276 



Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



well be added on heads and necks. The following by John Wrightson 

 of the Royal College of Science, London, England, is much to the 

 point:' 



"Nothing looks better than good heads, and, strange as it may 

 seem, a sheep's head, which is only worth 9d. (18 cents) at the butcher's 

 is worth a lot of money when carried on a good ram or ewe. A muscular 

 neck indicates strength of constitution and good muscular development, 

 and I have never known a sheep breeder who did not strongly object 

 to a shabby neck. Mr. Ellman, the father of the Southdown breed, 

 insisted on the importance of this point. Mr. James Rawlence, of 

 Bulbridge, one of the oldest of our noted breeders, would not keep a 

 weak-necked ewe, and no man who values his flock would buy a ram 

 with this fault. The neck ought to be muscular, arched, tapering, and 

 neat." 



Fig. 99. — A prize-winning flock. First prize Shropshire flock at the Inter- 

 national, owned by A. Broughton and Sons, Albany, Wis. 



Uniformity in shape, size, color markings, and general appearance 

 is a valuable attribute in any flock. When the produce is intended 

 for the open market, this insures a uniform lot of lambs for feeding, and 

 it adds much to the attractiveness of the finished lot when presented 

 to the buyer. 



The breeder who aims to supply the open market must emphasize 

 the matter of wool when building up a breeding flock. Although meat 

 production is the principal object in view, the clip of wool from such a 

 flock ought to be an important source of revenue. Furthermore, the 

 ewe with the heavy fleece is better protected from the weather, remains 

 more healthy for that reason, and the density of her fleece keeps it 

 freer from dirt, manure, chaff, and other foreign matter. Moisture is 



^Sheep, Breeds and Management, London, 1908, p. 126. 



