282 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



3. Some care is necessary with reference to the racks 

 and troughs from which sheep take their feed when they 

 are to be shown. The racks must not allow any chaff 

 or other fodder to lodge about the wool on the neck of 

 the sheep. The height of the feeding trough must be so 

 adjusted, and also of the board over which the sheep feed 

 on the side of the same, that the wool will not be dis- 

 turbed on the underside of the throat. These may seem 

 to be matters of but little moment, and yet they are suffi- 

 ciently important in themselves to determine which way 

 the award will go in a close contest. For the proper con- 

 struction of feed racks see page 330. 



4. While attention should be given to trimming the 

 feet of sheep on the arable farm, for whatsoever purpose 

 they may be kept, it is trebly important that such care 

 shall be extended to the feet of show sheep. The feet of 

 the latter should be trimmed at least once a year. Such 

 trimming is done in outline as follows : The toes are cut 

 back Avith the nippers to the desired length. The excess 

 of horn is then trimmed off. Horn is in excess when it 

 grows outward so that it cracks or breaks on the outer 

 edges or when it turns under the outer rim of the sole. 

 It is removed by the aid of a knife, sharp and strong. 

 The sole may also be improved by a slight paring. The 

 trimming is best done some time before the sheep are 

 shown. 



5. It is greatly important that show sheep shall come 

 into the ring at what is termed the bloom stage. By bloom 

 is meant that condition in which the show animal appears 

 and handles at its best. When the animal has reached this 

 stage there is a charm of finish about it that is scarcely 

 possible of complete interpretation by the use of language, 

 but it is readily discerned when present by the competent 

 judge. When applied to the appearance, it includes not 

 only attractiveness in every part of the external form, 

 but also a corresponding gracefulness and ease of locomo- 

 tion. When applied to finish, it means that condition of 



