

 ber. About November 15 they are touched up 

 with the shears for the last time and are then cov- 

 ered with blankets. 



14 



