450 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



obtained at low cost. With such foundation stock a high 

 standard of excellence will not be quickly reached. But 

 the opposite extreme should be avoided of purchasing 

 animals that have been fitted for the fairs and shown at 

 the same. Such animals breed less freely than those kept 

 under conditions less forced, and on ordinary food they 

 will not retain the bloom that should characterize the 

 members of a well-kept flock. 



The essentials as to form are given in the book, "The 

 Study of Breeds," by the author, and will not be repeated 

 here. They may also be obtained from the accredited 

 standard of excellence or scale of points, as it is some- 

 times called, for each breed, from whatsoever source it 

 may be derived. When selecting the females, similarity 

 in type should be sought, and the male should be at least 

 a good specimen of the breed, and preferably line bred. 

 The most suitable type of breeding ewes will probably 

 be obtained from rams not extremely masculine in char- 

 acteristics, but later those characteristics should be highly 

 developed. 



Every possible attention should be given to the 

 health of the foundation stock. It would probably be 

 correct to say that, under many conditions, several of the 

 most troublesome or fatal ailments that afflict sheep 

 would never be present were these not brought to the 

 farm or ranch in the foundation animals or in purchases 

 made subsequently. These include stomach worms, tape- 

 worms and nodule disease. No pains should be spared 

 in ascertaining the facts about the previous history of 

 the flocks with reference to visitations from parasites. 

 The presence or absence of these in ewes cannot be as- 

 certained from the appearance of mature individuals in 

 the flock. When time has made it apparent that none 

 of these ailments are present, the aim should be to avoid 

 the introduction of animals of the breed from outside 

 sources. Those deficient in fleece, and in the wool char- 

 acteristics proper to the breed, should not be chosen, and 



