124 JUDGING SHEEP 



fleece. In some flocks the quantity of yolk has been in- 

 creased and encouraged by selection in breeding, so that 

 heavy fleeces might be obtained. The ordinary fleece in 

 which yolk is abundant in proper quantity will lose nearly 

 une-third through washing it in hot water. This grease 

 is of no value to the manufacturer and it represents a di- 

 rect loss to him when it is in the fleece in very large quan- 

 tities. The feeding and the management undoubtedly 

 influence the amount of yolk. Feeding sheep foods that 

 are rich in oils seems to further the secretion of grease 

 and especially in feeding with such rations as are gen- 

 erally given to fattening sheep, the quantity of yolk seems 

 to increase. In fattening lambs at the Wisconsin Station 

 it was found that the lambs which received grain from 

 birth invariably sheared heavier fleeces than those that 

 had grain only during the latter three months of fatten- 

 ing. By washing samples from the fleece of these sheep 

 it was determined that the increased weight of the fleece 

 was almost altogether due to the increased amount of 

 yolk which the grain-fed lambs secreted. The presence 

 of yolk in proper quantities is of chief importance, be- 

 cause the fleece becomes -soft through it, and is made 

 more compact, thereby keeping bright and clean in con- 

 dition. Furthermore, it is a safe index of the thriftiness 

 in the sheep, though if present in excessive quantities and 

 accumulated in flakes it indicates undue pampering or 

 unthriftiness due to overfeeding. 



