SHEEP FOR WOOL, MUTTON AND BOTH USES 45 



creased attention given to the improvement of mutton 

 form during recent years. As a result of tliis the differ- 

 ence in size between the breeds named is not marked. It 

 is also greater than that of the mountain breeds. 



It would seem correct to say that the essentials as 

 to form for successful wool production are essentially the 

 same as for successful mutton production. But it is 

 quite possible, nevertheless, to grow wool of the highest 

 class on form that is far from ideal for the production of 

 mutton. Owing to the less favorable conditions as to 

 food and care furnished to sheep kept mainly for wool, 

 these have less development in mutton form than is found 

 in the distinctive mutton breeds. This lack of mutton 

 form is evidenced in less of rotundity of body, less of 

 chest width, and heart girth, and less of length of quarter 

 with more length of leg. 



Sheep kept mainly for wool production are more 

 hardy than those kept primarily for mutton production, 

 as a rule. They can endure more privation because of 

 low temperatures and short feed supplies than those kept 

 mainly for mutton. The mutton-producing varieties are 

 not only less hardy, but they call for a greater variety of 

 food and more care. 



While the mutton breeds differ in the degree to 

 which they possess prolificacy, as a rule, they are more 

 prolific than breeds in which wool production is domi- 

 nant. The wool-producing types seldom average more 

 than 100 per cent of lambs. Some of the mutton breeds 

 average much higher. 



Conditions favorable to wool production — The con- 

 ditions that favor wool rather than mutton production 

 are: (i) Rugged lands of but little agricultural value; 

 (2) climates with vegetation dry and more or less parched 

 at certain seasons ; (3) situations remote from markets ; 

 and (4) areas with but few inhabitants. 



On rugged lands sheep may be grown, but not fat- 

 tened in high form. On the western ranges of the United 



