CHAPTER XXXIII. 



THE CLASSIFICATION OF DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



Sheep may be classified in two different ways, one accord- 

 ing to conformation, and the other based on the character 

 of the fleece borne by the animal. It is quite customary to 

 classify sheep in two types, the mutton and Jlerino, but 

 this in itself is not enough. It will be more correct to have 

 three types, comparable in conformation with the grouping 

 of cattle, viz. -. 



(a) Mutton type, comparable with the beef type. 



(b) Merino, of class A type, comparable with dairy 

 type. 



(c) Delaine Merino, or dual purpose type. 



The classification, according to fleece, may be made as 

 follows : 



(a) The fine wool, sometimes termed the short wool, in- 

 cluding all the Merino families, and such as produce a wool 

 fiber of the finest and best quality. 



(6) The middle wool including all recognized mutton 

 breeds, producing a fleece usually three to four inches long, 

 of medium fineness and quality. 



(c) The long wool, produced by the larger breeds as a 

 rule, having coarse, open fleeces, often seven or eight inches 

 long. 



In view of the great growth in interest in sheep as sources 

 of meat, rather than wool, the first classification given above 

 will be considered as the more important and common one. 



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