108 JUDGING SHEEP 



sheep or the way the ribs are covered and the straightness 

 iof the back are determined and at the same time the 

 spring of the ribs is made apparent. The width of the 

 loin should then be taken and also its covering and thick- 

 ness. The width of the hips should next be observed, 

 and turning to one side and using two hands the length 

 from the hip to the end of the hind quarter should be 

 made apparent between the two points. Then the width 

 of the hind quarter and the manner in which it is carried 

 back and the fullness should also be examined. Follow- 

 ing the joint towards the leg the development of the 

 thigh on the outside requires examination, and then with 

 the hand the quarters should be firmly felt. 



153. Deception Due to Trimming. In this way 

 the sheep has been thoroughly examined as to form, but 

 it is to be remembered that the hands should be thor- 

 oughly relied on to discover all defects of form, and un- 

 less the sheep is carefully handled the examiner is very 

 likely to be deceived. The wool of all show sheep and 

 fat stock of the medium wool classes, is always 

 trimmed, and the trimmer possessing skill can give any 

 desired form to sheep, providing the wool is long enough 

 and the sheep approaches somewhat towards the form 

 which is being imitated. 



154. Estimating Age by the Teeth. The o*der 

 of appearance of the nippers or incisors in sheep is a 

 fairly reliable method of telling their age. The sheep 

 has eight permanent incisors, and these appear in regular 

 order in supplanting the milk teeth. The milk teeth can 

 always be told from the permanent incisors by the fact 

 that they are narrower. The permanent incisors are 

 broad and wide and widened considerably towards the 

 top. The first or central pair of incisors appear when 

 the sheep is slightly over one year old. The next pair, 



