

DOMESTIC BREEDS OP SHEEP. 15 



little attention being given to wool; hence the Southdown fills the 

 place to perfection. 



They are also popular in the Middle West and in New York. Here 

 Southdown rams are frequently used for siring winter or hothouse 

 lambs. Rams are also bred for the spring-lamb section of Kentucky 

 and Tennessee. In the far West they have been used only to a 

 limited extent, the objection to them being that they are too small 

 and that their fleeces are too light. 



The Southdown is the smallest of the mutton breeds. They are, 

 however, remarkably compact ; their deceptive weights causing them 

 to be called "the big little sheep." Mature rams in breeding condi- 

 tion should weigh from 170 to 190 pounds and ewes from 125 to 130 

 pounds. 



In the carcass contests at the International Show at Chicago since 

 its inauguration in 1900 purebred, grade, and crossbred Southdowns 

 have won 51 out of 84 possible prizes. Five out of eleven grand 

 champions have also been of Southdown breeding. 



The wool of the Southdown is of good quality, but the fleeces are 

 not as heavy as might be desired. The ewes' fleeces should weigh 

 from 6 to 8 pounds and the ram's from 10 to 12 pounds. The Govern- 

 ment flock at the Morgan Horse Farm, Middlebury, Vt., has averaged 

 approximately 7 pounds in weight of fleece during recent years, one 

 of the breeding rams producing more than 12 pounds of wool. This 

 wool graded very largely three-eighths and one-half blood combing, 

 but in many flocks in this country clothing wool would predominate 

 because of the shortness of fiber. 



The breed is noted for its early maturity and its easy keeping 

 qualities. Southdowns thrive upon pasture that would be entirely 

 insufficient for the larger breeds. They are undeniably a short- 

 pasture sheep. In fecundity they are fair, but not equal to the best. 

 The Government flock mentioned before has given a 125 per cent 

 lamb crop for ewes bred and 140 per cent for ewes lambing. 



The most serious criticism that can be offered against the South- 

 down is that they are small and produce light fleeces. The superior 

 quality of their mutton is not regarded high enough in many places 

 in this country to offset these objections; hence the larger, heavier- 

 fleeced breeds have to a certain extent occupied the place that they 

 might otherwise fill. Years ago the dark-faced Southdown was 

 preferred, but in recent years the fighter color is much more popular. 



The Southdown Sheep Society of England published the first 

 volume of their flock book in 1892. The American Southdown Asso- 

 ciation was incorporated June 23, 1882, at Springfield, 111., where its 

 office is still located. They had recorded up to January 1, 1914, 

 30,645 sheep. 



