JUDGING THE MUTTON TYPE OF SHEEP 



401 



ward, being level and true on the hoof, and supporting a 

 pastern that is neither too long nor too sloping. 



Wool on the mutton sheep, as has already been stated, is 

 usually of secondary importance to flesh production. The 

 score card gives a total of nine points to the wool. If a 

 mutton sheep is being judged as a butcher's beast at a 

 great fat stock show, the judge gives comparatively little 

 attention to the amount and covering of wool, but if the 

 animal is to be judged as a breeding sheep, then more con- 

 sideration is given to this point. Very brief reference will, 

 therefore, be given to the wool at this time, this subject be- 

 ing discussed in detail under Merino type, to which the 

 reader is referred on page 426. Three factors of impor- 

 tance must be considered in this connection, namely, 

 quality, xquantity and condition. 



The quality of the wool on the mutton sheep is an in- 

 dication of the quality of the sheep as a whole. A fine, soft 

 fleece, uniform in 

 character over 

 much of the body, 

 is desirable. Yet 

 this fineness is only 

 comparative. The 

 long-wooled sheep 

 of the mutton type, 

 naturally carry a 

 coarser fiber than 

 the smaller, me- 

 dium-wooled sheep. 

 In each case, re- 

 finement of wool 

 fiber is desired 

 rather than coarse- 

 ness, for generally 

 speaking, we may 



assume that the Fi ^ 221. "To study the quality, part the 



, . , wool at several points, especially on the neck, 

 liner WOOled animal shoulder, middle of side and thigh." 



