DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



size and fatten easier than the Vermont Merino. The wool is longer and not as fine, 

 the aim being to combine mutton qualities with fine-wool production. American 

 Merinos are now divided into three classes A, B, and C, according to the folds in 

 the skin, fineness of wool, and mutton qualities. This leads, of course, to some 

 confusion. The Vermont Merinos usually come into Class A, which produces wool 

 of the highest quality. Delaine Merinos are usually in Class C. These different 

 types are crossed to obtain a type to suit the breeder. 



The Merino was the foundation of the range-sheep industry on this continent in 

 the early days. Nowadays, to produce lambs of mutton type, rams of one of the 

 mutton breeds are used on the range Merino ewes. Ohio Merinos are famous, the 

 strongest fine wool of the world toeing produced there. There Merino ewes are 

 sometimes used for the production of very early lambs. 



THE RAMBOUILLET. 



This breed is the French Merino developed by the French Government early last 

 century from Spanish stock. They were improved in form, constitution, size, and 



Rambouillet ram. 



breeding qualities. They have fewer folds in the skin. They have proved very 

 popular on American ranges. Rambouillets are larger than Merinos. 



JUDGING SHEEP. 



How to tell the Age of Mice p. The teeth are the best guide up to a certain age. 

 The row of front or incisor teeth on the lower jaw (there are no incisors on the 

 upper jaw) should be examined by holding the head firmly with one hand and 

 separating the lips with two fingers of the other hand. TJp to 1 year of age the 

 lamb has eight small very white " sucking-tooth," called temporary incisors. About 

 1 year of age the centre pair is replaced by a pair of permanent incisors. These 

 permanent teeth soon become much wider and larger than the sucking-teeth. The 

 next pair of permanent teeth appear, one on each side of the first pair, about 2 

 years of age; the third pair soon after the sheep is 3 years old; and the fourth 

 and last pair appears at the corners shortly after the sheep is 4 years old. 

 Roughly, then, the sheep is as many years old as it has pairs of permanent incisor 

 teeth. 



