32 PROBLEMS IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF SHEEP 



tion had gone very far, palatability was joined with this primary 

 object, so that the epicure, too, can now make his selection of a 

 mutton joint from the improved mutton breeds. 



. Changes. Mutton improvement has involved changes in form, 

 quality, fattening properties, age at maturity, feeding capacity, 

 milking function, and prolificacy. With the possible exception of 

 the last two, these factors are so interdependent that they all had to 

 be considered at the same time. And it is clear that mutton im- 

 provement could not go very far without considering milking prop- 

 erties because the making of a good mutton lamb depends in large 

 part on its getting plenty of milk. But sheep's milk was a human 

 food in very early times, hence the milking function may have 

 received considerable attention before the era of mutton improve- 

 ment, still it was woefully neglected in flocks of fine wool sheep in 

 Italy and Spain. 



Prolificacy has to do entirely with the economic phases of pro- 

 duction and whether or not an attempt is made to increase it depends 

 on conditions. Until mutton became important as a commodity for 

 sale, there was certainly no great incentive to try to fix such a thing 

 as the twinning habit because it was possible to keep up the size of 

 flocks for wool production by a rate of increase of one lamb a year 

 from each ewe. Even where mutton is an important consideration, 

 the supply of feed must be liberal before breeders attempt to en- 

 courage great prolificacy, because ewes with twins must not only 

 have the tendency to milk well, but they must have plenty of feed 

 so that they can produce enough milk to grow their lambs well. 

 Partly on account of a lack of a liberal supply of feed, there are 

 places devoted to the production of mutton and wool in which single 

 lambs are much to be preferred to twins, but in places where ewes 

 can easily take good care of two lambs, marked prolificacy is usually 

 desired. 



England was the center of mutton improvement. Beginning 

 with Bakewell, conditions were favorable for encouraging English 

 farmers to effect this improvement. They had the climate and crops 

 necessary to grow sheep well ; they received a fair remuneration for 

 their efforts, and numerous livestock shows created keen competition 

 in the effort to secure perfection of animal form and finish. A great 

 amount of improvement was effected in a comparatively short period, 

 so much in fact, that many English breeders of the present time 

 doubt whether significant further improvement has been made in 

 the last quarter or half century. 



