WOOL TYPE 417 



flatter in the ribs and not as heavily or uniformly covered with 

 natural flesh. The type is wooled, however, practically from 

 head to foot. The head is usually so densely covered with 

 wool that the animal sees with difficulty. It is wooled to the 

 extremity of the muzzle, over the belly, in the arm pits and 

 down to the pasterns. Some of the breeds of this type are ex- 

 cessively wrinkled, thus giving a maximum area on which 

 wool may be grown. 



The modern type of fine- wool sheep is more symmetrical, 

 less angular and smoother in form than formerly. This has 

 been brought about largely by the desire to obtain better 

 mutton-producing qualities. Attention has been given to 

 breeding out the folds and wrinkles, thus materially improving 

 the mutton form. Even with these improvements the wool 

 sheep does not possess the thickness, smoothness and uni- 

 formity of natural flesh of the mutton type. In judging 

 this type of sheep mutton-producing qualities should be 

 emphasized consistently with the wool-producing attributes, 

 which are of primary consideration. 



Quality. The wool type of sheep possesses an unusual 

 degree of refinement. This is natural, however, considering 

 the purpose of the animal. Naturally an animal producing 

 a fine quality of wool would show correlated characteristics 

 in other respects. While smaller, more angular, and less 

 symmetrical than the mutton type, these animals possess 

 unusual quality. The head is clear cut, the bone fine, the 

 skin soft and pink, and the hair of fine quality where it 

 appears on the animal. 



A close examination of the fleece on a fine-wool sheep 

 will indicate the possession of these attributes. The close- 

 crimp, soft, compact nature of the fleece is indicative of 

 correlated qualities otherwise. Other than the points men- 

 tioned the wool sheep is judged largely the same as the 

 mutton animal. The fleece should be given first considera- 

 tion, mutton-producing qualities being secondary. 



Fleece Characteristics. The fleece of the fine-wool breeds 



is shorter, finer and denser than the wool grown on any other 



breed. The term fine wool is significant of quality as related 



to fineness. As extreme length and fineness are antagonistic, 



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