CHAPTER XIII 



GROWING AND FITTING SHEEP FOR 

 EXHIBITION 



In Chapter XIII the growing and fitting of sheep for 

 exhibition is discussed under the following subheads : 

 (i) The sources from which pure breds are obtained; (2) 

 The sources from which grades and cross breds are ob- 

 tained; (3) The quarters for the ewes and lambs; (4) 

 Food for the dams while nursing in sheds ; (5) Feed- 

 ing and caring for the lambs until weaned ; (6) Grazing 

 for the dams before the time of weaning; (7) The lambs 

 , subsequently to weaning; (8) Trimming the wool for the 

 fairs; (9) Washing and smearing sheep for shows; (10) 

 Special treatment for Merino sheep; (11) Show sheep in 

 transit to the fairs ; (12) Management subsequently to the 

 fair season; (13) The exercise that is required; (14) Ex- 

 cessive fatness to be avoided; (15) The age to which 

 sheep may be shown; and (16) Miscellaneous observa- 

 tions on showing sheep. 



Sources from which pure breds come — As a rule the 

 leading exhibitors of pure-bred sheep in Great Britain 

 grow the animals which they exhibit. In the United 

 States and Canada this method is reversed by many 

 breeders. They import from the flocks of Britain many 

 of the sheep which they show. This does not apply 

 equally to all breeds, as the American and Delaine Me- 

 rino are in all instances home grown, and in nearly all in- 

 stances it is true of the Rambouillets. This superiority 

 of the mutton breeds of sheep in Britain is owing in part 

 to the temperate and moist climate of that country, so 

 favorable to the abundant growth of those succulent foods 

 that are so helpful in forcing early growth, but it is only 

 fair to concede that it is owing in part to the genius of 



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