396 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



The body of the mutton sheep, furnishing as it does the 

 highest-priced meat, is given a maximum credit of twenty- 

 seven points in the ideal animal. Expert judges usually 

 give very critical inspection to this section of the body, 

 for a sheep would not be a creditable example of mutton 

 type if lacking in the middle piece, where the high-priced 

 cuts are found. The body may be best examined by stand- 

 ing directly back of the animal, so that the hands may be 

 freely used on the back, sides and flank. 



The chest of the sheep represents the entire section of 

 the body as measured just back of the shoulders. The girth 

 here should be comparatively large, with wide rather than 

 narrow curves at top and bottom of the chest. As the vital 

 organs, the heart and lungs are located within the chest, 

 it is at once apparent that a wide, deep chest capacity should 

 be associated with large, strong vital organs. A narrow, 

 shallow, flat-ribbed chest, is always regarded as evidence of 

 weak constitution. Emphasis should be placed on the front 

 ribs having sufficient arch to allow great fullness in heart 

 girth, rather than having a depression back of the shoulders, 

 for in this lies the difference between a good chest and a 

 poor one. A narrow-chested animal also rarely carries the 

 wealth of flesh to be found in the one with full chest. Score 

 the narrow chest severely. 



The back of the mutton sheep should first of all be wide 

 and of medium length. A long back usually is loose jointed 

 and does not carry its weight well. The back should pre- 

 ferably be level, as characteristic of vigor and constitution, 

 though the butcher cares little about this, if there is wide, 

 thick covering of firm flesh. The backbone should be so 

 covered with flesh that no amount of handling will reveal 

 to the touch the ends of the spines or a hard, bare back. A 

 shallow groove along over the spine, once before referred to, 

 indicates the easy feeder and desirable butcher beast. If the 

 back is unevenly fleshed, score more severely than if lack- 

 ing in thickness of uniform covering. If over-fat and soft 

 of flesh, the score should be low. Here in the back is where 



