GROWING AND FITTING SHEEP FOR EXHIBITION 277 



even these will profit by the opportunity to take more or 

 less of exercise in the pasture. The exercise not only tends 

 to maintain health and vigor, but it also has an important 

 bearing on the maintenance of a free and easy locomotion. 



While yards may suffice in some instances to furnish 

 exercise for sheep to be shown in the fat classes, show 

 sheep that are to be used in breeding must have larger 

 room for exercise. They must be given the larger room 

 of an ample paddock, or better still the liberty to roam 

 about in a small pasture. Such exercise is absolutely 

 necessary to sustain begetting power in the rams and 

 conceptive power in the ewes. The opportunity thus 

 given to exercise should be such that it may hinder some- 

 what the loading of the body with that amount of fat 

 which is allowable in the fat classes, but such exercise is 

 absolutely essential if the breeding powers are to be re- 

 tained. 



While in order to secure the necessary exercise dis- 

 tant pastures would be inconvenient, those not immedi- 

 ately at hand may be made to answer, the chief objec- 

 tion being loss in time to the shepherd in taking them to 

 and from the pastures. The better plan, therefore, is to 

 have the pastures near and to control the degree of the 

 exercise given by the time given to the sheep to remain in 

 the pastures. 



During a prolonged fair circuit the question of ex- 

 ercise during the same becomes increasingly important, 

 owing to the closeness of the confinement in the show 

 pens. The aim should be to exercise them for a short 

 time morning and evening. The aim should be further 

 to allow those which are pen companions to graze thus 

 and take exercise together. When they become "shaky" 

 on their feet while making the show circuit, the want of 

 exercise will probably be the cause of such a condition. 



Excessive fatness to be avoided The degree of the 

 fatness to be sought has not yet been decided to the sat- 

 isfaction of everyone. Even the highest authorities are 



